Hi All!

So, two months ago I turned to this group for help and advice about the greenhouse in the house we've recently moved into. Now that the unpacking has finished, I can actually turn my attention to the greenhouse. Here are the details. See attached pictures.

- The greenhouse measures 12' x 5'6" and is "built in" to the house, so the roof and front are glass, the sides are part of the house.
- It is built on a concrete slab, which is good, but there is NO drainage, which is bad.
- There is a hand-cranked roof vent that and a louvered vent on the front.
- I am in Maryland, zone 6b and the front of the greenhouse faces SSE.
- Should I need supplemental lighting (grow lights?) there are two lighting fixtures in the greenhouse.
- There are gaps between some of the panes that need to be sealed.
- Water - there is no water IN the greenhouse, but there is a way that I could run water into the greenhouse from an outside hose bib.

What do we want to grow?

Well, given limited space and experience, I think probably tomatoes, herbs, maybe some lavender, and ???

So, questions:

1. What can I do to seal up the gaps between panes? Is there as recommended product (strip? Caulk?)
2. What can I do about lack of drainage? (is there some sort of drainage pans that you can put on the floor and I can drill a hole in the side of the greenhouse to drain out?)
3. What SHOULD we be growing and given it's august, is it too late to start for this season?
4. The greenhouse gets HOT. For instance, it's 11:50am as I write this, it's 85 degrees out, and the greenhouse is already 103. This is with all the vents closed, FYI. I'm assuming this means monitoring it closely and opening/closing vents as needed.
5. Shelves? Tables? Not a lot of space and even less so, given the door swings at either end.

What else do I need to know? Where should I be looking for a sort of "Greenhouse 101"? What am I not thinking of?

Thanks!

No pictures attached

Sorry! Pictures attached now!

Lights - It depends on a couple of things. a) are you already getting enough light to grow what you want? and b) how long do you you want to extend your growing season? If you want to grow in late fall or in the winter you'll probably need some supplemental lighting. If you want to get an early start on the season in the spring, you'll probably want a light rack for your seedlings.
Water - Having water in the greenhouse is really nice. It saves you from hauling water in from elsewhere and it allows for an automated drip system. I would put a water outlet in the greenhouse if I could.
1. Gaps - Maybe something like this: http://www.glassstructures.com... (not a recommendations, just an idea)
2. Yes, you could use drainage pans. Depending on the slope of your greenhouse (if any) you might need to figure out a way to keep it drained. You could end up with standing water. You could also put in a sump and a sump pump. Those can also be messy and can be prone to mechanical problems. Or you might be able to put in a drain. That's what I'd do if it was possible. But I'd consult a reputable plumber on this issue.
3. With a greenhouse its never too late. You can plant greens, herbs and other cold weather crops. Google "cold weather crops" for ideas.
4. Yes, open your vents and keep an eye on the temperature. You might want to install shade cloth and/or a fan or two. FYI, people without a greenhouse think the challenge is keeping it warm, in reality the hard part is getting rid of the excess heat during the warmer months.
5. Shelves and tables are great as they expand your space and keep things neat. Also think about hanging shelves and pots from the ceiling. Looking at your pictures, I think you could definitely put in some shelves against the lower half of the glass wall.


(Not my greenhouse)

You might be able to automate those vents and the louvers. So they open and close on a schedule or in response to the temperature. There are a number of systems on the market that do that. For me anything that you can automate is a win.

What a great looking space! Your greenhouse and mine have a lot in common: Lean-to style facing south in zone 6 in the same latitude. Mine is about 6.5 ft wide and 22 ft long.

I thought I would need to add lights for winter but its full sun even on the shortest days. And if the sun is shining, the greenhouse is heating. In winter, you may have to add a utility heater for the night time though.

Yes, open those vents and the door that leads outside and leave them open until fall. Put fans in. I use clip fans attached to the shelves. Its important to keep the air constantly moving or you will have mildew problems. Drainage is an issue - maybe put saucers under all your plants and water carefully? Is the floor sloped? Daughter has no drainage either and the bottom of her walls are wood siding with some sort of coating on them to make them waterproof. She has saucers under everything and tries to keep the floor dry. Luckily, a little water spilled on a concrete floor won't cause damage, its the constant water against the wall that's an issue. Even though my greenhouse has drainage, I solved the problem of damp walls by tiling the wall up about a foot - like a backsplash in the kitchen.

I don't like wooden benches or shelves because they harbor bacteria, bug and diseases in the grains of the wood. I use metal shelves but my greenhouse is built in such a way I can hook them directly to the walls. You could use metal bakers shelves - that's what my daughter uses in her greenhouse (mine are metal closet shelves).