Greenhouse, second season

Do-it-yourself projects such as greenhouse or shadehouse builds and related topics.
fanaticactus
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Greenhouse, second season

Post by fanaticactus »

After this Winter's ravages with bitter cold and very strong winds, the temperatures are now sufficiently mild enough for some renovations and cleaning in the greenhouse. My first task was to string some Aluminet curtains across the roof panels. The GH sits out in full sun all day, and some of those summer days last year were brutally hot in there, even with the vents. Thank you to all who helped me decide on this solution; it should help cut the intensity of the sun a great deal and thus maintain a more reasonable temperature. A 12" exhaust fan will be installed before the onslaught of true summer temperatures and a stronger sun. As you can see, I have a great deal of cleaning to do and mealy infestations to perform in the aftermath of this Winter. A surprisingly large percentage of my collection survived temperatures that plummeted some nights into the 'teens inside, despite a sizable heater chugging away full blast. I thought that would be immediate death for most of them. Again, thanks to the several Forum members who answered my frantic pleas for advice for protection against ambient temps so low by suggesting layers and layers of newspaper over them. I did just that and kept them there until late last week. I hope this year will be much better.
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Tiggy
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by Tiggy »

At least now you can stop worrying and know what you're up against. You now have the weather in your favour and can take your time to prepare for next winter. (Love your greenhouse :love10: )

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Saxicola
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by Saxicola »

Looking good! I strongly agree with your plan to add a fan. The sun where I am in California is even more intense than what you get and can really heat up the greenhouse. I installed an attic fan (with a thermostat) that kicks on around 90 degrees. I can keep it within 5 degrees of the outside temperature fairly easily, plus good air circulation is important for the plants. I have 50% shadecloth on the house too which helps of course, but it really is the fan that keeps things cool.
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DaveW
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by DaveW »

I now leave my bubble wrap up all year as insulation in the winter and shading in the summer. However it is the UV (ultra violet) stabilised type as the ordinary type goes brittle and disintegrates after a year or so if left up through the summer. That is of course in the UK, so probably bubble wrap would have an even shorter life in your high sun intensity climate. It may be worth trying as an extra insulation in the winter though, removing it in summer and of course it does cut down on your heating bills.

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/gree ... id951.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As said in the link above the triple layer stuff is best insulation if you can get it, having the bubbles trapped between two plain sheets of polythene, but obviously the ordinary bubble wrap provides quite a bit of insulation anyway:-
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fanaticactus
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by fanaticactus »

Thanks very much for the bubble wrap link, Dave. Our contractor/builder/handyman says he has access to the large rolls of wrap. Now the big question in my mind is how to mount it inside the polycarb frames. There are wooden beams, so I assume someone must have designed some kind of fastener designed for such a purpose.
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DaveW
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by DaveW »

For fixing bubble wrap to wooden structures in the UK they often use Drawing Pins and I think you call them Thumb Tacks in the USA! :D Or you can use small upholstery type tacks and if you want to increase the head size just put a washer over them.

Aluminium greenhouses are the problem since you have to use special fixings, but wood is no problem as you can just pin to it or find another way, say screwing battens over it to hold it.

I don't know if these are available in the US, but this firm seems to do large ones for bubble wrap to wooden greenhouses:-

http://www.greenhousewarehouse.com/ins- ... -x-10.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Had a look on American EBAY but these are all I could see:-

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=la ... s&_sacat=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
fanaticactus
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by fanaticactus »

Oh, it's just that simple, Dave? I was envisioning I would have to buy some special two-part fastener with one part permanently nailed or screwed to the wood framework with the wrap laid over that then held in place with some kind of "cap" that would push down over the base part. :-k Good to know that some things can still be done simply and inexpensively! :D
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cactushobbyman
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by cactushobbyman »

I bought my roll of bubble wrap at Uline.com. :)
fanaticactus
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by fanaticactus »

