21
votes
Has anyone built a backyard greenhouse before? I'm looking for inspiration, tips, and critiques!
I'm in zone 4b so it gets frigid here in winter, I'm thinking wood burning stove and I bought the thickest double walled plastic panels for the roof that I could find. I'm just finishing an insulated slab and I'm about to start framing. Please share with me any photos, plans, or guidance you might have! I have no idea what I'm doing!
Here's my IG with photos of what I've got going so far: https://instagram.com/thehowtwoguys?igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg==
Usually double wall plastic panels are part of a system, which has two advantages:
First, the system will have all sorts of useful accessories, such as self sealing fasteners, joint tape, mounting profiles, you name it.
Second, it will have clear specifications for use and care. Rules like: Seal the top, but vent the bottom to prevent moisture from getting in and being trapped. Make sure its supported every 2 ft (dependent on which system). Panels be bent up to a specified radius if you want to make a hemicylinder.
My familiarity is mostly with Palram products (suntuf, stormlite, etc) but I'm sure other manufacturers have the same.
Thanks so much, the installation of these expensive panels is definitely the most daunting part of the project for me at the moment.
I unfortunately can't help you but I'm chiming in to say this seems like a really cool project. Props for diving in headfirst! I'm very interested in urban farming but unfortunately haven't had much of a chance to explore that interest further. Definitely post updates occasionally, I'd be interested in seeing them.
I'll make sure to update you! Have you ever tried a little table top aquaponics system?
I'd been contemplating something like this myself, but zone 6b and the main issue is lack of winter sun. I ultimately decided on an indoor grow tent instead. It's just enough space for seed-starting and winter greens for two people.
If you have winter sunshine, you can add thermal mass (a standing pool of water or black-painted plastic jugs) to minimize heating needs. Examples and ideas here.
I'm in MN so even though we have bitter cold we get lots of sun in the winter. I will have electricity so I could supplement with some LED lights. As for the water tank idea I'm actually planning on doing aquaponics, so I'll have a ton of water in the greenhouse and I'll have to heat the water somewhat, so I'm thinking it should keep the air temp decent enough for like kale broccoli brussels ect
Yup. Built the cheapest most basic one with 2x4s and greenhouse plastic, as my third woodworking project ever, after 2 iterations of garden boxes.
I figure that I have no carpentry skills and nearly no experience so build cheap and fast, if it falls, learn from it and iterate.
Turned out okay. Withstood a Hurricane. :D
What I did was bought a "shed hardware kit" and kinda followed their basic framing instructions. If I were to do that again I would just buy "Simpson strong tie" hardware and "Lego" it.
I'll look into those kits that's a great idea