Questions tagged [greenhouse]

Glass building to shelter and heat plants

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21 votes
4 answers
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How large a cultivation area to feed one person?

Consider a project like the Earthship. Supposing one would like to grow food (organic polyculture) indoors in such a habitat (i.e. in a green house). How many m² would be required to feed one person ...
neydroydrec's user avatar
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20 votes
3 answers
4k views

What is the point of a greenhouse?

How does putting my plants in a greenhouse help them grow? Is it purely to shield them from cold weather, or are there other benefits?
Dan's user avatar
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15 votes
4 answers
5k views

How to automatically vent a cold frame during the Winter?

I am working on building a cold frame and have purchased a Univent automatic opener to vent the cold frame by lifting the lid/light. However the Univent opener is not supposed to subjected to ...
spesh's user avatar
  • 251
13 votes
12 answers
73k views

What color should a greenhouse be?

I'm shopping for a greenhouse to protect my tropical fruit trees from winter frosts. While browsing, I noticed that greenhouses are predominantly green or clear. What are the advantages of each color? ...
JoJo's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
250 views

What is this thin-stemmed plant with narrow leaves in an aquaponics bed in my greenhouse?

This plant grew from seed to about 2' high within 3 months. I'm sure it's not done growing. I have no clue what it could be, since I'm in the bad habit of sticking anything that looks like a seed into ...
Marion's user avatar
  • 121
11 votes
4 answers
8k views

How to safely keep plants in greenhouse at low temperatures

I'm a 2nd year gardener and am just now building a small 6x9' greenhouse onto the side of a shed. I've got some indoor starts that are beginning to take up a lot of space (my okra is ~9" tall!), and ...
doub1ejack's user avatar
  • 1,039
11 votes
4 answers
16k views

Glass vs plastic greenhouse covering: pros and cons

When building or buying a greenhouse, it seems to me that the material to use is one of the first concerns. The two options I'm trying to compare right now are glass and plastic films. The ...
Betohaku's user avatar
  • 429
10 votes
4 answers
3k views

Building a DIY greenhouse - where to start?

I'd like to build an inexpensive, removable greenhouse over the back deck. The deck is approximately 20' x 8'. I'd like to build it for easy disassembly and storage in the summer. I've never seen ...
Micah Githens's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
440 views

Would an old refrigerated food display case make a good greenhouse?

I came into the possession of one of these: I want to know if it would make a decent greenhouse and, if so, how I could retrofit it to grow some kind of small plants or seedlings. I think the ...
Micah Bolen's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is drainage important in Greenhouse beds?

I just finished building my first greenhouse! I built in beds on the shelves along the wall that can have up to 10 inches of soil. (I'm planning on putting 8 inches in.) I lined the bottom of the beds ...
Biff MaGriff's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
4k views

If I harvest bell pepper, will it grow back? (I control the temperature in my small greenhouse)

If I harvest bell pepper, will it grow back? (I control the temperature 25 C* in my small greenhouse) If yes, I pick bell pepper fruit only or it needs pruning also after harvesting? how to do it ...
tattoo556's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
95 views

Tomato plants longevity

I started tomato plants outside but we had a scorching summer. I have finally gotten them healthy but it is the end of the growing season. The question is can I take my plants into my greenhouse and ...
Shannon Banks's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
1k views

Plastic sheet for greenhouse

I'm trying to build a DIY greenhouse and have a question about the plastic sheeting. I see that no one is using clear plastic - it's almost always translucent. Is that on purpose or just that the ...
Mayank Jain's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

What chemicals react with greenhouse plastic and cause it to turn white?

I have a small PVC hoop house that I built last winter and plan on using again this winter. I found out first hand, then read about it later on, that the plastic used for greenhouses will react with ...
Brian Surowiec's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
119 views

How to get crisp lettuce in a green house

I am raising lettuce in my green house. It works, the lettuce is tasty, however it is not nearly as crisp as the lettuce I grow outside the greenhouse (same variety). What can I do to make my green ...
Isaac's user avatar
  • 245
7 votes
2 answers
122 views

What are colors other than clear suitable for avoiding the heat inside a greenhouse?

I am in Kuwait where it gets very hot in summer (up to 50C). I plan to build my greenhouse using polyCarbonite. Can I use another color than clear to avoid the heat inside the greenhouse?
Turki's user avatar
  • 71
7 votes
1 answer
711 views

Should I cut tomatoes once they reach the top of the greenhouse?

