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greenhouses

Seasonal greenhouse cover for my porch

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posted 7 years ago

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I'm trying to make my porch into a seasonal "greenhouse". I'm finishing up building my little house, and I'm in Texas so a big porch was obviously very important. Now I'm working on gardening; I made a greywater bed (kind of like the earthship design) spanning the whole front length of my porch, facing SE. Because its so hot here most of the time, and constantly getting water, I put a bunch of tropical food in there, and everything is growing beautifully.
Now, I know these plants can't handle a freeze. It freezes here maybe a few nights (for only a few hours) in the winter, if that. I guess I could just put a blanket on em and they'd be fine. But, I'd be way happier if I could keep my porch/garden warmer than just "not freezing", not to mention the plants.
I'm looking into roll up vinyl curtains (too expensive, but I have sewing skills so maybe can make my own), or maybe can collect enough old windows to make removable "panels" and store em under the porch for the summer. I know these options won't provide any insulation, so then I wonder about supplemental heat without racking up the utility bills?
I'm trying to balance ease of changing between seasons with durability and R-value. It'd be a dream if I could keep it up to 40 or 50 in the porch garden on a cold night. Any thoughts?
(Pardon the messy picture, its a work in progress)

porch.jpeg

William Bronson

gardener

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Location: Cincinnati, Ohio,Price Hill 45205

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posted 7 years ago

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Very cool!
I wrapped my chicken coop in clear vinyl shower curtains.
Cheap and sturdy for the price.
I have some vinyl flooring adhesive I think would work to merge the smaller curtains into a single larger peice.
Adding drums of water behind the bed as thermal mass is one way to "heat" that space.
A rocket mass heater is another.
I would plan on using an opaque insulative blanket pulled over your glazing from dusk till dawn,in order to conserver heat.

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John Suavecito

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posted 7 years ago

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Darrell Frey wrote a great book about this in a colder clime in Bioshelter Market Garden.
John S
PDX OR

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s. lowe

pollinator

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posted 7 years ago

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my question, looking at the pictures, is what would the frame of this seasonal greenhouse be? Are you just going to use PVC hoops? Are you planning on erecting a permanent wooden frame? My thinking would be a permanent wooden frame since your house looks so nice you want to keep it classy and then just buy a roll of greenhouse plastic. There is reinforced stuff that should last many years. As long as you aren't opening the 'greenhouse' often on the cold days it should stay nice and cozy.

Alex Freedman

Posts: 275

posted 7 years ago

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Here are soureces for clear vinyl and FClean

https://www.bing.com/search?q=greenhouse+film+fclean&pc=MOZI&form=MOZSBR

FClean has been in service over some greenhouses in Japan and other places, for more than 25 years without showing any signs f degradation.

it is also what is covering the biodomes at THe Eden Project in Wales.

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amleonard is a supplier who sells remnants for cheap. and you have a fairly small footprint to cover

http://www.amleo.com/poly-remnant-sale/a/35_11/

they update their remnants page often.

if you choose amleonard , i'd go with the Tufflite with condensation control, etc

~~~~~~~~~

I have also over the years just used the vinyl by the yard at teh local fabric store, which can also be found online.

i'd go with something thicker . with vinyl, the gauge is : the larger the gauge the thicker the vinyl.

where as, with steel the gauging measurements are used differently.

overlapping it, starting at the bottom to protect from water coming in.

it does not have to be 'real thick' for this purpose. there is marine vinyl used for windows for boats and yurts that might be too thick.
In comparison, there is vinyl which is used for covering dining chair seats and more. anybody remember vinyl covered sofas and car upholstery
in the 60's?
~~~~
THis will also help to keep this side of your home much warmer too.

and wall protected from weather! etc

GOod fortune on your adventures

Wendi Schoeb

Posts: 1

posted 3 years ago

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I just saw your post on the internet and I am in Minnesota and bought the vinyl to do the same on my front porch I went 2 a guy that does awnings and Marine vinyl for boats. He said with the heat that vinyl will tighten because I said ask him something about using velcro and he said there was a certain way that he would have to do something to the edge is because sewing would just make it rip because of the amount of holes. If you see this I was wondering what you came up with

Matt Todd

pollinator

Posts: 556

Location: Northwest Missouri

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posted 3 years ago

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I have a plan in the works to put a metal U-Channel track on the outside of my front porch, top and bottom. The idea is to buy sheets of clear corrugated plastic used for greenhouses, which I can slide into the tracks so I end up with easily removable glazing in the coldest months.

