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Nov 22, 2015 8:21 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Well, we finally got around to putting it together. I started Wednesday putting the frame together and pounding in the 3' T-Posts for anchoring the frame down. Of course with our soil here about 14-15" is all you can go before you hit limestone. Thursday I laid the weed barrier, the patio stones and anchored the frame to the posts. We also put up each of the end pieces. Friday we installed the top and tightened it down. We'd planned on moving the outside plants into it Saturday morning but Mother Nature had other ideas. We looked outside and the wind had pulled the top away from the south end door panel. It was fun with two 65+ people in 30mph gusts trying to put it back on. It must have taken us 2hrs or so but finally we were finished. The bottom was a bit higher on one side than the other but we decided to wait until spring to fix that as well as finish the floor with the 16 bags of pea gravel. For now we were just interested in getting all the plants from the front and back inside before last nights freeze. I haven't gotten a heater for it yet, plan on doing that this coming week. The thermometer I have in there showed it got down to 35 last night and when I went out a little after noon it was 90 inside. The other greenhouse with the orchids fared a little bit better. I have my propane heater sitting kind of close to my orchid tables and aimed at them. The low at the orchids was 48 but that will have to do. I've posted a few photos.

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Chris - Linux since 1995
Avatar for Shadegardener
Nov 23, 2015 9:26 AM CST
Name: Cindy
Hobart, IN zone 5
aka CindyMzone5
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier
Nice! Looks like you can fit some tall plants in there. Will this be primarily for winter storage/holding?
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we can't eat money. Cree proverb
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Nov 23, 2015 11:53 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Thanks Cindy, mostly but also the rest of the year my non-deer resistant plants will stay inside since deer roam all over the city destroying plants.
Chris - Linux since 1995
Avatar for Shadegardener
Nov 23, 2015 2:56 PM CST
Name: Cindy
Hobart, IN zone 5
aka CindyMzone5
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier
Does that mean that the deer keep some plants indoors all year round? How sad. Of course, that does open the door to some new garden style methods. Hmmm...
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we can't eat money. Cree proverb
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Nov 23, 2015 5:37 PM CST
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Nice job!
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
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Nov 23, 2015 7:46 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Shadegardener said:Does that mean that the deer keep some plants indoors all year round? How sad. Of course, that does open the door to some new garden style methods. Hmmm...