I have tomatoes in a greenhouse. Most of the stem is fortified with a curled rod, so they don't break under the weight of their fruits. Now they have outgrown their rod and are reaching the top of ...
Isaac's user avatar
  • 245
7 votes
2 answers
619 views

Building Gothic High Tunnel (Elliot Coleman style) in Alaska

I'm in the middle-phase of planning an Elliot Coleman gothic hoop house. I have ordered the pipe bender from JohnnySeeds.com and am wondering if anyone has any experience in building in a cold ...
Kenneth Eggering's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
156 views

Is it important to keep greenhouse glass thoroughly clean?

My greenhouse is near some fruit trees and every spring when I come to start off the growing season I find a certain amount of grime has settled across the glass over the preceding year. Most years I ...
Tea Drinker's user avatar
  • 9,573
6 votes
3 answers
7k views

What thickness of twinwall polycarbonate should I use for my greenhouse?

I bought a cheap grow house with 4 shelves for growing herbs but the wind has knocked it about and it is starting to lean to one side a bit more than it should. I plan to build a wooden frame, to ...
Morgan's user avatar
  • 473
6 votes
4 answers
513 views

Material choices for DIY greenhouse

I'm looking into building a cabinet sized greenhouse for my balcony. I have a very limited income so its a low budget project. I have looked at ready-mades but none fit my budget or space. I'm a bit ...
max's user avatar
  • 509
6 votes
2 answers
149 views

Recommendations for how to equip a small home greenhouse?

As I prepare for fall around here (USDA zone 8a, max low ~10f, average low ~45f) I long for a greenhouse to bet overwinter some of our showy pots, and perhaps get a jump on some annuals and veggies as ...
Ben's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
86 views

How do you grow a plant not in your hardiness zone?

I understand that greenhouses are an option, this question is more towards being able to grow plants that normally prefer colder climates without having to spend loads of money on climate control. I ...
Ashtin Blanchard's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
67 views

Reputable source of learning greenhouse practices, specifically for microgreens?

I am allowed to use my school's greenhouse and have some space allotted to me. I want to start growing microgreens, but most of the videos and sources I read are always trying to "sell" me something. ...
Ro Siv's user avatar
  • 195
5 votes
3 answers
220 views

Growing temperate and some tropical plants in an indoor 'winter garden' in Ireland

I am in the lucky position of building my own house in Southern Ireland and have have a 'winter garden' room which will have three tall walls of glazing with one side facing south. The roof is very ...
Damien's user avatar
  • 53
5 votes
2 answers
881 views

Can I use the output from a house boiler to heat a greenhouse?

I live in relatively cold, rainy Manchester in the north of England and have been experimenting with growing chillies and tomatoes. I've found that they are fine indoors, but die quite quickly ...
Jim Jeffries's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
4k views

Big cactus identification and how long does it take?

I found these huge cacti in a garden-center, the two on the right. The largest in the back was over 1.5 m in length! They were a little bit too expensive, so I thought maybe start from seed... What ...
benn's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
161 views

Effect of white/black polythene floor in polytunnel

The oldish, commercial, heated hothouses I have have a floor with a layer of polythene which is black on one side and white on the other - with the white side facing up. What are the pros and cons ...
davidgo's user avatar
  • 4,073
5 votes
1 answer
308 views

Greenhouse positioning

When building a greenhouse, we can all reckon that it should get as much light as possible (with proper heat ventilation). BUT, let's talk about when a greenhouse must be built near shade. Consider a ...
Bort's user avatar
  • 305
5 votes
1 answer
355 views

How well would mediterranean plants/trees grow in a greenhouse in northern Europe?

This is the situation: I live quite far up north (Trondheim, Norway), and wish to achieve greater diversity in yield from the garden. Although the climate is not as tough as the position would suggest ...
Betohaku's user avatar
  • 429
5 votes
1 answer
587 views

Why does my tomato plant have tightly shrivelled green leaves?

I have a Tomato Grafted Stargold F1 (Yellow Cherry) growing in my greenhouse. It has been in there for several weeks and it seems to have grown taller but all the leaves are very tightly curled in. ...
TafT's user avatar
  • 249
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

DIY Greenhouse Shelving

I have a 6'x6' greenhouse structure built of 6' "zinc plated slotted angle". I will likely build the shelving structure into the building frame using the same angle pieces in 6'x 2' segments. Does ...
J.P.M.'s user avatar
  • 445
5 votes
0 answers
25 views

covering gr. house crops during extreme cold

I've grown greens in a gr. house for 22 years. During extreme cold I've put the fabric from Dewalt over hoops. In extreme cold I have 6-8 of these covers on but the next day I have to dry these ...
debra mcconnell's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
98 views

What is a 4 season greenhouse wall/ceiling made of? [closed]

What material would I want to use to build the walls, and ceiling of for a 4 season greenhouse around the 45N,93W (4a)?
black thumb's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
239 views

How to setup a green house that loses heat but not humidity

I'm deciding to build a green house to grow some of my favorite plants. My place is quite hot and dry, and water is very precious. My priority is to keep humidity inside. But I couldn't find a ...
azerafati's user avatar
  • 258
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Should rain water be allowed to flow directly into greenhouse?

