Mine is a do-it-yourself Harbor Freight 10' x 12' Greenhouse. The modifications and improvements cost as much or more as the GH itself, and we already had some things like pipe and wire and a chandelier.

I took cuttings of pentas, white shrimp plant, alternanthera, lemon grass, snapdragons and porterweed in fall to keep over. White shrimp plant blooms during the winter in the greenhouse, never in summer here. I plant them out in summer and take new cuttings for winter. When I cut back roses -- was that February or March? -- I stuck a few cuttings to root.

I started seeds, with mixed results.

The night blooming cereus took up the whole bench over the water-sink barrels. I think the cereuses need to spend the winter in the laundry room where they used to winter, they took up a lot of room and didn't like the bright sun. That will leave lots more room for seedlings and cuttings.

You can get some idea in the photos. I didn't take many pics of what grew, or failed. This is a working GH, not a show place. It's a great place to be, out of the cold wind, mid-winter.

Nell

Here is a link that might be useful: Nell's Greenhouse

I have a BC greenhouse 8 1/2 x 14 1/2' polycarbonate panels rather than glass in an aluminum frame. This is sitting on a foundation made of pressure treated wood. I have had this one for about 15 years. It is still in very good condition. The one before was an 8x10 glass panes in a wooden frame built from a kit. I would never go back to wood, it rots, the glass in mine kept shifting every time there was any kind of vibration around, blasting for new roads for one. After that episode the glass never stayed in place. Neighbor at the time, kids taking get delight throwing apples trying to break the glass.
The nice thing about the polycarbonate panels is they are double thickness, a little extra insulation and of course the aluminum frame doesn't rot. The door has glass but you can slide up the lower pane for more air circulation this is screened. I have 2 roof vents which automatically open and close depending on the inside temperature.
As for staging, instead of benches I opted for cement blocks and planks, wood rots eventually, it's much easier to replace the planks one at a time and you do have more options for height if needed by removing the top planks
With mine you can buy the hardware to slide into the frame to hang baskets, we also put metal rods across at the top so I can store 50+ Fuchsia baskets through the winter.
I have a small electric heater to keep the temp above 38 in the winter and also have a kerosine heater as backup in case of a power failure. We throw a shade cloth over the roof for the summer. Once a year I empty everything out and wash it down, scrub the planks down with bleach. Sigh, another thing on my ever growing list of things I haven't got done yet.
My advice to you, get the biggest one you can because whatever you get it won't be big enough LOL, and if at all possible get one with an aluminum frame, cheaper in the long run.
Annette

Here is a link that might be useful: My greenhouse style

Oh, after midnight. I've been eying those. I love a traditional greenhouse style!

GGG

I built a 12x12 poly frame hoop house a few years ago and it worked well for about three years....a tornado lifted the corner and pretty much ruined it. I have enough old storm windows and treated lumber (from the tornado destroyed pole barn) to build a traditional one and plan to do it.......maybe this fall.

I have been getting by with my light stand that holds 12 flats of plants. Still not the same as a greenhouse.

Costco is going to put a green house on sale for $549 (normally $699), on-line only. It is 6'x8' and looks like it is meant to be mounted against a door of a house, Item #262244. It is supposed to be on sale from 7/17-8/3.

Lorna

Oh Annette, I LOVE those!!! I am hoping to get one soon but I think DH will build it. I would like a combo potting shed/greenhouse. Since DH has turned the garage into his woodshop, I only have a small space to store things.

Do any of you think the combo type work well?

Diana

a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v495/libbyshome/?action=view&current=wista.jpg"; target="_blank">{{gwi:675993}}

There's a moral to this picture. :)

Libby

My BC greenhouse came as a kit and DH put it up (a bit cheaper if you do it yourself) and mine doesn't have the brick-a-brack on the roof. If I was to do it over the only thing I would do would be to put in a second door at the other end this you could either open either for access or more air circulation when really hot, you would still have the option of having a bench across at times, the one door I have seems to be propped open most of the summer.
If I had the space, I would definitely have a potting shed built on one end, that would be a dream come true sighhhhh.
Annette

This is a link to my dream greenhouse.........sigh.....maybe someday.
JEnny P

Here is a link that might be useful: Sun country

Those fancy things are my dream too, but you can't grow off cuttings in a dream, hence the cheaper way for two old folks who needed a winter project anyhow.
We had enough old windows for a romantic structure like Libby's -- my preference -- but that's not what we did.

