My New Greenhouse

Would you mind making the pictures smaller? These are so big they are distorted on my screen. Sorry, I wanted to help out but I can't get a good idea of what is going on with all those huge pixels distorting the images. Usually, if you reduce the original picture to 30% it will show up clear here. Hope this helps.

 

I've got a couple of suggestions right off. If it's possible, I'd make the benches wider. Unless you need the middle of the g.h. open and are planning on putting in a small bench in the center?

Also, I'd seal the bottom of the g.h. to the ground. Mine was like yours for about 9 years and we just found a new product that did the trick. It's a spray insulation foam that we could only find through Osh Hardware stores. H.D. Lowes, etc. don't carry it. It's a gray, landscape foam. We used probably 10 cans, but already I'm seeing more heat retention in the winter and the damned rats and mice have been kept out. They WILL go through the bottom of your g.h. and they love oranges:<

Looks great. Now fill it up!

 

It has been the main entrance for rats and mice in my case. Invest in some vents and seal the bottom would be my advice.

 

Or you could put up a some kind of chicken net in the middle of the greenhouse for mounted plants. Then you could walk around it and have potted plants on the shelves. You will need the space eventually
Linda

 

Be sure and shade the thermostat from direct sun mine is in a plastic tube with 1/4" holes drilled all over it and a computer style fan blowing across the tube.

Seal the bottom up put a set of louvers oppsoite end of fan should stay pretty cool if you use a shade cloth in concert with the others

 

Hi: That is a nice setup and I would be glad you give some advise on changes but I'm not sure what part of the world you are in. Just off hand I'd suggest getting some rigid copper pipe and hang it from the rafters for hanging potted plants. Also,if you are considering modifying the benches. Go by Lowes or Home Depot and check out thier closet organizer shelves. They have some nice 32 inch wide by 12 foot long shelves that are plastic coated so they wont rust. If you install them upside down there is an edge that will stick up and help hold you plants on the shelf. The frame looks good and wehn the fiberglass covering gives way (from age) You might want to consider covering the frame with twin wall polly carbonate panels.

just tom

 

As I recall (the last time many years ago that I was in Norfolk) The weather there did not seem to get all that hot and the humidity is pretty constant.

You know Orchids are, among other things, very adaptive to thier growing conditions. Monitor the temps pretty close for the first year. Keep them below 90 degrees and above 55 degrees, Do your watering in the early hours of the day. Invest in a humidty monitor of some sort and get some fans for air movement. Keeping a close watch on that will save you some headaches in dealing with insects and fungus problems. Be carefull of the Vanilla vines! Given half a chance they will take over your greenhouse. It seems like they never want to start growing but when they do, they make up for lost time. I love the flowers but their short life span (a matter of hours) do not make them the most desireable for my taste. I try to grow orchids for show purposes and I can never imagine ever seeing or showing a vanilla orchid flower. Not to worry about what the vanilla vines will attach to. I had one right beside a window and they attached roots to the glass on thier way up to the roof.

just tom

 

I have two louvers high in the entrance end of the GH and the ability to open a screen on the storm door. The door screen is opened when nighttime minimums are reliably above 55°. The louvered vents are on a thermostat and open when the interior temp reaches 65°. The exhaust fan (a lot bigger than yours - 36" diameter) in the opposite end kicks in at 85°.

I also have two circulation fans that run constantly to keep the air buoyant.

 

Go to a store like Lowes that sells the corrigated plastic like you have. They also have the wood that fits the corrigation. Build 2 frames out of of light wood (Ie: Western red cedar/ Redwood) the size of your shutter flange and put one frame in and one frame out sandwich the corrigated wood between the frames use stainless steel machine screws to hold everything together. Carefully cut out the plastic in the middle On the top and bottom use rtv silacon to seal it will be good and strong good to go