Greenhouse build

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WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412210152	Reply with quote #1

Thought some of you may be interested in watching a greenhouse go up. Hershell is building this one at an elementary school in northern Georgia. Started Monday afternoon and will finish Thursday or Friday. Hershell has been sending me pictures of the build for my upcoming greenhouse project. Looks a bit foggy...this is where it starts, sorry no pics of the first steps. The main structure is up, bows on and purlins (chain link fence top rail) are in. These are the brackets that attach to the purlins and the twinwall plastic will screw down to them. Twinwall going on the end wall. Twinwall across the bows. Exhaust fans installed Vent wall from the inside And the outside vent wall The cooling pads being installed The irrigation system going in The next set of pictures is how they build the tables. Hershell told me the crew can make a table in 3 minutes:) The basic frame made out of F channel...I think it is called. Cross pieces are 1x2? tubular steel and the channels that run lengthwise are??? Legs installed and braced. Finished product except for the sheet of expanded metal. This is a different greenhouse he built a couple weeks back but shows the finished tables. Any questions i'm sure Hershell can answer them. Just hard for him to post the thread while on the road. I have to say that twinwall is amazing stuff. Goes up easy and it is strong.

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1412210434	Reply with quote #2

Nice, What is being used for summer cooling?

Rewton

Registered:1291943117
Posts: 1,946

Posted 1412210552	Reply with quote #3

Thanks for posting those pics, Wills. Those greenhouses are huge and they look well-built. Is the elementary school going to grow its own food? __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412212972	Reply with quote #4

Steve, I'm not sure, think Hershell said it was a federal program??? Or I could have just assumed that. My bet is food and education. So many kids these days just think food comes from the grocery store.

Ruuting

Registered:1359310699
Posts: 613

Posted 1412213491	Reply with quote #5

Wow! Thank you for posting these photos, Wills. I need one of those. __________________ Rui Southeast CT, zone 6B

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412213826	Reply with quote #6

I took the 3 hour ride up to Hershells on Saturday. We did a bit of a trade. I took him up 14 1 gallon figs and brought back a Galicia Negra, Ice crystal, small Jolly tiger and small Zidi. The first time I was at Hershells a couple months back he and his brother were just making the pieces for his new personal greenhouse project. He already has 2 36' x 100' greenhouses but his brother wanted something a bit different. So... You can tell he is comfortable walking on the steel :) You can see one of his big greenhouses in the background. They put 9 bales of cardboard on the bottom of the dome then mulch is going in on top. It is 30 feet across and 15' tall. It is made out of fence top rail......and a whole lot of it.

coop951

Registered:1217167527
Posts: 597

Posted 1412215960 · Edited	Reply with quote #7

This is great to look at and dream of. Thanks for the pictures Wills and please keep them coming. Outstanding work Hershell __________________ Coop Northern NJ Zone 7a

PhilaGardener

Registered:1389014416
Posts: 199

Posted 1412216019	Reply with quote #8

Well those are just incredible! Thanks for sharing the process with us! __________________ Philadelphia Gardener Near Philly, but winters still feeling like Zone 6!

Hershell

Registered:1396922438
Posts: 650

Posted 1412216655 · Edited	Reply with quote #9

Thanks wills, without you this wouldn't be possible. The greenhouses at the schools are for education only. The most of them are built at high schools, a few at middle schools and ever so often one at an elementary school. Wills I think you got the short end of the stick on that trade , just saying. The dome belongs to dwllnet, he is going to post more on it one day. He plans to heat it with solar so it is our project for the time being. __________________ Hershell Zone 8. Ray City, Ga.

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412217193 · Edited	Reply with quote #10

Quote: Originally Posted by HershellWills I think you got the short end of the stick on that trade , just saying.[/QUOTE Yeah right...... I took the 3 air layers off the Galicia Negra that had just been put on and replaced it with just one air layer for our friend:)

GreenFin

Registered:1331268315
Posts: 684

Posted 1412222761	Reply with quote #11

Looks like fun, Hershell. What do you usually charge a high school for a greenhouse? What's their typical budget? __________________ James, zone 6a Kansas (zone 10 greenhouses); wish list is in my profile http://www.FigCuttings.com

FMD

Registered:1309800590
Posts: 1,327

Posted 1412245300	Reply with quote #12

Amazing process Hershell. Thanks for posting, Wills. __________________ Frank Tallahassee, FL Zone 8b North Florida Figs

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1412245356	Reply with quote #13

Hi, Nice projects. For the venting at ground level, how do you keep the critters out ? Do you add some netting ? Why so many tables ? Pots of fig trees can be direct on the ground :) . __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1412245584	Reply with quote #14

Impressive :) __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412249690 · Edited	Reply with quote #15

Just so nobody thinks Hershell is trying to drum up business:) He is the person that does the installs (subcontractor) for the greenhouse company. The poly covered houses are a LOT less expensive. That twinwall is some expensive stuff......here lowes sells it for $113 for a 4x8 sheet. When I was at Hershells last Saturday he had some used twinwall there he had taken off a house when he reroofed it. The twinwall had been on the house for 15+ years, even after that time if you bent a corner it just bent....was not fragile or brittle at all. While more expensive it is better than recovering with poly every 4 years.

andreas

Registered:1401724296
Posts: 372

Posted 1412250124	Reply with quote #16

wow!!!!! speechless... thanks __________________ andreas-patras Patra Peloponnisos Greece zone..9a

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,713

Posted 1412252408	Reply with quote #17

What a great thread. Thanks for sharing it Wills and Hershell. Quite a structure. __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,118

Posted 1412253435	Reply with quote #18

Beautiful structures! Wish I could afford a solar heated dome greenhouse. That would fit some tall fig trees ..LoL __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,713

Posted 1412254697	Reply with quote #19

The only way I could justify a nice greenhouse was if the plants inside were making me a profit. __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

gorgi

Registered:1188888396
Posts: 2,864

Posted 1412266678	Reply with quote #20

An impressive/magicistic GH! Though not for the average/little home-owner Joe/Jane ... __________________ George, NJ_z7a.

