Author Topic: What do you do with a greenhouse?  (Read 2208 times)

Lilburner

What do you do with a greenhouse?
« on: May 07, 2021, 02:41:47 PM »
Sounds like a stupid question, I know.

I know the obvious - starting seeds and getting plants going.

So that's say February to April. What about the rest of the year? Can you grow summer crops in it all year? I assume it doesn't do anything for cool weather plants.

What are the uses for it throughout the year?

I assume anything you want to grow out of season has to be started from seed, because where would you get seedlings?
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures.
~ Daniel Webster

RWS

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Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2021, 03:17:41 PM »
In the Southern part of the state, I grow cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, leaf lettuce & spinach out doors.  Some finally sucome to the cold.  If I lived in the Norther part of the state, then I would grow these in a green house.  I eat from my garden year round.

Ravenwood1950

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2021, 06:12:21 PM »
With a greenhouse you can keep growing all year even during the winter. Cool weather crops will keep growing and if it gets really cold you can cover them with Agro cloth and it will protect them without having to heat the green house.
Check out this book, he gardens all year in his greenhouse and he lives in Conn.
https://www.amazon.com/Four-Season-Harvest-Organic-Vegetables-Garden/dp/1890132276/ref=sr_1_18?dchild=1&keywords=gardening+year+round&qid=1620425422&s=books&sr=1-18
Ravenwood

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Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2021, 06:31:49 PM »
The house plan my wife picked out had a screened in back porch.  I changed it to a glassed in "Sun Room" and oriented the house so the porch is on the South side.  To me a Sun Room with a heated concrete floor is a greenhouse.  Now if I can choose building materials for the non glass walls that won't be effected by the humidity, things will be good.  I don't want the North wall to mildew & rot.  Now I need to work on ventilation so it does not get too hot.  It needs to be automated to work unatended.

Abigayle

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2021, 10:05:15 PM »
One additional use is when I start more plants for the garden than I know what to do with, I plant a few of then in the greenhouse.  With the door and two windows open, things like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and cucumber can grow all summer long.  We we have storms, with high winds or hail, some of my plants are protected.  In fall, I will dig up a few volunteers and plant them inside.  Some grows sell seeds that do exceptionally well when grown inside and they do not taste "greenhousy"
One side of my greenhouse consists of a deep planter box all the way down the wall. I can sit seedling there or use it to grow.  The other end had dirt next to the walkway, where I can grow lettuce most of the year.  I love the savings of starting my own plants and have been able to try so many more varieties this way.  I don't know of anyone who ever regretted having one and they don't have to be huge to be a blessing.  They also are cheaper than a therapist.
Ariel

Lilburner

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2021, 12:53:55 PM »
I looked up my ZIP code and found this.

Last Frost Date: March 24
First Frost Date: November 13

So say that is the range where it never goes below 32. Is there some kind of rule of thumb with a greenhouse of how low it can go? Like can you maintain above 32 including overnight if the overnight low is 20?

February always seems to be the worst month. Starting 30 days early on February 24th seems like a real challenge.

I can see putting black barrels full of water along the South Wall for heat, but I don't want to spend energy actively heating. Maybe a couple buddy heaters for a surprise cold snap, but I don't want regular energy consumption to be part of the plan.

In the case of greens, you pretty much just grow them as long as you can, and then when they die they die?

Conversely, I assume you need fans in the summer. I'm not too worried about that, because a couple of solar panels should make it self-sufficient.
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures.
~ Daniel Webster

8greenbeans

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2021, 05:38:22 PM »
I do not use a fan in summer but mine is only 10x12. I just keep it completely open. I keep a banana plant in there year round and my fig tree until the deck reno gets complete, then it will go outside. I start seeds in January (my last frost is supposedly April 15 but we had yet another late one this year). I have bricks, hot compost, mulch, and water jugs/barrels/bottles in my greenhouse. This past winter was the best one yet concerning temps in the greenhouse. (I have an additional plan for this coming fall to add more warmth). However once the temp hit around 27ish degrees then the greenhouse would hit 32 and then within a few degreeslower outside and there was only a degree or 2 difference inside the greenhouse. However, I have done mini-greenhouses inside the greenhouse which gives an additional degree and if those can fit in plastic ziplockbags, another degree or 2 additional to that.

