# Budget greenhouse



## leafminer (Dec 11, 2009)

I decided to see how easy and cheap it could be to build a greenhouse.
The criteria were:
1. Components available pretty well everywhere.
2. Cheap parts.
3. Quick to build with minimum tools.
4. Design life 2-3 years (outer skin), 8 years (frame) minimum.

For my purpose I had a convenient south-facing white wall, so I built a lean-to.
Materials so far:

1/2" PVC white cold water pipe and glue.
joints: T, X, elbow, corner elbow, etc.
2 end caps
screws and wall plugs
2 x 3/4 metal pipe clamps
heavy plastic sheet
3 ground anchors (I made these by cutting up some copper pipe and hammering it into shape)

I'm building the skeleton at the moment and when I am finished I'll document the parts and cost. Mine is built using 3 m tubes, it is plenty high enough to walk in, (6ft 4" in height) and about 6 ft wide. Length is optional so I made mine 7 ft long. I figure that 7 or 8 good sized plants could fit in and go to 6ft if necessary. 
You could even build a dome. 45 deg. joints to make the top, 8 poles, the dome would be say 7 ft in the centre and about 12ft wide. Cost probably about $200 for a dome. Mine is coming out around $50 by the look of it.
I'm going to drape it with 40% shade cloth to protect against the fierce sun and also give a little camo . .


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## gourmet (Dec 12, 2009)

I made an 18" high "tray" in mine out of pvc wrapped in plastic.  It is about 2 inches shorter than the grow tent (or greenhouse) so that air sucks up from the side bottom and hot air blows out other side top.  It works well since hot air rises and cool air from the bottom pushes the hot air to the top and helps keep it cool.


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## leafminer (Dec 12, 2009)

Thanks for the input! I hope to be buying a new camera in a couple of weeks so I will document the build.
I'll mount shelving on the wall for growing seedlings, lettuce etc. 
Quite amusing building this . . . lots of fun!


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## leafminer (Dec 16, 2009)

Update:

It has been cold and rainy today, and the temporary fix-up began to show problems that I need to overcome.
First and worst, the part of the roof at the wall - the very top - is pretty much horizontal. The water pools in the plastic and collects until the pools in each panel are heavy enough to seriously increase the weight loading to the point where, if combined with storm winds, could easily induce a complete collapse.

Recommended change in specifications: Change the 1/2 PVC to 3/4 PVC, structurally stronger.

My work-arounds: I will install two tension stays from the wall above using 300 lb test stainless braided steel cable. Secondly, I bought some 3/4 and joints and adapter fittings to go from 1/2 to 3/4, like for instance a T where the two inline joints are 3/4 with a vertical for 1/2. I'll use that to make a vertical support at each end, suitably braced of course. And the one at the door end will be the door frame vertical.
Oh, and to fix the pooling problem (mainly) I will cross-wire each panel with 18G steel wire. I think that should work.

I should have a camera soon to photograph the frame and stages of construction.

Indoors:

I covered most of the top with some leftover plastic sheet, and about 2/3 of one end. Even that, and with one end open, is a noticeable improvement on the outside. However on a sunny day when the temp outside was 17C, inside the greenhouse it was 27 and that was with the whole end open and holes everywhere else.
I moved the clones in with the tomatoes and all the plants loved the environment.


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## Tater (Dec 17, 2009)

Pictures Pictures Pictures Pictures Chung Lee Chung Lee errrr sorry wrong chant.


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## DonJones (Dec 19, 2009)

Leafminer,

If you haven't already done so, please go look at the portable garages that use tarp like roofs.   They minimizing pooling by not having any cross bracing that the plastic can sag and touch.  That results in each bay between the roof rafter structures becoming an open ended trough or gutter that the water can run from the top all the way down to the edge with it always being lower the farther away from the top of the greenhouse.

If you need me to I'll try to get some pictures for you.

Do you get much snow where you are, because if you do, that is just about going to keep you from using plastic sheeting year around?

Actually I would recommend using at least 3/4" or even better 1" PVC pipe through out your green house.  The structural integrity will be well worth the added cost, especially if you get any significant winds.  The wind load can easily exceed most snow loads.

