I'm going to build a greenhouse

by **lancer99** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:34 am

Daiv,
As a former Minnesotan, I'm surprised you're getting that much snow this late in the season....Sauk Centre is much closer to the twins (where I used to live) than International Falls.

Is this just unusual weather?

-R

by **daiv** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:30 pm

Well, they say that this winter has been more 'normal' than it has been lately. It has been so mild up here the last 5 years or so that most people are talking about what a wild winter this is, when in reality, there are many winters in the record books that were similar in cold and snow. Although my friend Ron, who is in his 70's claims this storm was the heaviest, wettest snow he ever remembers. :dontknow:

by **daiv** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:10 am

Disaster strikes! We had winds gusting up to 40 MPH today and one big gust blew my greenhouse on it's side.

I went over there after work today and got it set upright with my brother and then had to repair several places where the screws ripped out of the wood or were bent.

I got it all fixed and put a 60 lb sand bag on each corner. I hope that does the trick. The original plan was to stake it down when I get it moved to the level ground where it will stay.

by **iann** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:16 pm

My experience has been that no amount of weighting will hold a structure down in the wind. I have variously wired, bolted, or concreted them down. My current greenhouse has four concreted in corner struts, plus it is mortared to a coarse of bricks (although that mortar is more for sealing at the bottom of the frame than for any great strength). I suppose you could say a concrete foundation slab is just a big weight, but its pretty heavy!

At least it doesn't take much to repair something you made yourself, just a bit disheartening I guess

No plants inside, I hope?

by **daiv** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:41 pm

Thank Ian,
Nope, didn't move the plants inside yet. I built it down in the barnyard by the barn because that is where the materials were. I need to get at least two more people -preferably four and then we can pick it up and move it to it's final spot.

Once it is there (and level), we were going to put i-hooks in the top of each 4x4 corner post and run a rope to secure metal fence posts and also drive metal fence posts in the ground next to each corner.

This is the type of posts I mean:

I have access to a virtually unlimited number of them.

by **Tony** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:28 pm

I used somthing simular Daiv, I cemented them in the ground directly below the post, cut them a little below the soil level and drilled a 1/4 in hole in the top of them and bolted my posts to them. In my case, I recycled a swap meet canopy frame and screwed plastic patio cover roofing to it. The frame is made of 2 in galvanized tubes that I also drilled to accept the through bolt in the bottom. Hey, its not pretty, but it works. :lol:

You could do the same thing with the wood post's but would probably not want the wood posts in contact with the ground, maybe set them up on a brick slightly above the soil line?
I guarantee the corner post's wont budge! Dont know about the rest of the structure though.

by **ihc6480** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:38 pm

Good to hear your GH didn't suffer any real damage.
I'm thinking of building a similar one so make sure you figure out all the bugs :wink:

by **daiv** » Sat May 24, 2008 7:08 pm

Just popping in for a second. I am excited to say that all my cacti are comming out of the basement and going into the greenhouse today! Will take lots of pics!

In the meantime, here is a picture of the pea-rock floor that I put in yesterday... it is 5 inches deep:

Stay tuned!

by **ihc6480** » Sun May 25, 2008 2:16 am

No doubt it will look good filled with cacti Daiv

by **daiv** » Sun May 25, 2008 3:50 am

Ok just popping in quick for a couple pics from today. It's late and I'm tired so I'll post more later.

Here it is partway setup...

I placed two sentinels at the door...

note the newly added eaves.

by **CoronaCactus** » Sun May 25, 2008 4:16 am

Awesome!
You've longed for this day for some time now, good to see it all coming together for you

by **cactusbutt** » Sun May 25, 2008 4:28 am

Very nice work Daiv,your plants should be very happy
in the new diggs

by **hablu** » Sun May 25, 2008 5:39 am

Looks good Daiv,
a new beginning.
I don't know summertemps in your region, but will there be fresh air enough when the hot(ter) days come?
Harry

by **peterb** » Sun May 25, 2008 3:37 pm

Daiv, what a wild ride your plants have been on since leaving California! I hope you have a great spring. The greenhouse looks great.

peterb

by **CoronaCactus** » Sun May 25, 2008 8:02 pm

hablu wrote:Looks good Daiv,
a new beginning.
I don't know summertemps in your region, but will there be fresh air enough when the hot(ter) days come?
Harry

If i recal correctly, he constructed the sides to vent open.

I'm going to build a greenhouse

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