I don't know what large quantity is to you. I have a 16 x 48 and it would fill up quick, especially if you are going to repot in larger containers. The weather never cooperates when trying to harden off plants. If you are staggering plantings, this is when it gets really crowded.

A 14 x 20 will hold a lot of seedlings, but if you plan on doing a lot of varieties you will be limited on how many of each you can do. Peppers seem to take forever and always seemed to be in the way of starting something else.

Unless you plan on running back and forth to regulate temperatures, you will need some type of automated ventilation and heating. It takes a lot of plants to pay for the greenhouse, containers, soil starting mix, water, heat, shadecloth, benches, etc..

Of course I was doing it as a business and was required to also have another Gh for isolation purposes if a disease was found in the plants. I never had an inspection from the state but they could come at any time to inspect. Separate licenses were required for each location the plants were sold. I never felt like the right hand knew what the left hand was doing when it came to the state agencies.

There is always going to be some stubborn plants that just never grow like you want them to and you wind up having to hold them longer.

Also friends will want you to start some for them and take up space and always be behind picking them up. Waiting for them to pick them up can be frustrating since they are taking up your space for other plants. Especially if they live in a different area that is getting different weather than you or has different soil conditions that conflicts with your time frame.

Probably not what you are wanting to know, but things that will happen.

I like Oldbusy's experience--he sounds like a good resource for ya, Kim!!!

That was a great response no wonder you are busy 1

I will growing commercially for seedling sales and several other market gardeners plus 10 acres lol. My little 5x12 got so full last year I don't want to be like that again. I will sit down and plan out how many seeding I need and want. It's hard for me to think so big.

No matter how big it is, it won't be big enough. Robert is correct, and given the size of the commercial garden you'll have, 14' x 20' won't even be close to large enough. If I were trying to do what you're planning to do, I'd start with a greenhouse or two that is at least as big as Robert's. Your current plan is to start with a greenhouse that is about the size of my greenhouse, and I feel like my greenhouse is too small just for what I want to raise for my garden in winter/spring.....and I'm not selling plants commercially or trying to plant 10 acres (not even trying to plant one acre).

I assume that with ten acres, most of your crops will be direct seeded because there's not going to be enough hours in the day to transplant tons of seedlings, although you can make it work if you have a transplanter that is pulled behind a tractor. Still, you'll need to raise the plants that traditionally are planted from transplants, which usually includes tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in our climate. I also plant all the brassicas from transplants in order to get the harvest to beat the early onset of heat, though you can direct seed them if you must.

Remember that with a commercial market garden, you want/need to have plants ready by specific dates, even if you are growing them for other people---because they all have a target date in mind when they will want to buy their transplants and get them in the ground. And, because you are going to be working for a commercial grower, you will have to comply with Texas Dept. of Agriculture regulations too. If y'all are going to be certified organic, then you also need to have a list of approved pesticides, fungicides, etc. either purchased or know where to purchase them quickly because when a pest or disease hits a greenhouse, it can spread quickly so you have to respond quickly to nip it in the bud, so to speak. It might help if you could find any classes or seminars in your area that are specific to growing organically (in terms of what is allowed in certified organic gardening versus what is not allowed, and some things may shock you by their inclusion/exclusion), growing on a large scale in a greenhouse, etc.

I think that if you could start with two 16' x 48' greenhouses and have a smaller third greenhouse set aside to isolate sick plants, you'd be on the right track. I don't know if your employer wants to make that kind of financial investment in greenhouses the very first year you are there though, so you may have to start smaller and add another greenhouse next year.

They are willing to start with a decent size this year and add another in the fall. I honestly have no clue about size. I am working on my plan this week so our seed order can get put in asap.

Kim, if you find Tomato Man's Daughter on FB and scroll down to April you will see some pics of their greenhouses. They are quite big.

>No matter how big it is, it won't be big enough<

That is the longtime rule. When you get to the point where you are considering a greenhouse that looks way too big you just may end up having barely enough room. Every time I have been involved in the placement of containerized plants inside greenhouses the space filled up quickly.

I normally transplanted my tomato, pepper and egg plant into 4" pots, but I wasn't doing that large of a operation. Usually a few hundred tomatoes and a couple hundred peppers. But I also had flats of melons, cucumbers, squash. To me the 4 pack square trays were better for melons, cucumbers and squash. The four pack rectangle were ok for the tomatoes and peppers. But if your going to have them crammed close together competing for sun, they get leggy fast.