You will probably need to make some provisions for ventilating it too because the sun induced heat load will be astronomical.

You're doing fine.  Keep on going because you've got the right idea if I understand what you are trying to do.

Good smoking.


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## cubby (Dec 19, 2009)

I have a greenhouse I made from a portable/temporary garage. It works great.I have mine set in a raised bed made of 2x12s. I clamped the legs of the garage to the 2x12s so in high winds it wouldn't blow away. The covering I use is 6mil plastic, draped over the top and stapled to the 2x12s. I don't know how long it lasts but mine currently has 8 inches of snow on it and it's doing just fine.
For ventilation I use 2 small desk fans, 1 at each end, at the roof peak.
As far as access I have a door at each end thats made of the same 6mil plastic with zippers for easy opening and closing.
Best of luck with your project. I'll be watching, maybe I'll pick up an improvement or two for my greenhouse grow.


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## leafminer (Dec 20, 2009)

Sounds cool, Cubby.
I get the idea of the continuous trough approach. However mine's all glued together anyway . . . however I have a solution I think.
I'm going to cover the flat top part with chicken wire before laying the heavy duty polythene on top. The wire will support the poly and minimise pooling.

Did more work today; I installed 1" verticals at both ends, to make the closed end and basis for a door. Actually I might mount a wooden frame on the wall using conventional hinges, with chicken wire to reinforce it and then covered in plastic.

I wish I had used larger diameter tube. However, ground stakes, wall clamps, and a pair of stainless steel top stays should give it enough resistance I think. 

The winter tomatoes are doing well - five toms on them, now. I think a greenhouse can transform my winter gardening. Indicas could flower naturally, no electric bill for lighting. Use the grow room instead to bring along sativas for the summer->autumn grow. What do you think?


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## cubby (Dec 21, 2009)

Hey Leaf, 
   When are we gonna' see some pics? I like the idea of a lean-to green house. I'm considdering going that way in the spring. It would go against the south facing house wall. This would really be cool because in the summer I could open my kithen windows and enjoy the plants.
   Have you had or considdered the problem with condensation at the ridge, against the house. My house is stucco so even if any thing like mildew/mold were to appear I could kill it with a power washer.
   We must think alike, I have chicken wire over my frame to support the winter snow load. So far so good. It's withstood 2 snow storms here already one 6in, and one 9in, so I at least know I'm getting the hang of greenhouse growing.
   I have found so far, as you probably will, that the convenience and flexability offered by having a natural light garden can't be beat. I start my plants in a ebb/flow set up till the weather warms to the 40's then start hardening them off. Then transfer them to 5 gallon buckets so I can put them out in the yard and grow my veggies in the greenhouse space. If I left my plants in the greenhouse all season I would still plant them in pots just for the ability to move them if someones comming around I'd rather not see them. 
   So far I have only grown Indicas in my greenhouse. 5 plants, each in a 5 gallon bucket produced 26 quart mason jars of dried and cured bud.I'm gonna have to try a Sativia this season.
   I think maybe this season Ill try a little greenhouse experiment. I'll start a bunch of clones, put them in the greenhouse, set my grow closet to 12/12 and rotate the plants from the greenhouse thru the flowering cycle. There's probably enough of a natural light season to bring in 3 crops under my HPS and one totally natural, finnishing off in the greenhouse.
   I'll be looking forward to see how you do. Hopefully I can pick up some tips, tricks, and knowledge.
   Take care and be safe.


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## leafminer (Dec 25, 2009)

I set off yesterday to buy a camera but I only got about 30Km and my brakes began to fail so I had to come back. (Cameras this side of the border cost like three times as much for the same model, no way am I a sucker...)
I plan to try again on Boxing Day. . .


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## DonJones (Dec 25, 2009)

leafminer,

Pardon my ignorance, but when is Boxing Day and what does it represent?

It sounds like you're from Canada, right?

Here's a thought, shop up there for exactly what you want -make model and accessories, then go on-line to see if you can find it there.  That might get you a camera quicker and just as cheap.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Good smoking


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## leafminer (Dec 25, 2009)

Ah. Boxing day is tomorrow, day after Christmas day.
I'm from the UK but I live south of the OTHER border . . . cameras here are ridiculous prices, like they want $300 for a $100 camera. I can't buy online because then I have to pay a load for carriage AND customs will charge 40% on top . . . if it ever arrives in the first place.


