Looks fantastic! I don’t have much experience greenhouse growing, but last year we did grow a few pumpkins in a shortened car shelter covered with poly. First challenge was keeping the poly on during windstorms, and ensuring the entire structure did not blow away. Second challenge was maintaining the temp on a daily basis - either opening things up to prevent it from getting too hot in the day, or closing everything before cold nights.

I think high-yield crops such as peppers and tomatoes would work well in the size of your structure.

I’m learning mostly from these greenhouse photos, from a grower in Lloydminster AB, I think zone 3a. He does watermelon too if you are interested: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2017&grower=25399&action=L

That looks great, nice job. Venting in the summer is so important if you have a plastic cover but it looks like you have a nice big one at the end.

I would fix the plastic covering like they do on a commercial greenhouse. Try and find some wiggle wire and channel, it is cheap and the plastic will never blow off.

My greenhouse has a wood 2 x 6 brace about half of the way up the long side ( just like your bottom brace), the wiggle wire channel is screwed to that and the plastic is secured at that point. The rest of the plastic covering hangs down to the bottom, is clamped to metal tubing and rolled up on warm days, let down at night. For frost I would just use some good frost cloth inside at night, or a small heater.

Good tip, thanks. You have pictures of that?

It is dark now but I will get you one tomorrow.

Nice job, I built one out of a carport frame and poly. Have widows in there but still gets too hot at times. Put in a screen door for extra ventilation and screens on windows too that helps(keeps the bees and beneficial insects from flying inside and dying).

Heat seems to be a bigger problem than frost for me. I can add a small source of heat in the spring and fall but to cool a large plastic greenhouse can be a challenge in July. That is one of the reasons I did not go to a clear plastic cover, way to hot.

We had a glass one where I worked and by the beginning of June all the trees were moved out because they would burn, or they would use a white latex paint and paint the roof to keep the sun from scorching the plants, as well as a shade cloth. What a pain.

You think leaving the door and window wide open is sufficient for raised beds inside? In July? I have no experience so I ask the question.

Your greenhouse is how big? mine is 16' by 20' and I did not have decent vents on both ends when I set it up, I do now, as well as the roll up sides. You might need a fan to circulate the air and I am sure raised beds would be great.

I would maybe leave those openings next to your window open as well. Try put removable panels on those openings.

The input from you guys is appreciated. It appears that the major concern here is for too much heat with the greenhouse. On the contrary I thought not enough heat during spring season. 7’ x12’ is the size. I guess I am leaning towards raised beds in it. Need to find out what is the best heat loving vegetables to grow.

Nice....I built one similar in size in 1985 with 2x4 painted white..door both end and have both open mid summer...only have Tomato growing. Make sure to use UV rated plastic, mine is still original but it needs badly an overhaul. Make sure plastic is tight..not sure how the wire contact with plastic will stand up. Several years later I added a second layer plastic for better insulation.

Here...last year I built one for drying apples,...still had some rebar around so I came up with this..one length bent, goes almost straight up on the right and the roof...covered with old garden hose as you can see. The back bottom can be opened and door in front, think on smaller greenhouses front and back opening is fine...time will tell. Don't have door here...need always airflow for apples.

Hey Konrad, thanks, the second one you built sure is unique, rebar covered with garden hose. Now that is a smart idea, more rigid than pvc. Have you any pictures of your first greenhouse? By the way, do your apples dry down well? Are they for eating?that idea may work well for drying onions in the fall season.

Yes..apples dry well..in about 3 day's sunny weather, these are whole apples cut in slices, windfall for animals only. The pulp from juicing I dry on the ground..as you see behind.

This the other Greenhouse, shelf can be put up on both side hanging...easy to take down when planting. As for stakes...have heavy wire pieces where they hook into the top wire and into the ground a little to tie tomatoes to...this way you never need to chase down stakes.

Yes Konrad, Interesting, I planted tomatoes last spring and used bought tomatoe cages. As summer progressed they outgrew these cages and started to fall over from the weight. I then added 6 foot rebar, two per plant. Eventually this was barely enough. The weight of the plant and fruit was tremendous. I wander if there is a better way to support these plants.?