Since I do not have power to the greenhouse, I did something different this year in an attempt to speed up germination. I started the seeds in the sunroom on a heating pad. After they broke through the soil, I moved them to the greenhouse inside plastic bags with a small opening. Worked great. Definite time saver. If the extra solar panel will power heating pads or electric blanket then I will start out in the greenhouse next winter instead of the sunroom.

My caution is this: make sure no critters are trapped inside the greenhouse once you start seeds. Unfortunately all that hard, fruitful work I did was undone by a hungry bird after I opened the bags on a warm day in March.

As for the rest of the year. I have large pots and an old fishrank full of soil. I can grow lettuce, spinaches, and brassicas in the cool of the fall and start of winter. Maybe if the new plan works then I'll grow year round finally.

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8greenbeans

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2021, 05:40:48 PM »
I forgot to mention the underground heat source.... Geothermal ground to air transfer or earth battery. If you dig below the frost line (not deep here in Georgia at all) then you can utilize the earth's steady temperature to both heat and cool (partially) your greenhouse.
You can do any type of internet search on it and find multiple resources. Eventually I would like to do this now that we have a tractor but I don't foresee MrBeans being eager to get to it until I'm way more successful at utilizing the greenhouse.

USMC Veteran, LEO Mama
Navy MIL, USAF Vet Mama
Army Daughter
8 Beans
9 GrandBeans + 1 on the way
3 Beans-in-law, 3 Future-in-laws
1 MrBeans

Abigayle

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2021, 03:32:17 PM »
We ran electric and water to ours.  While it is not large, the fan that can be set to any temp does come on and move the air.  With this, I get stronger stems, as the plants harden gently.  I also open the two window and the door when it is not too windy or cold.
If you have tomatoes growing and they touch the glass on a 32 degree day, they will die (just the part that touched the glass).  I try to keep my in the high forties at night, again, for hardening.  If you keep it too warm and comfortable all the time, they get shocked when you set them out in the real world.  Last week, I started some squash, cucumbers and tomatoes for a second crop.  Forgot eggplant and peppers....  The are up already and should do well with all this sun if I water twice daily. After re-reading what I wrote, if it is above 40, more power to it.  Cold snaps are part of nature so I try to replicate it the best I can.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2021, 12:16:04 PM by Abigayle »
Ariel

ProGeek

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2021, 11:17:39 AM »
You can keep tropical plants like bananas, citrus, and coffee plants in it during the winter. You may needs a small heater to make sure it doesn't get below 40.
If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

Abigayle

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #10 on: April 09, 2022, 01:47:42 PM »
We have an 8 x12 greenhouse coming in a week.  It has a fan with thermostat, two windows and a full glass door that can be removed and changed to a screen door in summer.  This will be our fourth greenhouse.  We plan to grow tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, egg plant and lettuce in it all year round.  I will also be able to use it for staring on seeds, of course.  It is too late for this year, but I may start a few extra.  One big advantage is that the tomatoes growing in pots that are now over two feet tall, can be moved with our refrigerator cart, into the greenhouse, during storms.  Right now, they are crowded together in our shed with a small heater and will be there through tomorrow night.  The shed had windows, for my smaller plants, but the tomatoes have to sit on the ground. 
I can also keep pots of things like ginger root and extra herbs.  Just ordered a new greenhouse book and hope to learn some new greenhouse gardening skills.  We have winter coverings over raised beds today, hope you all are "covered up" in a good way.