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## zem (Dec 26, 2009)

ostpicsworthless:


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## DonJones (Dec 26, 2009)

leafminer,
By the OTHER BORDER, are you referring to Scotland?  My recollection of English geography is very sketchy at best.   If I remember correctly there is Britain on the south of the island and Scotland and Wales in the north with Wales being to the west and Scotland to the east, correct?   

Then there is the island of Ireland with Ireland to the south and Northern Ireland under British control, correct?

Good smoking.

ZEM,

Please be patient, the man is trying to get a camera so he can get pictures to us.


I hope everyone had a good Christmas.

Good smoking to everyone!


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## leafminer (Dec 29, 2009)

Ah no. Mexico.


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## leafminer (Dec 29, 2009)

Seems to be some inhabitants already . . . :hubba:


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## Tater (Dec 30, 2009)

If you took out the two center lateral pipes you would solve your water shed problem.  Other than that looking good, what are you doing for airflow?


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## HippyInEngland (Dec 30, 2009)

DonJones said:
			
		

> leafminer,
> By the OTHER BORDER, are you referring to Scotland? My recollection of English geography is very sketchy at best. If I remember correctly there is Britain on the south of the island and Scotland and Wales in the north with Wales being to the west and Scotland to the east, correct?
> 
> Then there is the island of Ireland with Ireland to the south and Northern Ireland under British control, correct?


 
:rofl:

Just passing info DJ 

Your G/H looks great Leaf 

eace:


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## meds4me (Dec 30, 2009)

DonJones said:
			
		

> Leafminer,
> 
> If you haven't already done so, please go look at the portable garages that use tarp like roofs. They minimizing pooling by not having any cross bracing that the plastic can sag and touch. That results in each bay between the roof rafter structures becoming an open ended trough or gutter that the water can run from the top all the way down to the edge with it always being lower the farther away from the top of the greenhouse.
> 
> ...


 



Some how i've missed thi thread....
Last yr. I used 4: 1" pvc tubing (20' length) and 4: X's to glue the frame together. 
Basically i pounded (6) 1" rebar into the ground and cut the 20' sections in to 10's. glued the 10 sections with the X's and stuffed the tubing over the rebar and tied with wire. This basic "hoop" style took me 1 hr to construct and comes down yrly. I covered it with 1/3 poly on top with 2/3 of the sides and walls with ground cloth for "screening" purposes.
Total cost $30 including the poly sheeting. ( the ground cloth i had already ).
Oh and simple "grommets" can be bought to "sew" the ground cloth to the poly.


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## leafminer (Dec 30, 2009)

Yeah it works fine . . . thanks for the heads up, Meds. I was thinking next trip to the other side I will have to visit the army surplus to get some camo netting, I bet that will be cheaper and more durable than shade cloth, what do you think?

I still have some work to do on it, the weather has been miserable. Got to do a door and window. I am thinking of using an old pedestal fan for ventilation. Wondering if I can find an auto temp control that would switch it on and off so I can keep the temp within preset limits. I think this is really going to help a lot with my grows, I only have the one flower room right now. Next project will be a garden shed . . . at least that's what the wife will think it is.


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## DonJones (Jan 1, 2010)

Looking good, leaf.

On the camo netting replacing shade cloth, I guess that depends upon what degree of shading you are trying to achieve.  Depending upon whether the netting gives the same shade as the cloth, it should work just fine and be a whole lot cheaper.

Thanks to you and meds4me.  I know this isn't what you envisioned but I think this basic idea would work great for  deck cover so the other half will quit complaining about get rained on or the sun being too hot.

Thank you HippyInEngland for the map.  It looks like my geography was quite hazy.  My only excuse is it has been 50 years since I remember studying world geography and I'm getting old with a less than stellar memory.

HAPPY NEW YEARS AND GREAT SMOKING!