So, Faye, what do you think?
Are you going to have running water?
How are you going to heat your GH? I have what Annette has.
What kind of floor?
Benches?
What about summer? Shade cloth?

Have you looked at the Greenhouse forum? They have greenhouses from the ridiculous to the sublime. Search for cactusfreak. She has a wonderful tropical greenhouse, fun to look at. I think it's near Atlanta.

Nell

I'm green with envy for those of you who have greenhouses. If I had one I'd be in it all day, everyday :-)

Ed-

I wouldn't mind one of these.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:719605}}

I'm envious. I don't see one in my future, but it sure would be nice to overwinter some plants.

I just love the traditional greenhouses, but since that's out of the question just now, am very happy to make do with my little 6'x8' Harbor Freight greenhouse ... for $299 ($329 regular price) how could I not jump in? Even after all the other expenses for treated-lumber foundation, benches, fan, auto vent opener, heater, wireless theromemter/hygrometer, interior insulation for north wall, gravel, and a clear solar pool cover for winter, we still didn't spend more than $600. The aluminum frame went up fairly easily, thanks to the folks in the Greenhouse forum who posted their experiences and photos, and the twinwall polycarbonate panels were easily installed; both have held up well. It has been a delight. I used to dread autumn as the end of the growing season ... now it just marks the beginning of a new one. Even my non-gardener husband likes it and, like me, escapes out there now and then with a cup of coffee and a good book.

Anyone who has the funds for a larger, fancier greenhouse is lucky, indeed, as is anyone who has the space for a good-sized hoophouse. We're on a small suburban lot, however (50x150), already home to veggie garden, koi pond, wooded areas and perennial beds.

I overwinter tender plants, rotate houseplants through there for "R&R", start seeds, grow herbs, lettuce and cherry tomatoes through winter (without supplemental light, production does fall off for a while) even started peas one year after the holidays and we were eating fresh, home-grown peas in mid-March ... when they'd normally be planted here.

The greenhouse, tiny as it is, has enabled me to grow things I'd never be able to overwinter without it, like a Meyer lemon tree. How nice to harvest lemons mid-winter!

I highly recommend leaving room for at least one reasonably comfortable chair, and a shower radio/CD player is nice.

Something like this always seemed like a luxury, but now I think I'd give up my second bathroom (and there are six of us in the family) before I'd give up that little greenhouse! LOL

Diane

LOL! Libby, would that moral come in shades of purple? ; )

Jenny, that greenhouse is a beauty! I am saving that pic to show DH. Ahhh, the stuff I could grow in that!

I have water and electric where we would build one. I think I better help DH finish that side fence so he can start a new project. ; )

Diana

Diane: give up my second bathroom

lol So far (on this board) we've given up dinner and a movie for plants. Now you're giving up rooms.

Diana: Libby, would that moral come in shades of purple?
You guessed. ;)

Do I have to have heat in the greenhouse in zone 8? I thought it would retain enough solar heat to keep the plants safe through the night.

The house I am looking at has electrical outlets so I could put a portable heater in if necessary.

My experience has been that the heat sink (200 gallons of water) keeps the night temperature about 10 degrees above the outside temperature. When those rare nights come when the outside temps are 22 degrees or lower -- we've seen 15 degrees on occasion -- in the wee hours of morning, what to do?

Many tender plants suffer if the temperature is less than about 40 degrees. That determines what I have in mine.

Nell

It depends on what you want to put in there and what you want it to do. If you're just going to try to overwinter marginal perennials, then heating may not be necessary. If you want to keep tender plants, or actually grow things, then heat would probably be necessary. Citrus, I understand, will not thrive if the roots are not kept at or above 55 degrees - since I sometimes allow my greenhouse to dip to 50 at night, I wrapped the pot with exterior grade Christmas lights for a little heat boost.

My understanding is that you can add one zone for each layer of protection you provide - so your zone 8 weather would be like 9 inside your unheated greenhouse.

You can also add thermal mass (containers of water) to help stabilize temperatures. Air does not retain heat very well at all. Soil is a little better, water is a lot better.

You probably know this, but please be sure any electrical connections are through a ground fault interrupted circuit - this is critical for your safety. You may also know that, heater or no, you will need a circulation fan and, unless you're going to be around a lot to tend to it, an automatic vent opener.