Abigayle

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #11 on: April 19, 2022, 07:32:46 PM »
Update, Greenhouse has not appeared.  Sales person said that he told us it would be sometime this week. That is not true.  Thor and I stood outside his office and agreed to make the purchase if it could be delivered within one week.  The salemen agreed.  Today, he told us that it was due this week.....not so...but you need to get things in writing.  So, twice now, including tonight, all our beds are covered, just in case.  So much extra work!
So today, I thought I had better order my greenhouse seed early.  This is what I discovered.  There is very little true greenhouse seed available right  now.  If you want to grow "happy weed", you are in luck.  If you want sterile varieties, with a proven track record under cover....good luck.  I ended up ordering a few things from Johnny's. After putting them in my cart,  I went out to water the raised beds, before completing my order.  In one hour, I lost two items.  There just is not that much out there, so if you have a greenhouse, start looking.  I did get two tomato varieties, two eggplant, which I love! some lettuce, cucumbers (there are still about three types out there and some orange peppers.  The black cherry tomato sold out, along with one large red.  I am aware that you can try to grow lots of things that are not noted to be greenhouse, but with the expense involved, I do not want to hit and miss.  My new greenhouse book has made me very humble.  It was written more for commercial growers.  I have gotten a few good tips.  French green beans can also be grown, and I may try that and isolate the planter to be sure that I am not introducing any negative cultures.  Hopefully, with the greenhouse and ground covered raised beds, we will keep the produce coming!

Abigayle

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2022, 09:09:34 AM »
Those of you lucky enough to have greenhouses, can use them right now to dry rugs, etc.  Even with the humidity, things will dry (euphemism for cook), in there. One issue could be fading, so good side down.  This fall I will be saying, green side up:)
Greenhouse measurement have been taken to put in tall planters.  Materials come this week.  Will be be building them right now....No....heck no...
Ariel

crplhood

Re: What do you do with a greenhouse?
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2022, 06:51:20 PM »
Early Spring: Take my early seedlings (I start almost everything inside under lights) out for hardening on shelves. Grow and harvest lettuce/spinach/kale in planters. Grow peas and cool beans up the walls or up runner strings.
Warm Spring: Harden tomatoes/cukes/squash/etc. Grow cucumbers and indeterminate tomatoes up the walls. These provide shade for later.
Summer: STAY OUT, or at least as much as possible. As others mentioned, I open the doors and windows wide and have a subset of my summer crops in here with some light protection. The plants I train up the walls peter out about august, so I drape it in 30% shade cloth. Harden fall seedlings.
Fall: Same as summer, but now the game is trying to keep it warm. Close the door, vents, windows. I have three 50gal drums I painted black full of water on the southeast side (it's not angled perfect). They warm up during the day, then release the heat all night, letting me eek a couple weeks more out of cukes and tomatoes before the short days stall them completely. They're lidded, and when it's especially dry I'll open the lids around sunset and let them keep the humidity up a little more at night. I have electric run, so if it's SUPER dry, unusual in fall, I may even drop an aquarium airstone in one to help raise the humidity.
Winter: I move a few 4ft pretty powerful LED grow lights out to the greenhouse. Believe it or not, its not the sun's intensity as much as the daylength slowing the plant's growth in most species, so my lights come on for 5 minutes at 7am and 7pm to trick plants into thinking it's mid spring. Side by side, by greenhouse plants grow at twice the rate vs what's in the ground. It's still slower winter growth, but enough that I pick salad a couple days a week. Now, on the temp side of things, it all just depends on how cold it gets. Without a way to add warmth, a greenhouse is never doing better than like 2 degrees above ambient air temp. My water barrels help, but the icy temps win at about 15-20 degrees. If there's an unusually early deep freeze, I take a kerosene heater and an electric heater out there to fight back, back there's no point fighting it by mid January. Everything except the brassicas die by then. When that happens, I become a cabbage farmer until late March when I start the cycle again.
Overall, I'd say I gain a month shoulder season each side between the lights and greenhouse. I also grow indoors year round under lights, so I don't try to grow in there from Jan 15 - March 15. That's cleanup time.

 

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