I don't own the plants, they own me.

Janet Reed

pollinator

Posts: 343

Location: Dry mountains Eastern WA

posted 3 years ago

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Just a thought…here in the North we use 2 layers of poly ( plastic) with air in between which works as the insulator. A small fan actually puffs the outside layer out and away from the first layer of poly. But the idea is the same; air in between poly layers is insulation.

Joyce Harris

Posts: 143

Location: Melbourne's SE Australia

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posted 3 years ago

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Hi there,
I have not begun to explore anything to do with small fans yet, but wondering about it, as I need to identify what fan strength is enough or recommended to push in air or draw air out between my proposed green house and my small home. Its a cattle panel frame with proposed poly single or double with spacing.

I am new to retrofitting all these permaculture and other alternatives. My head runs abuzz with a multitude of ideas on all manner of such design or improvement options, but the reality of HOW, and how to find who can help, is not my strength. And nothing gets done by only day dreaming!! So I just have to get on and ask questions.

So, are there any rules or 'need to know' about small air fans that you or others have learned for small green houses e.g. 18ftx2 cattle panels arched to the height of 6ft peak, with front and rear poly walls/door/window.

Jill of all and Misses of Targets -JMH

Joyce Harris

Posts: 143

Location: Melbourne's SE Australia

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posted 3 years ago

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I am not sure how sophisticated or casual you prefer to be about such things.
And I am not sure if you mean your undercover porch area you want to cover or
everything in front of your porch and you want to move any potted things into that area for some overnight protection then this might be possible.

Thats if it is the porch area....
How about using poly (passive solar purposes) or recycling of exterior canvas blinds which might help more about insulation than enabling passive solar energy.
With, rods either poly piping e.g. electrical piping or old solid resistant curtain rods - you get the idea.
Cut them all to size securing the poly or blind sections to the piping at both the ends of the height of the section.
Like a scroll.

And secure both the pipings the base and the ceiling pipings to hooks or loops.

They can be rolled up and stored for the next season of expected cold season.
They will not be isolating the area in a fully sealed way, but will offer some direct protection.

However if it is your open garden that you are planning on protecting then this will not apply. LOL

Jill of all and Misses of Targets -JMH

Janet Reed

pollinator

Posts: 343

Location: Dry mountains Eastern WA

posted 3 years ago

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Joyce Harris wrote:Hi there,
I have not begun to explore anything to do with small fans yet, but wondering about it, as I need to identify what fan strength is enough or recommended to push in air or draw air out between my proposed green house and my small home. Its a cattle panel frame with proposed poly single or double with spacing.

I am new to retrofitting all these permaculture and other alternatives. My head runs abuzz with a multitude of ideas on all manner of such design or improvement options, but the reality of HOW, and how to find who can help, is not my strength. And nothing gets done by only day dreaming!! So I just have to get on and ask questions.

So, are there any rules or 'need to know' about small air fans that you or others have learned for small green houses e.g. 18ftx2 cattle panels arched to the height of 6ft peak, with front and rear poly walls/door/window.

[/Greenhouse Plastic Inflation Blower Fan - Double Layer ...

In the frozen north where I live…we use double poly ..that means your regular old poly ( plastic) covering with a second layer of poly inflated around the first. A small squirrel cage fan blows air between the two layers. The air is insulating.

That is not to say the greenhouses are not heated..they are when it’s cold. But that extra layer of insulation ( air) helps retain 5he heat.

8B8A4CAF-210C-4EA2-A6B3-DD528BD39E91.jpeg

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