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## cubby (Jan 1, 2010)

Hello Leafminer,
   This is what I use for finnishing off my plants in the fall. As you see it's just a aluminum frame, 7' wide 8' tall and 20'long. The door is just a zipper at each side and one on each end. You can see in pic 5 so far snow has not been a problem. The temp in the greenhouse this time of year is the same as outside except for the wind factor so it seems about 15-20 degrees warmer.
   The last pic is one of 5 NL's I grew this year. I grow in 5 gallon pots so that I can move them if need be. From 5 plants I got 26 mason jars full of excellent smoke. 
   On the subject of shade cloth verses cammo netting, shade cloth is by far the better choice. Cammo netting is not less expensive, it's way too heavy, the edges on the part that's supposed to mimic leaves is sharp and will rip your plastic, And cammoflage netting tells people you're hidding something ( the curiousity alone will draw more attention than you want)
   Shade cloth on the other hand, comes in light filtration percentages from 10% up to 100%. It's reasonably priced, can be ordered in any lenght and width and can be cut to fit odd shapes ( and once cut it does'nt unravell), I use shade cloth on my pergolla as well to shade my house plants when I bring them outdoors for the summer. On the pergolla I use 2 50% shade clothes overlapped. They provide plenty of shade for me and my plants but still let through the rain that the plants love.
    Well I guess that's my 2 cents worth. Hope I offered some help.  And I'll be watching to see how this works out for you.
    Take care and best of luck.


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## DonJones (Jan 1, 2010)

meds4me,

How wide of an arch did you wind up with and how high?  Also, if you used 4 sections of pipe why only 6 stakes or did you use 3 sections for arches and the 4th to cut the ridge pole pieces from?  what strength/ grade pipe did you use, schedule 40 or 80?



Cubby,

Where did you get your portable garage from and can you design your own , buy the pieces and assemble it?

Thank you for the ideas and information.

Good smoking.


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## leafminer (Jan 5, 2010)

Excellent, Cubby! Looks great!
Thanks for the note on the camo net. You've obviously been down that road. Where did you get the zipper?



			
				cubby said:
			
		

> Hello Leafminer,
> This is what I use for finnishing off my plants in the fall. As you see it's just a aluminum frame, 7' wide 8' tall and 20'long. The door is just a zipper at each side and one on each end. You can see in pic 5 so far snow has not been a problem. The temp in the greenhouse this time of year is the same as outside except for the wind factor so it seems about 15-20 degrees warmer.
> The last pic is one of 5 NL's I grew this year. I grow in 5 gallon pots so that I can move them if need be. From 5 plants I got 26 mason jars full of excellent smoke.
> On the subject of shade cloth verses cammo netting, shade cloth is by far the better choice. Cammo netting is not less expensive, it's way too heavy, the edges on the part that's supposed to mimic leaves is sharp and will rip your plastic, And cammoflage netting tells people you're hidding something ( the curiousity alone will draw more attention than you want)
> ...


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## cubby (Jan 5, 2010)

Hey leafminer, 
   I got my zippers at my local Brew and Grow shop. They work really well. I think they cost like twenty a pair.
   I am always trying new stuff in my outdoor garden. The white aluminum frame is from a Home Depot portable garadge ( $ 120 ). I removed one section from each leg to make it shorter (from 12' down to 8') and one section from each roof angle (shrinking the width from 10' to 7')
   I had orriginaly bought this to provide shade for my house plants. I have since built a 10'x40' deck. 20 feet of deck is covered by a grape arbour and I cover this with shade cloth for house plants and shade for people.
   Take care and good growing.


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## leafminer (Jan 6, 2010)

I wish I had built the greenhouse years ago.
There's nowhere here I can imagine that will have zippers. I think I will either go with velcro or build a hinged wooden frame door since I have a wall to mount it on, and cover the door in PE film. I'm using 12 mil, pretty heavy duty. Hard to come by right now - the shops have been stripped of the heavier grades. I wonder why.  . . I had to finish off with some 6 mil. It will be interesting to compare the life of each grade. 

It would be interesting to compare for instance the cost and utility of using that corrugated plastic roofing material, I think it's about 8x4. That is what I used in my UK greenhouse. It was ok but not as durable as I'd hoped.