I was planning on storing ferns in the winter and maybe starting seeds in Feb and March for spring planting. Then use it for a potting shed in the spring and summer. just basic stuff no growing of exotic plants, veggis or orchids.

I know so little about this topic. I didn't think I needed a heater at all.

If you've time, Faye, go to the Greenhouse forum and search for posts by rjinga.
I estimate she lives in just about the same latitude as you.
She has a GH like mine, except hers has a fancy pergola and flower beds outside and she put a shade cloth over hers this June.

You can skip the parts about getting the thing assembled, since you're not putting together a HFGH.
She finally had it assembled Feb, 2008. All her threads after that date may be helpful.

She asked just about every question that you have, learned a lot along the way and documented her experiences.

Nell

Here is a link that might be useful: rjinga question about heating

You all have had me googling greenhouses. I now have so many ideas my head is exploding! lol! Dh is on board - now just need to find the time. Maybe I can get him to retire early.

Diana

I go back and forth about putting up a greenhouse - living in the zone I do I would need it very little for overwintering - garage works great. I have great southern exposure when the doors are open and the plants thrive on that. Since I do WSing - I don't need it to start seeds - I do have a nice shade house that I get alot of use out of and have a couple of the mini-patio greenhouses but use the plastic part very little - I use them more as shelves to hold my WS flats. We set aside our stimulus check specifically for garden use and most of it is still there waiting for a project and we have talked about a greenhouse. I love the idea of having one so time will tell.....

Lynne

In summer, it's a great place for growing on rose cuttings started in February when roses are pruned.
I didn't go out there yesterday after checking for water needs early in the morning, as it was raining outside late in the day.
This morning 4 potted floribunda rose cuttings are blooming.

Nell

Libby,

I love your wisteria and your yard is certainly beautiful. It certainly took over your greenhouse though.
Too pretty to cut down though. That would be a shame.

I agree with your greenhouse choice. If I could choose, it would be an old-time "conservatory". Practical doesn't have to mean giving up the esthetically pleasing.

My little "greenhouse" began life as a lawn mower tractor -tool shed. To convert it into a a make-shift greenhouse, the south-facing wall was removed and double glass picture windows installed that we got free from a window installation company (ones they removed and replaced from someone's house). We installed insulation panels on the ceiling and other three walls. In winter, it has an electric heater with thermostat and fan. So far it has worked very well. I keep all my tropicals and tender perennials in there in the winter. Have even wintered over some of my favorite annuals. I set the tropicals and most fragile plants in the center of the room during the winter. The farther away from the windows and walls the better. I have one light hanging from a teacup hook on an overhead rafter board. Geraniums & Salvias bloom like crazy in there all winter. Herbs smell so wonderful in there all winter and it is nice to have the color in winter. I have no other heat source. I want to set up our little woodstove in there, but my "helper" is not complying with my wishes so far (stubborn Scotsman). Even when the juice was off last winter for a week during the snow and ice storm, I only lost a couple of plants but none of my tropicals. Only a little leaf damage to a few. I was very surprised. Hope to get a kerosene back-up heater for the greenhouse or maybe a big generator this Fall.

There are cup hooks along all the rafters for trailing cactus and all my colorful Wandering Jews. I have a huge table of cacti and succulents and keep adding to my collection, including tropical cacti and agaves.
Against the windows I have a long table that I start my spring seed trays and rooting cuttings on. I usually add another light lamp over that area too, moving up as the seedlings grow taller.

My tropicals are mostly big, growing on five gallon buckets and containers - trees many of them.

Not had a high success rate with rooting woody stem cuttings in there. Too cool, I suppose, but I have enjoyed wonderful success in merely taking stem cuttings in the spring, and rooting them in my garden beds or in clay pots set out in the garden.

The picture in the LINK below was taken before we insulated. I used it for three years that way and just last year "my helper" added "some" insulation. It is not finished ...yet.

I summer when it heats up in there, everything comes out except the desert cacti, dry tropical cacti and succulents who enjoy the dry heat in there all summer. An old elm tree provides shade all morning on the east side in the summer months. Out front of the greenhouse on the south side, I planted a Jane Magnolia tree that will someday provide more summer shade in the greenhouse. In winter when they go dormant and shed their leaves, there is once again full sun in my potting shed-greenhouse.

I hope to one day have a nice conservatory-type greenhouse, but in the meantime, this is wonderful to have. I couldn't have all the plants I have without it. ~ Annie

Here is a link that might be useful: