Building a greenhouse

Welcome Aboard Jasmine!

At 60 years young, I’m new to my
Permaculture adventure.

I’m currently building one of my lifelong dreams, a Winter Greenhouse.
I want to grow organic veggies all year long for my family, as well as donate some of our
harvests to local families in need.

It’s 16’ x 11’, facing about 10 degrees East of True South.
Still looking for ideas on heating the structure as well as growing inside it (Long Island, NY, Zone 7A,).

The EPS rigid insulation has arrived.
The 4” x 24” x 96” will be buried vertically around the perimeter.
The 4” x 48” x 96” will be buried to create the Swedish Skirt.
The 2” will be utilized as continuous
exterior wrapping outside the 3/4”
sheathing.

Looking forward to reading your book and learning more about permaculture
methods, and applying that knowledge to my adventure.
Thank you kindly, for the opportunity to win a copy!

Sincerely,
Ben

[quote=Ben Nunziato

It’s 16’ x 11’, facing about 10 degrees East of True South.
Still looking for ideas on heating the structure as well as growing inside it (Long Island, NY, Zone 7A,)



Ben, it sounds like you have quite a plan, and I'm heartened by your idea of surplus produce for those in need. From a permaculture principles angle, 'catch and store energy' with minimum inputs, is a key idea. As you've bought insulation and so forth, I guess your planning to bring extra heat into the greenhouse. I've heard of a simple method involving a fan 2metres below that takes heat at hot times of year, pipes it down and then it radiates up to heat in the cold months.
We were able to 'use natural resources' and the siting in the land to heat our greenhouse passively through using the thermal mass of an earth wall and the slope.

Or in another house, by reducing heat loss by joining the greenhouse onto an existing building

Either way it's always good to use any resources already at had, be them structures to insulate, sun direction etc

[quote=Jasmine Dale
Ben, it sounds like you have quite...


Thank you kindly.

I’ve researched the GAHT method as well, but I don’t think it would be necessary in my area.

I was going you use 55 gallon water-filled drums, but they’re 24” in diameter, so now I’m leaning towards 12” and/or 18” diameter agricultural water tubes, with electric heat backup (possibility
Solar).

For those interested here’s a quick update on my Winter Greenhouse build.
Caulked/sealed the edges of the 3/4” plywood, Tyvek House-Wrap installed and taped, the rear roof rafters are installed.

Hi Ben! Welcome to Permies!
Your post in the Welcome Jasmine Dale thread didn't count as an entry for winning her book, so I made it it's own topic, now you are entered!  Hope you win, looks like you have good plans :D
Pearl

I would be concerned about the high humidity level of a greenhouse and using wood. While it's still bare, I wonder if rubbing boiled linseed oil on the frame wouldn't be a bad idea.

Good point regards humidity, out here it's so windy as well as damp, things seem to even out. We've found used engine or cooking oilhas preserved the wood well, though linseed more pleasant. Plenty of fish and chip shops around happy to give away their old oil.