It pretty much does. I had two new Hibiscus earlier this year and they were a couple of feet tall and had both bloomed. Came out one morning and they'd been trimmed down to between 6" and 8" tall. I can leave my Datura and Angel Trumpets out since they won't touch those but this summer when I had the side of the greenhouse rolled up they got in and munched on a few plants. I'm temped to put a fence around it this summer when I have it rolled up to keep them out.
Chris - Linux since 1995
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Nov 23, 2015 7:51 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Thanks Cheryl, it was a real pain trying to get the top back on with just us two old folks out there but we managed. Wish I had room for another one, Shelterlogic still has these for 1/2 price as they've been discontinued. I could use it just for things like potting, storage and so forth.
Chris - Linux since 1995
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Nov 23, 2015 8:00 PM CST
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Greenhouses are real work. I am proud to say I did 99% of the construction of my own all by myself. It was a second job getting it up, getting it insulated, getting it filled and in the spring, emptying it and keeping it clean all alone. But it is one job I love being sore from! It sounds like you got a great deal on top of that! Hurray!
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
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Nov 23, 2015 8:18 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
They are Cheryl but as you say they're also very rewarding especially when you have plants blooming in the middle of winter that shouldn't be only because they're in a greenhouse. I'm seriously thinking about getting a 16' x 32' solar pool cover to put on if the winter looks like it's going to be bad. I know it's supposed to be wet thanks to 'El Nino' and the cover could supplement my two propane heaters. They are my project, my wife hardly ever goes into them unless I want to show her something.
Chris - Linux since 1995
Avatar for Shadegardener
Nov 24, 2015 8:45 AM CST
Name: Cindy
Hobart, IN zone 5
aka CindyMzone5
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier
Sounds like a temporary fence in warmer months would be a good idea if deer are coming in for lunch. I wonder if you could use temporary fencing - usually a mesh construction - and fasten it to the frame once the cover is rolled up. Might not be as obvious as metal fencing. Set a couple of chairs in there along with a table and dine al fresco...
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we can't eat money. Cree proverb
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Nov 24, 2015 9:01 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
That sounds like a better idea Cindy than something metal and it would be cheaper. I could just anchor it to the frame on either end and maybe to the bottom frame with some cable ties. Anything just so if they run into it they'll know they can't get in. Sounds like an idea, I've got a table in there already and I can add two chairs and one of those Citronella smudge pots to keep the thousands of mosquitoes away that would be real romantic Thumbs up They love to suck my wife's blood for some reason. That's why she just hates to go outside. She even got bit last week when she was cutting the grass and it's November!
Chris - Linux since 1995
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Nov 24, 2015 10:19 AM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
Garden Art Dog Lover Cottage Gardener Butterflies Vegetable Grower Garden Ideas: Master Level
I think attaching fence like a 2x4" to the inside of the frame with cable ties would be a good idea. It wouldn't interfere with rolling the sides and may keep small animals out as well. Smiling
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Nov 24, 2015 10:29 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
That sounds like a good possibility also Ric, I'll have to explore all my options when it comes time to roll the sides up.
Chris - Linux since 1995
Avatar for Shadegardener
Nov 24, 2015 12:22 PM CST
Name: Cindy
Hobart, IN zone 5
aka CindyMzone5
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier
As for mosquitoes - add a few mosquito traps (containers of water with some mosquito dunks - BTI - added) and grow some lemon scented foliage that can be crushed and rubbed on the skin.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we can't eat money. Cree proverb
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Nov 24, 2015 5:34 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Good idea Cindy, thanks
Chris - Linux since 1995
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Nov 28, 2015 11:10 AM CST
Name: Carol Texas
Central Texas (Zone 8b)
"Not all who wander are lost."
Bookworm Region: Texas Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Herbs Greenhouse
Garden Art Fruit Growers Dragonflies Composter Cactus and Succulents Gardens in Buckets
Looks great -- so much fun -- enjoy!
Www.carolmedfordart.com
My passion is painting but gardening is running a close second.
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Nov 28, 2015 3:53 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Thanks Carol, I just wish it would warm up again since I haven't gotten a heater for the new one yet.
Chris - Linux since 1995
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Nov 29, 2015 10:33 PM CST
Name: Carol Texas
Central Texas (Zone 8b)
"Not all who wander are lost."
Bookworm Region: Texas Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Herbs Greenhouse
Garden Art Fruit Growers Dragonflies Composter Cactus and Succulents Gardens in Buckets
@Chris1948 Yeah, I'm in Georgetown (not far from you) - and we have that same problem with deer. Sometimes we have 15-20 in our yard at a time. They eat everything in sight. We invested in some electric fencing from Home Depot -- very affordable -- it's basically yellow wire (coated with some type of plastic or nylon ) - they sell the plastic posts, some sort of control box, and a grounding post. We fenced quite an area probably 25 x 20 this last summer and I put all my garden and patio plants in there. The posts are probably less than 4' tall, but we put two strands of the wire - and boy did that keep the deer out. Every now and then a post would be yanked partially out - where they had to scramble to get away from the fence. We only invested about $100 (or a little more). They also sell "electric fence" signs you can hang on it. So we mostly have the deer blocked now.

Enjoy your new greenhouse. You got it up just in time -- this weather has been a bit brutal the last few days. Smiling
Www.carolmedfordart.com
My passion is painting but gardening is running a close second.
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Nov 29, 2015 11:01 PM CST
Name: Carol Texas
Central Texas (Zone 8b)
"Not all who wander are lost."
Bookworm Region: Texas Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Herbs Greenhouse
Garden Art Fruit Growers Dragonflies Composter Cactus and Succulents Gardens in Buckets
@chris1948 I put up a plastic popup GH on my patio last winter for plants that wouldn't fit in my 6 x8. Popup was about 5 x 6 and 6 ft tall. I heated it with two or three light bulbs. Those outdoor types that put out some heat, although I find the CFL also work. I also bought those space blankets, that look like foil coated Mylar from Amazon for about a buck each. I draped those around the plants or inside walls when it was going to be extra cold at night and they worked remarkably well at containing the heat. I even used some of those red rope lights. I never needed a heater in there. I used clothespins to tent them together over the plants and made sure the lightbulbs were far enough away to be safe. I use those blankets along the walls of my Harbor Freight GH too, when really cold, securing with clothes pins or clips. They make a world of difference.
Www.carolmedfordart.com
My passion is painting but gardening is running a close second.
Image
Nov 29, 2015 11:11 PM CST
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
I agree with the Mylar. I had some from our TV packing. Not only is it Mylar, but it is foam-coated to protect the TV. Unfolded it covers the entire length of the 12 ft wall. It helps hung over the bubble wrap on the walls. But mostly I like how it reflects the sunlight. Those that need more sun are placed right in front of it.
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.

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