Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
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Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
I decided to try to solve the lack of shade problem in the greenhouse with what I had on hand. I remembered I had a whole roll of gray fiberglass screening and decided to give it a try before spending more money on shadecloth. I duct-taped it to the inside of the roof and side panels and and some on the west. It worked extremely well in cutting down both the intensity of the sun hitting the cactus flesh and reduced the temperatures to reasonable levels (60s to 90s depending on the time of day)--no more 121s! I have a circulating fan going and the roof vent open during the hottest hours. It doesn't look the greatest--not like a professional GH would, but I don't care because it works and it didn't cost a cent! Here are some pictures:
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
- *Barracuda_52*
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
Hey whatever works use it, i use a tarp to cover one side for shade when the sun gets to the hottest part of the day and yes its duct taped to LOL!! Light still gets in thru the top and sides exposed. Even when leafs are on the trees my GH gets sun all day long. Nice job there are you going to build benches or racks for inside?
A rescue dog is never to old to learn to be a real dog.
Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
I am growing hundreds of plants under that stuff and have been for many years, works great!
Forget the dog...Beware of the plants!!!
Tony
Tony
Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
Looks good! I would not think you'd need to block too much sun in VT however. I notice my own plants here are definitely not getting the same sun levels as they did in CA with NO shade cloth.
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
I'm also one that just throws something over the greenhouse on those rare occasions when it is just too hot. Maybe five days last year I can't bear to shade everything the other 360 days a year
--ian
Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
I'm with Tracey on this, if find something that you can use for nothing and it works, why not? Looks alright and the plants seem happy enough with it.
Susi
Susi
Nature Lover
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- Ralf
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
The cheapest solutions are most often the best! I use black insect screen therefor. It works perfect since a couple years.
Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money.
(Wisdom of the Cree Indians)
Cacti encyclopedia | Facebook
(Wisdom of the Cree Indians)
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
Thanks to all for your encouraging comments. Being a New Englander (for those of you who aren't familiar with U.S. geography and traditions) we "Yankees" (NOT the baseball team!) are known for our cautious, frugal, thrifty (some say "cheap" in a derogatory way) lifestyles and solutions. I would like to get more permanent benches in there, so I keep looking in yard sales and junk shops. But I'm holding off because I was made aware of a Vermont company who builds incredible greenhouses to custom specifications--either attached or free-standing--with cement floors, double wall 8mil polycarb panels, durable hardwood construction, automatic venting w/oxygen rich air, etc., etc. and are committed to sustainable living and environmental concerns. I will call them to come out and assess my situation to see if the cost will be worth it in the long run. Meanwhile, I can get by with what I have now as long as the cacti continue to grow and produce some great flowers.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
- CoronaCactus
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
Just a word of caution about the duct tape. Although it's not as hot and dry as is it here in SoCal. Over time the duct tape will become very dry and brittle and will start to just fall apart. I used duct tape to wrap all the purlin connectors on one of our nursery greenhouses (to avoid any rips in the shadecloth) and the only reason it's still there is because i wrapped several layers. I sometimes find little pieces scattered on some plants.
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
Thanks for the reminder, Darryl. I go into the GH every day to check on progress, slow as it may be, and always keep an eye out for problems with the screening and tape. I had a hunch that I'd have to deal with the tape drying out over time, so I'll be prepared. I knew when I put this together it was just a temporary solution. But if it lasts the season with just a few more strips of tape, I'm happy.CoronaCactus wrote:Just a word of caution about the duct tape. Although it's not as hot and dry as is it here in SoCal. Over time the duct tape will become very dry and brittle and will start to just fall apart. I used duct tape to wrap all the purlin connectors on one of our nursery greenhouses (to avoid any rips in the shadecloth) and the only reason it's still there is because i wrapped several layers. I sometimes find little pieces scattered on some plants.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
nice place you have there! plenty of room to add to your collection!
the fiberglass screening looks like a great solution for now, I myself use a paint called 'temperzon' for this, don't know if there's a variant available to you
but it's worth checking out, it blocks 20% of the heat and sunlight when dry and let's through 80% when it's raining, it's not very expensive too!
I've bought two pots, which will last me for 15 years
the fiberglass screening looks like a great solution for now, I myself use a paint called 'temperzon' for this, don't know if there's a variant available to you
but it's worth checking out, it blocks 20% of the heat and sunlight when dry and let's through 80% when it's raining, it's not very expensive too!
I've bought two pots, which will last me for 15 years
With apologies to the late Professor C. D. Darlington the following misquotation springs to
mind ‘cactus taxonomy is the pursuit of the impossible by the incompetent’ - Fearn & Pearcy, Rebutia (1981)
mind ‘cactus taxonomy is the pursuit of the impossible by the incompetent’ - Fearn & Pearcy, Rebutia (1981)
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
Thanks, Arjen. That sounds like something worth my looking into. Is it waterproof--even though it would be inside--in case of any condensation?Arjen wrote:nice place you have there! plenty of room to add to your collection!
the fiberglass screening looks like a great solution for now, I myself use a paint called 'temperzon' for this, don't know if there's a variant available to you
but it's worth checking out, it blocks 20% of the heat and sunlight when dry and let's through 80% when it's raining, it's not very expensive too!
I've bought two pots, which will last me for 15 years
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
- *Barracuda_52*
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
CoronaCactus wrote:Just a word of caution about the duct tape. Although it's not as hot and dry as is it here in SoCal. Over time the duct tape will become very dry and brittle and will start to just fall apart. I used duct tape to wrap all the purlin connectors on one of our nursery greenhouses (to avoid any rips in the shadecloth) and the only reason it's still there is because i wrapped several layers. I sometimes find little pieces scattered on some plants.
Agreed on that point but since mine gets put up only when i need it having few rolls duct tape around is not a bother but i have also found using super duty clear packing tape seems to work to depends on what you stick it to, this yr we have rigged ropes on the shade tarp and will just pull it up and down when i need to as i wont always need shade tarp.
A rescue dog is never to old to learn to be a real dog.
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Re: Fanaticactus' Greenhouse 2013
With the beginning of the construction of my new, professional GH only days away, I thought I'd show the old one once more. This is the one that had a huge snowdrift inside during our first major snowstorm last winter! The new one will have an insulated cement floor on a 4" thick crushed stone base, and will made of white cedar and double-thick polycarb walls, with flow-through ventilation and roof vents, benches and trays and electricity. It will be 8x10 and set in the other direction (turned 90 degrees) so that the doors will be north-south facing. Here is the current one, as I was emptying it today. I plan to keep it as an "isolation" GH for any diseased cacti undergoing pesticide/fungicide treatments and maybe for starting vegetable and flower seedlings in late winter.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!