I would love to build a greenhouse, nothing gigantic but not too small either. Are there any sites that would give me the information that I need? Also Any information once I build my greenhouse to start growing plants and herbs. I love this group. I just joined recently. Thank you! JOY

Hi JoyL.W1 and Big Welcome!

Whether it's gonna be fancy-shmancy, or simply serviceable, heated or unheated, framed from wood (non-treated, of course), PVC (can leach if it's in prolonged contact with plastic covering), metal conduit, aluminum, plastic-covered, poloycarbonate panels, glass or a simple hoophouse structure......WHEW! ...endless possibilities!

I have a "kit" hobby aluminum-framed, 8' X 12' greenhouse that's about 8 years old now.
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/gardenzview/Stuff.html The woven poly has finally given up the ghost, and we're recovering with plastic this year. (Not looking forward to THAT job, but, it's gotta be done). Being unheated, I don't start seedlings in there. Start them indoors on heat mats in plug trays (holds about 172 seedlings). Transplant into 6-cell packs once they've developed true leaves, then bring them out to greenhouse. Ventilation is imperative. In addition to top and side vents, I've got a small oscillating fan in there to provide air movement and "tickling" of the seedlings leaves. Also have a small , thermostatically controlled space heater on the floor. Set it at min temp for seedlings to make it through cold nights, and it kicks on when it drops to that temp. Invest in a good thermometer to go in there too. It may be 65˚ outside to you, but on a sunny day, it can zoom upwards of 90˚ inside your structure. I try to bottom water as much as possible, but purchased one of those small curlyhose-mini spray wands to water just soil surface of cells and not get leaves wet. Location of the structure, obviously, is important. Maximum sun exposure.

Just remember, that once you commit yourself to this, it'll account for much of your time each day during seeding and pre-planting season. Those little "babies" out there in your greenhouse will need constant attention. :_| And if you intend it to be a four-season struture...then, JoyL, prepare to put a cot out there for yourself...it's gonna take over more than just much of your "day".....try...much of your "life"! :O It's habit forming, but not a bad habit. Oh, and one other thing, however big you're planning on making it....increase your plans by at least two feet. After one season of using it and enjoying it's possibilities, you'll wish you'd made it bigger in the first place.

And, if you want some additional reading material..................

http://www.hobbygreenhouse.org/links.htm
http://www.cerc.colostate.edu/Blueprints/Greenhouse.htm
http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPubs/PlanList97.htm#Greenhouse%20Plans
http://users2.ev1.net/~sivek/greenhouse/greenhouse.html
http://www.buildeazy.com/greenhouse.html
http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/
http://www.countrysidemag.com/current.htm#article1
http://www.westsidegardener.com/howto/hoophouse.html
If you're interested in basic, easy-to-follow instructions to build a big hoophouse, check our Ohiorganic's (Lucy):
http://www.marketfarming.com/lhphs.htm

Lots of luck, but, mostly, have fun with it!

gardenz

My husband and I are in the middle of building our first greenhouse. We started with a pile of old single-pane storm windows from old houses that someone was giving away. We decided against the glass when we realized how much heat will be lost through it (we live in Montana). We now are buying double-pane polycarbonate panels and will frame with cedar or (second growth) redwood.
What changed our minds about our plans is some great information in a book published by (of all people) Ortho called All About Greenhouses. Just skip the parts about applying chemicals and the rest of the information is gold. The book is not overwhemling at all and is very clear and when presenting technical infomation about heating systems, irrigation, etc., and has LOTS of ideas for designs. I have already chosen what my next greenhouse will look like. Have fun! I hope you put one in!

If you're interested in basic, easy-to-follow instructions to build a big hoophouse, check our Ohiorganic's (Lucy):
http://www.marketfarming.com/lhphs.htm

The plans here allow you to build as big or as small (well not less than 10') a hoophouse as you want. just use fewer hoops to shorten the thing.

Oh, this site is a wealth of information!
Someday when I can afford it I'm going to get a green house too. Right now, I'm only going to start from seed what I know I can't get from Lowes or Home depot, or even not from the local places. I've gotten too many unusual plants from specialty places on the web and only in seed form. So I'll just grow a few special ones from seed in this little 4-shelf greenhouse thing once it's safe to do so.

Thank you all for replying. I have learned so much. I am glad that I found a site that I can get so much information to anwer my questions. I am going to keep all your thoughts in mind when choosing a greenhouse. I can't wait!! Thank you for the sites to check out. They will help me out a lot. I will let you know how it goes.

We built a greenhouse out of old house windows about 25 years ago, which, is still in use today, because we have a short season here in central NY, zone 3-4. It is not heated and we get a lot of use out of it by growing seedlings in early spring. In early May, a good month before the last frost, we plant tomatoes and peppers in it. We have it up against the house, over the celler door, and it sits on the dirt, we do not have benches like a conventional greenhouse. We call it our garden under glass. Attached to the house we have several shelves that we put the seedlings on, it is the warmest place in the greenhouse. The temperature is about 10 degrees above the outside temperature at night in the spring. If it is really cold we turn on an electric heater. In all these years we only had to use it last spring and fall. In the fall we put our herbs and roses, that we keep in pots, because it's too cold during the winter to grow them outside year round.
If you want to keep it warmer you can put bubble wrap liners on the windows. You can get more information from Charlie's Greenhouse catalog, they advertize in Organic Gardening Magazine.

You'll find a few more resources here.

http://www.farm-garden.com/links/9/on.html