I've managed to clean up the GH pretty well, and the temperatures seem well controlled now that the weather is more seasonable. The problem with mealies is (I hope) fairly well under control. I have the situation reduced to a few small scattered bugs (no large colonies) on a handful of cacti, so that I can care for them individually with daily inspection, toothpicks, alcohol and insecticidal soap. As soon as I say major infestations as I was straightening up, those offenders were taken off the benches and put outside immediately and disposed of (the worst cases) or put on the cement floor and either doused with an imidacloprid solution or bathed in insecticidal soap for what might be possible to salvage. I only have about 93 or 94 cacti now and, as you can see, plenty of room for more. I've already started my wish list for this year. The photos show a major section composed mainly of Mamms, Parodia, Lobivia/Chamaecereus/Echinopsis hybrids, Echinocactus, with a few Rebutia, Stenocactus, Gymnos, Corys, Feros and two or three oddballs. My Epis have dwindled to just four healthy plants, but "healthy" in the sense of lots of green growth but no blooms, which is the only reason (I think) people buy Epis. Maybe this year in the GH they will produce.
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fanaticactus
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by fanaticactus »

Just this morning, Bobby came to install the exhaust fan. It didn't take all that long. It has three speeds and is plugged into a thermostat I can adjust at will. I'm thinking I can experiment to find the most satisfactory temperature for it to kick on. Currently, I'm thinking about 90F (32 or 33C). What do you all think? Even after a couple of more dreary, cool days I have some color inside today. In order: Lobivia schreiteri (Echinopsis stilowiana/saltensis), Lobivia acanthoplegma v roseiflora (Echinopsis cinnabarina/Lobivia draxleriana)--although there are some noticeable differences between mine and the Echinopsis taxon, and R. fiebrigi (muscula)--or whatever it's specific taxonomy is today. I obviously have a problem with the oversimplification/mass groupings of the Echinopsis genus now, since the L. schreiteri looks much more like E. cinnabarina than the L. acanthoplegma does. It's VERY confusing.
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Tiggy
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by Tiggy »

At last you're getting some payback for all of the problems of winter. Lovely flowers, mine are going crazy after being out in the cold through the winter. Everything is outside now and they seem to be blooming better than ever before. You're really getting well organized aren't you? If we're not worrying about the cold it's the heat. No pleasing us :lol: Hope you have a good season,

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fanaticactus
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by fanaticactus »

Thanks, Susi. Now that we had a sudden dose of midsummer heat, I find it's still too hot in the GH. Looks like I'll be adding a second layer of shadecloth on many of the panels. It never ends!
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Ralf
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by Ralf »

It's a smart solution with the fan. Ventilation is really important especially during the summer.
I've almost the same but my fan is inside of the greenhouse and is switched by a thermostat. It starts with running at about 77F (25°C).
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The window behind the fan opens automatically by a window opener for greenhouses. If it's open the fan sucks the fresh air into the greenhouse.
On the opposite side of the fan I can completely remove the window. So accrues a circulation.
The fan sucks the colder fresh air into the greenhouse and blow the warmer air outside of it.
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fanaticactus
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by fanaticactus »

You have a really nice setup there, Ralf. A little more sophisticated than mine, but it gives me an idea how to perhaps create more of a fresh air flow in my GH. So thank you! :D
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Tiggy
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Re: Greenhouse, second season

Post by Tiggy »

Ooh Ralf! Is that what is commonly known as "monkeys tail" (Cleisocatus?) that I see hanging in there? Where did you find that I saw some in a plant store/nursery but they were 30euros each, so I asked the owner if she could start a cutting off for me for when I returned. However on returning she had done the "rat's tail" instead of the "monkey's". : scratch : She wanted 5euros for a little rather pathetic little plant but had another one more established for 15euros which I ended up buying. It's looking much better now than when I bought it and I don't regret it, but my heart was really set on the "monkey's tail" so am now on the lookout, otherwise I may just end up going back and paying 30euros just to get hold of one. This is the one that I ended up with (it is already looking a bit better than this now)
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Sorry for intruding on your post but I couldn't resist. :oops:

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