Impressive Nebraska Greenhouse

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HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1406871260	Reply with quote #1

A friend shared this with me this evening and I'm impressed! http://www.farmshow.com/view_articles.php?a_id=1479 If my water table wasn't so high, I might try it myself! __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1406871937	Reply with quote #2

Hershell? __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

blueboy1977

Registered:1375760370
Posts: 459

Posted 1406872236	Reply with quote #3

That is a very impressive set up. He's fortunate to live in an area that won't flood and kill everything. I've been kicking around the idea of a green house for Lychee and Mangos recently. Maybe one day! __________________ Rob Zone 9a/9b were the too meet. South Houston Tx Growing: Black Madeira, Smith, LSU Scott's Black, Improved Celeste, VDB, MBvs, RDB, Unknown Peach/Apricot, Salce, Malta Black, Texas BA-1, JH Adriatic, Atreano, CDDN, CDDB, CDDG, Strawberry Verte

twovkay

Registered:1340623156
Posts: 264

Posted 1406892578	Reply with quote #4

Nice article. Thanks for sharing. __________________ Von Northern VA 7a

paully22

Registered:1195324538
Posts: 2,719

Posted 1406895579	Reply with quote #5

Impressive. Harvey, thanks for sharing. Got to have a chat with heat pump friends.

garden_whisperer

Registered:1353347580
Posts: 1,613

Posted 1406895845	Reply with quote #6

nice find, it gets one thinking. __________________ Dave Zone 6b Illinois "Be the change you wish to see in the world"

Rewton

Registered:1291943117
Posts: 1,946

Posted 1406895885	Reply with quote #7

Yes, thanks. The article didn't mention the labor involved in burying ~1100 ft of 6 inch pipe approximately 8-10 feet underground. I wonder how they went about doing this? They said it was put in "along the side of the house" but his house isn't that big! Presumably to contain it all on his property he must have buried it in some sort of grid design. __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1406900077	Reply with quote #8

Hi Harveyc, The problem is more to have the heat under the dirt ... He was lucky to have that . I don't see a mention about the lighting system - for the winter time. For such a surface, that could cost an arm ! __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

smithmal

Registered:1402603486
Posts: 75

Posted 1406901127	Reply with quote #9

Here's a different article discussing Russ Finch's setup with more info. Sort of a Pit Greenhouse with a geo-thermal twist. Here's a webpage that specializes on Pit Greenhouses. Very cool stuff. __________________ Malcolm - MD - Zone 6B Varieties growing (Received 2014): Beale, Col de Dame Blanc, Danny's Delight, Desert King, JH Adriatic, Lemon, Longue d'Aout, Marseilles Black VS, Olympian, Ronde de Bordeaux, Strawberry Verte, Vista, UCR-184-15s, Violette de Bordeaux, White King

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1406901442	Reply with quote #10

That article is confusing because both his house and greenhouse are engineered into the system. I've read other articles about his greenhouse. My reservations are that the design is all about energy efficiency. IMO a greenhouse should be designed around the crop or crops that one wishes to grow. His greenhouse provides an environment largely dependent on climate and the limitations of an energy efficient design. You're then left to search for a crop or crops that flourish in whatever environment that emerges. If it's a good setup for any one crop it's more luck than design. I've never seen much about yield except for citrus and little about eating quality or pest issues. Humidity control in particular is none existant. That can lead to rot issues on many crops. Light is significantly compromised as it is in all pit greenhouses. This design is only going to work within a fairly narrow range of deep soil temperature, 50s F are best. Too cold and there won't be enough heat in winter. Too hot and it won't cool enough in summer. Deep soil temperature is about equal to average annual air temperature. __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1406903035	Reply with quote #11

This statement from the second link just above is total BS: "We have chosen to chill for 900 hours, because most of the trees we are growing require no more than this," says Russel. "On December 1^st, we start chilling the northern plants by diverting the warming tubes and opening the screened door. We end the chill on January 12^th. Within seven to twelve days most of the plants will come into full bloom." January 12 is about when I end my chilling. I chill from ~Nov 1 until early January. My fruits come into full bloom about 28 to 60 days later. Amazing how much faster it works in NE. Hint: He's trying to sell you something. __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

farowyn

Registered:1369012438
Posts: 175

Posted 1406921086	Reply with quote #12

Awesome greenhouse. I'm in the same boat as you Harvey, as in if I start digging, I need a boat. There are springs everywhere in our valley. __________________ Jeff Central OH- Zone 6a Wish list-anything that will ripen in zone 6a.Souadi(obsessed with this one), Takoma Violet, Col de Dame anything -currently rooting: MBVS, DK, RdB, VdB. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ― Margaret Mead

GreenFin

Registered:1331268315
Posts: 684

Posted 1406921779	Reply with quote #13

Quote: Originally Posted by farowyn Awesome greenhouse. I'm in the same boat as you Harvey, as in if I start digging, I need a boat. There are springs everywhere in our valley. I'd be tempted to dig some trout troughs, cover with grating, and set potted figs on top of the grating :) __________________ James, zone 6a Kansas (zone 10 greenhouses); wish list is in my profile http://www.FigCuttings.com

cis4elk

Registered:1347840383
Posts: 1,719

Posted 1406923053	Reply with quote #14

I believe there is actually a link somewhere in this forum to a video where he walks you through the green house. It's very interesting. __________________ Calvin Littleton,CO z5/6 Wants List: For everyone to clean-up after themselves and co-exist peacefully. Let's think more about the future of our planet and less about ourselves. :)

1king

Registered:1346808162
Posts: 60

Posted 1406938772	Reply with quote #15

Thanks for this Harvey! Thought provoking. My limited understanding of heat pumps is that they are 1. Expensive to buy 2. Use a significant amount of electricity to "squeeze" air thereby increasing it a few more degrees above the underground temps. We live in one of the greenhouse capitals of the world (delta bc). It amazes me how big ag can make money burning so much carbon, laying so much concrete and covering farmland in glass while producing the the most bland vegetables. There must be value in throwing money at winter production otherwise the big growers wouldn't keep building 50 acre greenhouses. __________________ ivan - coastal bc

Hershell

Registered:1396922438
Posts: 650

Posted 1406945737	Reply with quote #16

Still researching. I like it. I would say, NICE __________________ Hershell Zone 8. Ray City, Ga.

cis4elk

Registered:1347840383
Posts: 1,719

Posted 1406958859	Reply with quote #17

Found it! Post #38. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/geothermal-fig-hoophouse-6569951?highlight=geothermal&pid=1279918210#post1279918210 __________________ Calvin Littleton,CO z5/6 Wants List: For everyone to clean-up after themselves and co-exist peacefully. Let's think more about the future of our planet and less about ourselves. :)

hungryjack

Registered:1313447992
Posts: 518

Posted 1407003843	Reply with quote #18

Quote: Originally Posted by 1king It amazes me how big ag can make money burning so much carbon, laying so much concrete and covering farmland in glass. They don't really earn money with their operation. Combination of tax incentives and government subsidies are what actually create the profit for the corporations. Without these types of government support, what you see is not economically viable with current energy rates and produce prices. __________________ Big Apple/Fig, New York 6B

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