I use my tomato cages to protect young fruit tree seedlings and grafts, I found them useless for a well grown tomato. I tie my tomatoes up in the greenhouse similar to Konrad's idea. Outside I have done the string weaving method with no success and the cages with no success. I am like you and want to find a good way to support them.

Ha...we're all in the same shoes lol. Of course, most of the tomatoes get planted in the garden with tomato cages but yes...they get a stake or two when getting larger.

They used to make heavier cages....even with them they needed extra stakes but now with these flimsy ones it makes it worse.

Found a picture from last year at the last picking before the frost, just used some sticks from the bush lol.

I find the cages a pain to pull out and then untangle the tomato plant. I am back to a single pole this spring, I guess, I have tried so many ways that I have come full circle.

Everyone has the same problem, I guess it will be cages at first ,follow up 6 foot rebar . Amazing that flat little tomatoe seed , can grow into a tree.

I don't let them grow this tall, [in greenhouse taller] not sure where you're but zone 3 is short and you'll end up with lots of little tomatoes grown this tall. Tomatoes need constant pruning for sizeable fruit.

When do you start cutting back the tops? I prune the bottom branches and some in the middle to let the sun get in, but I did not think of topping them for larger fruit. In the greenhouse they get very tall, maybe I should be topping them as well?

I don't top my tomatoes( In fact I don't prune them at all) and I live in zone 4. Topping them will stop their growth. However I do pick all the large green tomatoes at the end of July and ripen them in my basement. I find no difference in the taste of those tomatoes and ones ripened in the garden. Picking off the largest ones allows the smaller ones to grow bigger. I've cut back on garden space so I only planted 4 plants last year. I got 8 six quart baskets of beef stake tomatoes off of those 4 plants

Well....in the greenhouse about 6 foot single stem but out in the garden they seem to come up in multiple stems more readily so I'll prune them off..sometime two stems is fine.

You'll get tomatoes by not pruning but braking out the suckers helps allot and most people don't know about. The tops I cut back in the garden when about a foot above the cage, mainly so I can manage them better and not toppling over.... have close to 100 plants...about 3 weeks before frost I prune out flower clusters to help the little ones get larger...nothing better then vine ripened tomatoes.

I never prune my tomatoes unless I see leaves with disease. Those I pluck off so the plant not get totally infected. There is so many opinions on this subject, right or wrong. It’s what ever works. I do have one question maybe you folks have the answer. Now with a new greenhouse, Can I plant any variety of tomatoe plant into a raised bed inside or do they have to be container style or greenhouse variety? If there is such a thing?

Pruning...

I don't plant the tomatoes listed as greenhouse any more. Personally I find them lacking in flavour and every description seems to talk about how this one or that has improved flavour, so that kind of tells me that flavour in greenhouse tomatoes is a hard trait to develop.

I plant the ones that we like to eat, there are so many tomatoes and everyone has their favourite.

Ok, good to know, I have really taken to the Polish- Ukrainian varieties. Black Krim, Black Prince and just acquired a yellow variety, European origin but cannot think of its name. A friend passed seed on to me. I tried Malinowy another European raspberry tomatoe, extremely high rated tasting tomatoe, needs staking. However all the fruit ending up rotting with blossom end rot. Not going to grow again.

Black Prince was one I had a few years back in my greenhouse and it won the 'grandkids taste test'.

Nice structure. It is unheated I am guessing? what are these bedding plants? You could have raised bed and or containers. I make a similar GH a few years ago that is heated in the winter. I am in zone 5b-6a and I'm scared to ask what your growing season is like ?? last frost to first frost

Our last frost can be anywhere from June 1st to June 15, the first frost is around the second week in Sept. That said, I grew Orengeglow watermelons last year, harvested 25 cantaloupe, and our tomatoes ripen on the vine. All these are not grown in a greenhouse but outside, of course they are pre- started in the house.

This will for sure add a few weeks to the season. lets us know when it's set in the yard and ready to go.

I have now completed my greenhouse and set it outside. Going to put a raised bed inside and use for bedding plants also. Just need spring to arrive.

very nice.

At least you can be working inside the GH for now. The sun should help :)

Should have used cattle panel, maybe on the next one. This is going on it's third year.

Yes Matt, there always an improvement one can make on each following project. I still need to make raised beds inside and a couple benches for bedding plants.