Cultivation notes:
The wall seems to act as a heat reserve to some extent. I am measuring 6C inside and 5C outside, but it has been cloudy all day. Plants are doing well, though. The sativa is about 2 ft tall and getting about 1/2" per day. I am beginning to believe it is possible to raise sativas very early by getting them going in the winter, using the greenhouse. I might just take a gamble and clone it. Has been a while since I have grown pure sativas.

Most useful tool:
Hot glue gun!


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## leafminer (Jan 6, 2010)

Temps:
Outside today the temp was 12C and in the greenhouse 13C. Then the sun came out. Wow, the greenhouse really rocks! Within 10 minutes the inside temp had gone to 28C. The plants love it. Think I will have to line the back wall with Mylar!


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## DonJones (Jan 6, 2010)

Leafminer,

Isn't 28C getting pretty close to as hot as you want the grow area?  I'm a little rusty on the conversions but I thought 20C approximately equaled 70F.

I'm glad you are having such good results.  Some friends of mine used that plastic corrugated rooking on a deck cover and had trouble with it overheating the deck without any side walls on it even.  After they converted part of it to that translucent fiberglass type stuff, they had better results.

Unfortunately, where I live a greenhouse really isn't practical for even a legal grow because of the risk of rip-offs here in town.

*If snow is a concern where you are*, then make sure that your sheeting/roofing material will fail before the structure supporting it.  It is a lot easier to remove the torn sheeting and replace it over a standing structure than to have the roofing tangled up with the broken structural pieces.  Yes, that is the voice of experience speaking.

Looking great!  Great smoking.


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## DonJones (Jan 6, 2010)

cubby,

does HD or Lowes still sell the frame components separately for the tarp covered garage/deck covers or do you have to buy a whole garage and then only use what you want to use?

Lowes used to sell the corner and tee pieces and you could buy electrical conduit to join them with and pretty much make what ever you wanted to make out of them but I haven't seen them recently -- of course I haven't really been looking either.

Thanks for the help.

Great smoking.


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## leafminer (Jan 9, 2010)

Today: Outside temperature 4C
Greenhouse temperature: 28C! (82F) wow this is great.
In summer I will HAVE to have shade cloth and some serious ventilation.
I'm thinking, maybe I can design/build a circuit that will control a cheap $15 pedestal fan. You know those have switches like on/off and different speeds. I was thinking, if I use small relays to replace th switches, and a simple temp control circuit to operate the relays, I could have an automatic ventilation system for very little money. I have a big junk box of components, I think I will have to do some thinking on these lines.


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## DonJones (Jan 9, 2010)

leafminer, you might only need to use a thermostat to control the power to the fan without messing with different speeds and changing switches.  Just a suggestion.  You might also find that a simple timer might be enough too.

Great smoking man.  Glad to see that your green house is coming along.  Oh, from what I have seen, using the shade cloth to control the heat BEFORE it gets into the green house is probably easier and more effective than trying to get rid of it after it gets inside.  One of the issues here is to have the shade cloth far enough from the surface of the greenhouse to allow sufficient air flow between them, according to my friends with green houses. 

Of course you need enough fresh air so that the plants don't CO2 starve.

Great smoking man.  Happy 2010


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## leafminer (Jan 14, 2010)

Aha. Getting the shade cloth is going to be the problem. Thinks . . .


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## cubby (Jan 14, 2010)

Hey Leaf, 
    I don't know what kind of shade cloth DonJones is familiar, with but the type I use,(the only type I'm aware of), dose'nt wieght anything to be concerned with, no more than a bed sheet. Additionaly it sits on the surface of your greenhouse and is secured at the edges, it does'nt magicly hover. Furthermore shade cloth provides just that, shade. It won't significantly affect the temps at all, ventilation does that obviously.
Best of luck, take care.


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## DonJones (Jan 15, 2010)

The shade cloth I've seen is like a open weave canvas and is stretched either over a frame work like the portable garages or between uprights like an awning fastened to the side of a building on and poles on the other side.  And it sure does effect the temperatures under the cloth, just like standing under a large fully leaved oak tree in the shade is cooler than standing right out in the glaring sun.  Also it is very durable - they stretch it up and leave it up all summer through rain and windstorms.  I've even seen it up during the winter with an inch or so of snow on it, but I sure don't recommend that, at least not in our climate where it can drop a foot over night real easily.

