Backyard hoophouse

Discuss greenhouse related topics and outside weather protection methods.

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KrisK
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Backyard hoophouse

Post by KrisK » Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:37 am

Well, here's my newest addition. It's 12x16, about 7' tall at the peak. Plan on having roll-up sides and endwall vents. Maybe use shade cloth in the summer to cut down on heat/light. Definately a work in progress but I hope to have it up by winter. I'm curious about double walls - does it make that much difference? Any alternative to a squirrel type blower to inflate the layers - I mean non-electric alternatives?

Image

Bonus pic of Sabal Lou: 3 full fronds and working on #4 since April.

Image



igor.glukhovtsev
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Post by igor.glukhovtsev » Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:39 am

Great! I like it very much! Try using bubble plastic for greenhouses. Jim has the same. The only thing - the bubbles should be small. It means tougher. Last winter was terrible with minus 30C in some night. A minimum t registered in my greenhous was minus 8. Not too bad.
Image

Image
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lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:05 pm

Kris,

Great, always love the idea of using PVC; have used smaller versions myself for early veggies.

How did you attach the PVC to the ground?
Clamped to the 2x4?
I pounded 3-foot pipe segments (like rebar) into the ground and then slipped the PVC ends over it, fastening tightly with duct tape.

Bubble wrap is expensive compared to 6 ml vapor barrier.
I'd put the 6 ml on the outside, with bubble wrap on the inside.
There'd be a natural airspace between the two wraps from the diameter of the PVC.

IMO, doubt you'd need anything to inflate the space between but it depends on how firmly the plastic and bubble wrap is applied.

Erik will be glad his Sabal Lou loves your place; it's a beauty.

Look forward to hearing more about the hoophouse.

Barb
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KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:51 pm

Thanks guys.

Igor, yours looks very professionally done. Nice and large for plenty of plants. That's a bigtime temperature difference - inside to outside. Do you supplementally heat? I'm going to read about the bubble wrap. Sounds like something I could put up for winter and easily take down for spring. I can run electric if I need to but would rather not, so I'm shooting for maximum passive efficiency. Your mother looks like she's really enjoying her time in your greenhouse!

Barb, mines a similar fashion: 1.25" PVC driven down into the ground then the hoops down into the 1.25". These are affixed to the 2x8 baseboard with nuts/bolts. The hip boards are screwed to the hoops. I'll put the wiggle wire on the hip boards and use batten tape from baseboard over the hoop to baseboard to help hold. I'm gonna read up on the bubble wrap, I appreciate yours and Igor's suggestion of it.

Yeah the sabal really took off. Erik and myself, we figured it would sulk for a few years. I think if we'd had a more normal summer instead of a repeat (ok maybe a few less days of 100'F) of last summer, that it would be even bigger. It pushed frond #1 back in the spring, then slowly pushed frond #2 over 3 months - slowed by the extreme heat. #3 frond popped in like two weeks, and #4&5 are big long spears, soon to be expanding. I think that will probably close out this years growth due to suboptimal growing temperatures of late fall/winter.

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TerdalFarm
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Post by TerdalFarm » Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:08 am

Thanks for the update on Lou! Yes, I'm very (and happily) surprised. :D

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Sun Sep 02, 2012 12:01 pm

Kris,

I like your construction better because of the 2x8 with nuts/bolts.
More secure than mine, but mine wasn't for winter use...just had to survive some spring winds, which it did.

Look forward to seeing more updates, Kris.
Barb
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KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:09 pm

Thanks for the interest. The hoophouse is kinda my Frankenstein culmination of ones I've seen online. Hopefully it will hold up AND perform!

Yes Lou has kind of become our favorite palm. Not a day goes by without a visual inspection!

Well I got the end walls framed out and the exterior plywood cut last week. I was afraid to attach the ply though, because of the possible threat from TS Isaac's remnants. Without the plastic sheeting I worried strong winds would shear the ply skinned end walls. I probably would have been OK, because we just got some rain. It's gonna be too hot this week, so no progress is expected. Hopefully this fall weather will hit next week. We had a reprieve the last few weeks - to more normal temps - but this week has several 100'F days forecast. I'm ready to put summer behind me...

Here's the partially framed out end walls, I don't have a completed pic:


Image

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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:29 am

Looks solid-does it get a bar across the top?



I use the one inch bubble wrap on mine-


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-LARGE-BUBBL ... 43a9535772
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KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:03 pm

Thanks, Jim. Yes it will have a bar across the top and one on either side for strength. Plus temporary internal supports when snow is anticipated. How much difference does the bubble wrap make, in your opinion?

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TerdalFarm
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Post by TerdalFarm » Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:07 pm

Also, what will you put in it? Potted plants for the winter? Zone 8 plants in the ground?