Hershell

Registered:1396922438
Posts: 650

Posted 1412267309	Reply with quote #21

Thanks Wills for the clarification. I do not sell any greenhouse parts. I am only a contractor that builds a lot of them and works on many brands. __________________ Hershell Zone 8. Ray City, Ga.

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1412274961 · Edited	Reply with quote #22

Quote: Originally Posted by RichinNJ Nice, What is being used for summer cooling? The brown pads are for evaporative cooling. Water circulates thru the pads and air is drawn in over the pads by the large exhaust fans on the opposite end. Same system I have in west Texas. Even the same pads and water circulation system. Our dew points are lower so it's more effective here than out East. I can maintain 10-15F lower inside than out in winter when dew points are very low. In summer 5-10F cooler inside than out if wanted. I use it in winter to get chilling on my other fruits. I built mine, mostly myself, in 2004-5 for $25K total including labor 1725 sqft. The one pictured above looks smaller than mine but having someone else do the work and with more expensive covering at least 60K, maybe 75-100K. __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

GRamaley

Registered:1357742252
Posts: 791

Posted 1412278598	Reply with quote #23

Very nice!! Just starting a gardening club at the local schools and have some land someone want sot put in a learning garden for all schools to come to.... maybe in a few years we can get something like that.. __________________ Gloria --------------- 7a, maybe 8

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412281082	Reply with quote #24

For those curious that house he built this week is 24x48 and $19,000 but that does not include the shipping, evaporative cooling system, irrigation or tables and of course does not include labor. No clue what the final price was but would guess......35-40k ish? I think Steve is off because he thought it was taller like his is,this house was just 9' to the peak and 5' side walls. Hershell is done with it and is headed home, will have some more pics to post later.

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1412288021	Reply with quote #25

Thanks Wills that is smaller than it looked but a good price I'd say. I'd like another with that type covering and that shape only about 11-12ft tall. Mine is 16ft tall which really isn't necessary for most uses. Do you know who made the frame? __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412291890	Reply with quote #26

Steve, You have a PM.

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1412297173	Reply with quote #27

Testing the cooling system. irrigation check Heater And the crew. Hershell was behind the camera. Started the house Monday afternoon and finished today (Thursday) before lunch. The next house I will amend this thread with the beginning stages so we will have the whole process start to finish.

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1412297504 · Edited	Reply with quote #28

Thanks Wills I really like that greenhouse. Think I could still build another with a part time helper. Maybe go 10-11 ft peak 6-7ft sidewall. Skip the tables/concrete and plant in the ground. The other major cost would be foundation but after getting in properly leveled and square piers, the building doesn't look that hard. That would be a fun project. __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1412299556	Reply with quote #29

Thanks for the cooling information. I missed that in the original pictures. I was skimming along too fast. doh! My father built his own cooler like that but he used stiff fiberglass filament sheets. The more modern sponge like pads probably clog less and are easier to clean.

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1412300930	Reply with quote #30

Rich: My first pads lasted 8 yrs but probably should have been replaced at 6 yrs. If I could use rain water they'd probably last 10 yrs. __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1412328923	Reply with quote #31

Those a really nice looking green houses Steve, what are you growing in yours? I see a lot of tree pots

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1412343225	Reply with quote #32

Rich: I still have figs and blueberry in pots but am letting the figs root into ground. I'd like to get where I can leave for a week any time of yr without need for watering pots. In ground there are citrus, kiwi, grapes, blackberry, apricot, plum, pluot, peach, nectarine, sweet cherry, and this winter, super sugar snap peas. __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

figherder

Registered:1378804761
Posts: 237

Posted 1412346410	Reply with quote #33

Awesome thread. I need one. I wouldnt need cooling, I would just need something where the sides open up. I have seen them before up in New England. I could also live with a stone floor.. Thanks for posting all the photos. I also think its a great idea to get the kids involved in growing food at school. __________________ Jeff in zone 5b Wish list St rita,Vista,Sal's G,De la Reina, preto, Sport and pops purple red from Bellaclare, Planera Malta Black, Navid Unk Dark Greek,

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1412389580	Reply with quote #34

Quote: Originally Posted by fignutty Rich: I still have figs and blueberry in pots but am letting the figs root into ground. I'd like to get where I can leave for a week any time of yr without need for watering pots. In ground there are citrus, kiwi, grapes, blackberry, apricot, plum, pluot, peach, nectarine, sweet cherry, and this winter, super sugar snap peas. Wow that's great

dwllnet

Registered:1405910031
Posts: 2

Posted 1417184275	Reply with quote #35

Update on the dome greenhouse. Attached Images image.jpg (997.47 KB, 80 views)

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