I first saw it used over produce loading areas in the Imperial Valley of California and then when I got back to NE Washington, I saw it being used over nursery stock.  It is available in different shades too, like 10% supposedly cuts down the light and heat by 10%, 50% supposedly cuts down the light and heat by 50%and so on.  I have always seen it in black, but it might be available in other colors too.  I have seen very similar stuff used as portable sunscreens for automobile windows in varying colors.  They even lade a similar "glue" on product our of film with tiny holes in it that looked like a solid graphic from a distance but was nearly invisible from inside of the auto -- I don't know what effect it had on light or heat because it was always sold kind of as an add-on one-way window graphic.

I'll look around and see if I can get any site for information on it.

From the way I've seen it used, I would attach one side to the shed above the top of the greenhouse, put a couple of stiff up rights in the ground at the outer edge of the awning and run guy lines from the awning down to the ground to stretch it between the shed and the uprights.

I thought about using it as a patio covering, but it doesn't keep the rain out so I decided that wasn't what I wanted.

Another thing to consider might be an inexpensive silvery or even just white poly tarp and if it cutout too much light an heat, you could always cut small openings into it to allow some of the light to shine through, or even just only cover part of the top of your greenhouse.

Great smoking.


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## DonJones (Jan 15, 2010)

Here is a contact point for a Canadian company that manufactures the kind of shade cloth that I'm talking about.  Maybe they can give you more generalized information than their site shows.  It sure doesn't have much informatoin.

hxxp://www.ktcanada.ca/agri.htm *Good, the darn thing did NOT turn into a live link!*

In the mean time I'll keep looking.  

Great smoking.


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## leafminer (Jan 15, 2010)

Thanks for that. I've been thinking of getting some black mosquito netting, it's very cheap, and using 3 or 4 layers of it. In the summer of course.


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## leafminer (Jan 19, 2010)

It gets terribly hot if I have the greenhouse closed and the sun comes out. I don't have any temp sensors but it ocurred to me that I have a left over photocell switch that has a 10A contact. So I'll partially mask it so that only when the sun is on the greenhouse, the photocell switch will cause the fan to vent hot air from the top. I'll try a small pedestal fan, they move a lot of air without too much noise.


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## DonJones (Jan 19, 2010)

Several layers of the black mosquito net, might work out great.  Please keep use informed about how it is going.

Great smoking.


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## leafminer (Jan 20, 2010)

Some pics giving details.
The window . . . very simple. End view of the structure showing where the window fits. And the hinge detail. Yeah I know it's a bit crude but it should get the job done . . .


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## cubby (Jan 21, 2010)

Hey leaf,
    That looks like it should do the job. The stucco wall behind it is a great heating element in the fall and winter. It will soak up heat during the day and radiate it back out when the sun goes down. And those look like some pretty ladies poking up.
   Best of luck.


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## leafminer (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks. Next job is to construct a proper hinge door. Then I am going to start on the photocell-operated fan ventilator. Have to find the photocell first. I am a pack rat, that photocell comes as surplus from a project in Africa about 30 years ago. . .


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## leafminer (Feb 13, 2010)

Now that I've had a bit of experience running the greenhouse, I'd say the main enemy is humidity. My plants are drinking at least a gallon per day and that gets transpired into quite a small volume . . . I usually find myself running it with the window at one end wide open, and the door half open, and I also have a small fan suspended from the top, to give a bit of a breeze.


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## cubby (Feb 14, 2010)

Hey Leafminer,
   I've had that same challenge with humidity. I grow my outdoor crop in 5 gallon buckets so during the day I can move the plants outside to take advantage of the natural wind. Obviously air movement is the most challenging variable in greenhouse growing. I use a 8inch clip on fan at each end of my greenhouse (one blows in and one blows out) and leave the doors open during the day and close it down when the sun goes down.
   Best of luck and good growing. I'll be keeping an eye on your greenhouse grow.


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