Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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We have a nice little greenhouse on our new place. Unfortunately, most of the panels are 30 years old, broken and stained. Where to buy panels at the best price? The front door window has been replaced with safety glass but I assume to replace 18, 3-5 foot panels with safety glass would get pricey.
I also need to buy a vent opener on a thermostat. I do have electricity to this greenhouse and plan to light it in winter, maybe use a space heater to keep things like citrus trees from freezing, as well as to grow tomatoes and pepper seedlings or overwinter super hot peppers. |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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Polycarb panels were about $2-3 per square foot the last time I looked. Rolls of poly plastic, by comparison, are about 1/10th the price per square foot. The cheapest way to make a panel would be to make a lumber frame and stretch the plastic over it. It should last about five years.
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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So, I already have a metal frame on the greenhouse but the panels are worn out. Geez, those polycarbonate sheets are expensive. I have no idea how I could make the sheets work,though.
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: delaware ohio
Posts: 81
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6 mil twin wall polycarbonate panels can be found online. Check with the contractors desk at your box stores, they may be able to get them for you. In this area Menards has them in stock. If you want actual glass google glass supply in your area. Most glass shops will cut it to size for you.
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,350
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The stuff isn't cheap, but it does work well. I need to make mine pay for itself in order to have it. I sell bedding plants and hanging baskets to make it not be such a burden or "blackhole hobby". I have a 16x12 for one that is poly carbonate and I wish I could see through it, but it does what I want/need it to do. This morning the thermometer on the N side of the house read -20 and that little house is on the S side of my house as a leanto greenhouse and it has a little electric 220 heater in it and it stays at about 50 - 55*. It is attached to the house but does not have walking access from the basement to the house itself. I have to go outside and through the door. I bought mine from and Amish greenhouse supplier, but I doubt it would be much cheaper for you by the time you paid shipping/handling... but you could try them if you want to take the time to wait and see.
Daniel Yoder/CVS supply 330 891 9048 leave a message and he will call you back.
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carolyn k |
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 124
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Atlas Greenhouse is in Atlanta, I have used them in the past. Very helpful staff, they could probably give you suggestions on the covering and the automatic vent system.
Good luck Marcus |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: delaware ohio
Posts: 81
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what part of ohio are you in? We are just north of Delaware and had -18 this morning
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Are you able to have 220 Volt electricity to the green house?
If so it would be much more economical to do so. If you are going to want to auto vent it you might think of putting in a vent fan as well. This way when the temps got too hot the fan would kick on and the vent would open up at the same time. In my experience with these setups when using the vent fan and gravity dampers the dampers dont work worth a hoot. The best ones work off a motor drive with limit switches. So you would have a fan at the top pulling air out and another vent at the bottom letting air in. How far is the green house from the electrical source and is the power running in conduit. If so do you know what gauge wire it is and what size conduit it is. The minimum to go 220 would be 10 gauge wire depending on the load and the distance of the wire run. Plus if done correctly you could put in a sub panel and have 220 and 120 volt ac at the green house. Here would be a typical panel you would install at the greenhouse. It already comes with about everything you need. The 50 amp breaker would be for the heater the 30 amp breaker would be for the fan motor and so forth. Then you would have 6 more 120 20 amp breakers to do what you wanted to do. http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-PowerM...0?N=5yc1vZbm2w So far the cheapest I have found tempered green house glass it would cost about 3,000 dollars or more to replace everything. I would rather go with polycarbonate than non tempered glass. The first hail storm would beat all of the glass panels out again. I know this is way more than you asked for but I thought I would put it out there. ![]() Worth |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
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These guys are 1 1/2 hours away from you.Can you find a tag or original manufacturer of greenhouse?Call Coor up maybe they have a reasonable solution.
http://www.coorfarmsupply.com/produc...ts.asp?c=15&v=
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KURT |
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#10 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,350
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I am in Wadsworth... a little west of Akron south of cleveland by 40 miles. if you go up 71, at the 71/76 split near rittman and medina is right about where I am.
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carolyn k Last edited by clkeiper; February 24, 2015 at 10:12 AM. |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: delaware ohio
Posts: 81
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my sister lived there for a while, mom is in Brecksville. I know the area. It sounded pretty close to our weather this morning
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#12 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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I'm hoping that just I can run a heater when it's colder, we never get all tht cold anyway. I want a few citrus, mostly cold hardy varieties like Clementines and Meyers Lemon. Plus overwintered peppers and seedlings of various types. I did find some polycarbonate for about $13.00 a piece. That is the best I've found so I'll measure the panels this weekend and figure out what I need. I suspect that safety glass would be much more expensive. Probably doesn't stay as warm,either? |
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#13 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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Vent fan is definitely in the plans. I have a vent but right now it's only manual. Of course, too hot will be a bigger problem than cold here. Maybe when my father comes to visit in May I can talk him into doing a breaker panel for me. He's an electrical technician and will have a lot more free time than my husband. |
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2014
Location: WASHINGTON
Posts: 16
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You might try a place that replaces glass. They might have some scratched pieces. You can get some that are tempered from sliding patio doors. Don't forget you cannot cut tempered glass.
Try Harbor Freight for your automatic vents. |
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