Anyone got any info on good greenhouses that you can buy and easily erect? I am moving north and want to have my veggies all winter....

Here is a supplier of Greenhouse equiptment and supplies. They have complete kits as well as individual components, Farmtek (http://www.farmtek.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&division=FarmTek)

Here is another one, A.M. Leonard (http://www.amleo.com/),

We were able to buy a complete greenhouse (used) from a defunct business last spring for a very reasonable price.

When looking at poly structures (plastic film) it took me a while to realize what the difference was between a "Greenhouse" and "Cold Frame." A Cold Frame usually consists of a frame enclosed with a single layer of poly. It is good for protection from early/late frosts but is not suitable for heating thru winter. A Greenhouse usually has two layers of poly film that have an airspace maintained between them by a small air pump. This provides some insulation so that it might be heated thru winter more efficiently.

I have several expensive books on building Greenhouses and I even looked into the kits. I realized to stay away from all of them.

If you want to build a green house the best thing to do is go to one and draw a picture. the kits and books are worthless. Also it depends on the purpose you plan on your greenhouse. You can build an addition to your house or a complete greenhouse.

Here are some basic tips.
Build on the south side.
Black barrels or jugs full of water. These retain the heat from the day sun and will keep your garden warm through the night.

Now down to business. From the sound of your plan you want to grow veggies in the winter so you will need a green house about 100x20. You can do with smaller but it needs to be at least 0 feet wide. The dome shape out of pipe (they have a special pipe for this and it is cheap) is the best. You also would want to plow up the ground so you will need at least 10 feet of headspace. Another thing is drive around and look in parking lots of local grocers (here most have a green house during planting season) and ask them about the material.

Your basic green house consists of a structure and a plastic roof. It can be flat with that transparent sheet plastic that looks like plastic tin. it is very cheap but I have forgotten the name of it. Lowe’s carries it. You can also build a dome style structure and cover it from the ground up with clear plastic available from Wal-mart for about $3.00 a roll. The one I am basing mine on uses this method. You can get enough plastic for $30.00 or less. I know a guy that has had one for 3 years and his plastic still looks new. If you build it properly so there isn't any wind drag or rain buildup the plastic should last you a decade.

In winter the key to growing vegetables is keeping the frost and snow off of them. They can stand the cold it is the freezing ice that harms them. So you should be able to build a good green house from scratch for under $200 if you stay away from books, websites and kits.

Go to your local greenhouses and you will see they are very opposite of the books. So I can’t impress enough the importance of staying away from the books. For the $50.00 I blew on the books I could have purchased half the materials for my own greenhouse. Find a good nursery they have good cheap structures. Memorize how they are built or write it down. If you use the heavy plastic roofing you can make it with a flat roof and enclose it with screen or the cheaper and more effective plastic. If you use plastic it must be the round style (round roof and long) this will cut down on wind damage and the rain won’t gather on your plastic and tear it. If your plastic gets holes in it don’t worry this won’t cause you much problem. Many people don’t even put the plastic all the way down some use strips of mesh and then only place them with about a foot spacing.

Really it is simple to do and unless your structure completely collapses you won’t make many mistakes. I saw a program where a man used the plastic dome style and plowed up the ground and had fresh cabbage and carrots all winter. You may also need some small form of heat but that also is cheap. It doesn’t need to be over 60 degrees if that. Some plants can thrive on 40-degree temperatures as long as they don’t get frost. If you know how it is done you can use the sheets of plastic and save your tomato plants until after the second snow. If you have the cage built out of fence and cover it in plastic your plants will last up into winter. Also it must breath oxygen must be able to escape and bees must be able to get in.

Unless you want a huge green house (or one that will last for 60 years) any plan that costs over $250 is a waste. Also while it may seem like a bit much the cheap green house will last about a decade without any cost worthy maintenance. The permanent one with the hard plastic roof will last your lifetime unless you have a hurricane or termites on your wood.

If you need any help let me know and I will try to take some pictures of some good structures for you.


EDIT:
http://www.farmtek.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/EngineeringServices/allbizunits/prodimages/ft_promo3.jpg

This is what I meant by dome style. If you see one simply drive up and ask to buy it you may be able to get a used one very cheap.

Quote from the Doc "It can be flat with that transparent sheet plastic that looks like plastic tin. it is very cheap but I have forgotten the name of it."


*Polycarbonate is the tough stuff in transparent sheets. (expensive)

*Acrylic is the medium priced sheet (Trade names include Perspex)

*Polyurethane and Polyethylene are the cheap low priced clear plastics - also sold corrugated for lateral strength.

:)

thanks for the good ideas. We are setting off today for our trip to check out the north......

April