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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:33 pm

KrisK wrote:Thanks, Jim. Yes it will have a bar across the top and one on either side for strength. Plus temporary internal supports when snow is anticipated. How much difference does the bubble wrap make, in your opinion?

I used it last year with a plastic sheet on both sides-really made a difference in the temps....


Mostly it held on to the heat longer into the night,the opaque cover also kept it from overheating
on sunny days even with the added insulation....you just need to find something to separate
the two layers,weather that is some kind of blow up ballasts,bubble wrap or whatever.
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... rfield.gif" alt="Click for Fairfield, Iowa Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />

KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:11 pm

Erik, that's a good question, one that I wish I had an answer to! Ive always wanted a greenhouse to putter around in during winter. Plus I'll use it for an early start for warm season foods. Im planning on this winter to be a "proofing" trial of sorts for it, seeing what temperature differentials I get. I'll probably put some tropicals in pots as a kind of "canary in the mineshaft" but I don't plan on storing any of my tenders in there just yet, at least not before a trial run. It's where my garden is, so I already had irrigation there. If nothing else I can season extend my veggies in the ground.


Jim I thank you for the input on the bubble wrap. I'll try and incorporate it into the cover. As I stated earlier I can run electric for an inflation fan but would like to stay pretty passive if at all possible.

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Wed Sep 05, 2012 2:13 pm

Re bubble wrap, if someone's buying a new swimming pool solar blanket, grab their old one.

Barb
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KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:27 pm

Barb I had to google "solar pool blanket"! You forget that I live in the sunbelt - or at least I think I do. We try to keep our pools either cooled down, or tarped for winter storage. There's pretty much no in between "pool warming" needed here. Neat idea though - maybe help out some more northerly folks. I got one end wall sheathed up today but it's sooo hot out. My plastic covering and wiggle wire came in today so hopefully cooler weathers in store.

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:40 pm

had to google "solar pool blanket"
:lol: :lol:
That never occurred to me!

We Canadians would only get a month or two out of our pools without a bubble blanket.
Anyway, old solar blankets are great--and free--bubble wrap for winter greenhouse protection.
Ours was 16 x 32 and thrown out before I realized I could've used it for my palms.

But yes, when it's hot, even we Canadians remove the solar pool blanket to cool down the pool. 8)

And in your hot weather, that wiggle wire would burn your fingers.
Wiggle wire makes great bacon kebabs too. :lol:

Barb
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If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Sat Sep 08, 2012 9:49 am

Bacon kebabs LOL!

Well it rained and cooled off a bit so I got a small bit done...

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26394087@N02/7956159460/" title="photo by ricerocket962001, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/7956 ... e80e13.jpg" width="500" height="373" alt="photo"></a>

Speaking of pools it's time to close mine. Sometimes it's more headache than fun. Especially when it's got a bunch of proprietary parts that are hard to come by.

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:36 am

Nice job, Kris.
Four wheels and a couple of oxen next? :lol:
Location looks to be sheltered from winds by the fence and trees.
Your plastic will last a lot longer without wind.

Closing your pool already?
Ours was open only a month when the vinyl liner tore at a jet opening.
Within a week the tear had stretched to a few feet...down :shock: and water drained behind it.
So no pool season for us this year.
New liner on the list for next spring :| :evil:

Barb
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... anguage=EN" alt="Find more about Weather in Vernon, CA" width="160" />


If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

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TerdalFarm
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Post by TerdalFarm » Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:18 pm

I was in Dallas for the weekend and the friend's pool was lovely.
The apartment complex pool? Nice for me, but W says it is cold :lol:
Anyway, Kris, looks super and will be done in plenty of time for winter here.

KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:59 pm

A little more progress

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26394087@N02/7984047335/" title="photo by ricerocket962001, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8176/7984 ... 6ab9c5.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="photo"></a>

Though, I feel ashamed after seeing Tim's (wxman) professional looking build !

wxman
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Post by wxman » Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:27 pm

Looks good. Is that treated wood?
<object width="290" height="130"><param name="movie" value="http://www.wunderground.com/swf/pws_min ... sh&lang=EN" /><embed src="http://www.wunderground.com/swf/pws_min ... sh&lang=EN" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="290" height="130" /></object>

KrisK
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Post by KrisK » Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:17 am

Boomer Sooner Barb! It does look like a conestoga wagon.

Yes it's treated. Lowes Top Shelf lumber lol. That twisted junk - I had to dig through piles to find something halfway decent. The ply is also exterior grade B-C. I'll prolly tarpaper it and some siding and call it a day. It'll never be as aesthetically pleasing as yours Tim!

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