If you are planning on leaving the plants in flats, you should be able to get a close idea on how much space they will take up. With something that large the local Gh uses timed misters on the newly planted seeds. He uses one greenhouse just for starting and the others for the plants for sale. It's a lot better to separate the two.

He doesn't have any fancy benches, he uses cattle panels on blocks. I think he has landscape timbers under them to keep them from sagging.

Great ideas. I have been searching for what we want to give her list tomorrow. Then she can give to her husband and when he is done with cotton then he will order and build.

I do not want to be crammed in so I think 20x48 then maybe next year a smaller one. Sales will be done at market or delivered so no need for separate greenhouse this year. But that is a great reminder to not let visitors into greenhouse. My sister grows African violets and we are not allowed in her room or near those babies. She has over 100 so it is serious.

Great idea for tables. Regular greenhouse tables are expensive.

They ordered the 12x24. I will do some research to see what we can do

Oh Kim. Well. I hope you can make the most out of those square inches! I am SURE you WILL!

I will strategically place everything so carefully. I will have to take pictures. Those trays will be in there like a puzzle.

It's happening!

And my house is on the far left !

Yay!

Yay!

Cool!

Kim, I hope you'll post more photos as you go. So fun seeing it.

Update, how about an update?

It is up and gorgeous. Nothing but a thermometer in there right now

Good to see you Moni!

6 auto vent openers

Swamp cooler

Full shade cloth

2 amazing fans for circulation

Gravel floor.

Mr boss is building tables and work table with soil catch pan. I calculated how many trays but now I forgot.

Tables!

Nice!

Yay! I see y'all are still making progress with the greenhouse. Just think how nice it will be to have your seedlings all snug and warm and safe in there when those cold West Texas winds come blowing through in March.

I don't know what wind speeds your greenhouse is rated for, but mine is supposed to be able to withstand 80 mph winds, which we've never had since we built it. I think the strongest winds that I know it has been subjected to has been gusts in the 63-68 mph range during thunderstorms, and those winds had no impact on the greenhouse whatsoever.

Do y'all have it insured? I ask because a couple of years ago some folks in our county with a very beautiful greenhouse about the size of yours were hit by baseball-sized hail, which of course knocked huge holes in the greenhouse.

Whatever insurance costs for a greenhouse, if y'all ever get that sort of hail out there, then the insurance is worth every penny, especially since a commercial greenhouse like that is a sizable investment.

Good idea. I am sure it is it was 10k. :0

He has it bolted to concrete. They used a lot of extra caulk also to help keep out the dirt. I calculated 100 flats will fit. When I get back from MENF I will be busy. Mrs boss hopefully will be ready to go shopping and get some seed mix. I bought 1 bag but don't want to spring for 20 more lol. I am ready to get er done

Yes, there's a practical reason I don't have a greenhouse that nice. : )

If I wanted to spend that much money on a greenhouse, Tim would have a cow.....so it is not likely to happen. At least your employer did it right! That greenhouse was set up on the proper foundation and everything.

I bet you will get busy when you get back from MENF. In that way, the timing of the fair is perfect---you'll come back all inspired and there the greenhouse will be, waiting for you.

Eventually the wood framing for the benches will have to be replaced with metal because the wood will rot and cannot be kept clean.

Yes nothing like a gathering of thousands of homesteaders hippies to inspire you to run home and grow.

I am sure they will have to be replaced eventually. This will just buy us time to figure out exactly what type they want

LOLOL. . . . homesteader hippies. . . . You GO, girl!!

update again please

I just saw this ;)

The greenhouse is doing well. I have about 600 tomato, 250 pepper, 100 eggplant, 100 basil and hope to do some herbs this week.

I will try to get some pictures.

Looks great, Kim!

The swamp cooler is on the south end so I have to move the trays to keep them out of the shade. The water is hooked up now and what a difference. The fan on high is a little too much so I have to play around and see where to position everything. Germination is going much better. I keep my mattress pad on low all day and hi at night. Temp on it is about 72ish. Cheap fix. I had peppers and eggplants germinate in 12 days which is a record for me. It is a learning year so I have grace not perfection (that's a book) for myself. Although I do tend to be a little hard on myself :/

Thank you Amy. I am learning every day

I bet you ARE! I love it!

Thanks for the update and pictures Kim! I love following along on this.

Moni

It looks like the plants are coming along really well. I know you're going to love having the greenhouse, especially now that the water and swamp cooler are hooked up.

I am in the learning curve. I move plants constantly from east side to west side. I really enjoy it the playing and learning