I see a lot of talk about storing rain for later use in a greenhouse... But what about letting the rain flow into the greenhouse instead of storing it? If a small 6'x9' greenhouse has gutters, would ...
Bort's user avatar
  • 305
4 votes
1 answer
10k views

Is it OK that the polyethylene sheeting for our greenhouse is opaque, not clear?

We purchased 4mil polyethylene that was supposed to be 'clear' but it is opaque white. We can not see through it at all. Is this normal? Will this work for one year?
stormy's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
7k views

How can I tell if my greenhouse plastic film is facing the right direction

I just built a polytunnel with pvc pipes and special greenhouse film. This film has an inside and an outside. I'm pretty sure the text on the film that says 'inside' was facing the correct way when ...
stemie's user avatar
  • 476
4 votes
1 answer
166 views

Should perennials purchased at a greenhouse nursery be acclimatized before planting outside?

Most local nurseries in my area keep perennial plants outside during the summer months. There is one nursery which grows and keeps everything inside a greenhouse all the time. In zone 4 or 5, does ...
Gilles's user avatar
  • 1,324
4 votes
1 answer
238 views

Is 90% - 95% humidity too much for mint / basil / tomatoes?

I just got a new Socker greenhouse from Ikea and have been trying to grow herbs inside of it. I noticed my mint and basil started to grow brown spots and a chopstick I inserted into the soil has this ...
williamli's user avatar
  • 143
4 votes
1 answer
8k views

How to prepare plants to move to greenhouse from indoors?

I've been growing some starts in this little hot-house thing I made after seeing something similar at a local gardening store. It seems to work great - with a heating pad under one of the flats it's ...
doub1ejack's user avatar
  • 1,039
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Greenhouse in a tropical climate

This may be an odd question. I live in Singapore and I recently bought a small greenhouse because it was cheap and it looked nice. It's about 20x40x50cm. I'm originally from a cool temperate climate ...
Erwin Bolwidt's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
907 views

How to protect plants from freezing

Waking at 1 am, I get my shoes on to run out to my greenhouse. I've had a heck of a time getting my garden in this year. I've lost quite a few plants to 'pop' freezes and I'm probably getting ...
stormy's user avatar
  • 40.3k
4 votes
2 answers
913 views

How much UV light should I block when shading my greenhouse?

I have a home greenhouse attached to our home. I was thinking about removing the existing shade cloth and replacing it with sunblock film on the upper glass panels. I grow a variety of foliage plants ...
Jan Russell's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
59 views

Should I make a mini-greenhouse for my temperature-sensitive bonsai?

I have a 5 years old Fukien Tea, which just arrived in home. I live in the south of Spain, and my city has strong temperature changes. The temperature goes aprox. like this: Spring: 20 - 25 º Celsius ...
Paula's user avatar
  • 221
4 votes
1 answer
981 views

Protecting winter potatoes from frost with a growhouse

In the first week of August (2013) I started my first attempt at growing potatoes, in grow bags. Actually got the miracle-gro root vegetable bags from garden centre and seed potatoes, so the mix ...
Morgan's user avatar
  • 473
4 votes
1 answer
94 views

I keep getting differing answers to this cucumber question

I was always told to remove the male flowers from a cucumber plant or the fruits will be bitter, I then read "female flowers need to be pollinated with the male flowers or the fruits will not set&...
Roy Bonsall's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
1k views

Do tomato plants like temperature and humidity changes?

I am growing some tomatoes in pots in a toy greenhouse. I've put a thermometer/ humidity meter inside. The relative humidity changes from around 55% to 75%, and correspond to highest temperature of ...
sanjihan's user avatar
  • 1,633
4 votes
0 answers
997 views

What is this substance that looks like red sap on my cucumbers?

I have this weird red sap on a few of my cucumbers. I was wondering if anyone has seen this before? These cucumbers were grown in our conservatory in the back garden (facing south) in pots, grown up ...
Michal Paszkiewicz's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
138 views

Floor for greenhouse

I read that having an open (directly to earth) floor may cause problems in a greenhouse. So I was thinking of using a foil/barrier plastic to keep the humidity out. On top of that I was thinking of ...
Loreno Heer's user avatar