Building Our First Greenhouse

One of the challenges with our greenhouse has been keeping it heated during the winter. Currently, I use a combination of methods to heat ours. I have two 1500 watt electric heaters, one Big Buddy Propane heater, and a 119-gallon heated solution tank. The solution tank heaters usually run all winter. They keep the irrigation water for the plants at 72-78 degrees. For temperatures 22 degrees and above, I typically use only the two electric heaters. The propane heater is more for temperatures below 22 degrees and when there is a winter power outage.

Our winters are usually relatively mild in North Carolina. Our lows get no lower than the upper 29-25 degrees Fahrenheit. However, during the past 2-3 years, we have been getting more arctic blasts from up north. These arctic blasts can bring temperatures down to as low as 9 degrees Fahrenheit.

If the arctic blast lasts only…

With the framing completed, the next task was choosing and installing the plastic covering. I say choosing because not all types of plastic covering are the same. I used six mil UV-treated plastic designed only for greenhouse covering. This plastic covering is not the same type you buy at the big box stores. The rolls of plastic sold at the big box stores are not UV-treated. UV-treated plastic lasts longer when exposed to direct sunlight than regular plastic.

The greenhouse end walls were covered with plastic first. I used pressure treated wood strips and staples to secure the plastic to the existing wooden framing members. The outside temperature governed how tightly I attached the plastic. A cooler temperature needed a tighter plastic, because as the temperature rises, the plastic would expand and sag more.

The next task was to cover the main section of the greenhouse with plastic. This sheet…

With the greenhouse base built and secure, the next project was setting up the walls. For the hoops, I chose to use schedule 40 electrical conduit, because it was easy to work with. Each hoop is spaced 3' foot apart.

I created brackets for attaching the conduits to the base. For this I used a cast iron flange with a 6" cast iron nipple (pipe). I created 12 brackets. Six for each side of the greenhouse. The flanges allow the brackets to be bolted to the greenhouse base with lag screws. Below is a video showing most of the brackets installed.

With the brackets in place, the next task was installing the hoops.

This was accomplished by sliding one end of the pvc pipe over the first bracket and sliding the opposite end of the pipe over the first bracket on the opposite side of the greenhouse base. Then …

In this post, I will talk about some of the things I had to consider when choosing a location and setting up the base of my greenhouse. Since every property is different, the setup for your greenhouse will be a little different. For my situation, I placed my greenhouse base beside my existing 24' X 48' shed. I chose this spot for three reasons.

The first reason was wind protection. We get a lot of storms during the spring and summer. These storms generate very high winds that come from the north. By placing my greenhouse on the south side of my shed, my shed can act as a windbreaker.

The second reason was power. I needed electrical power for lights, water pumps, heaters, and fans. By placing the greenhouse next to the shed, I could pull the electrical power I needed from the shed. Since I didn't need a…

I have learned over my 19 years as a homeowner that you should always check to see if you need a permit to add a new structure to your property. Adding a greenhouse to my property was no exception. 

My plan involved creating a 14'X16' hoop-style greenhouse on my property. 

I went to my county's building and standards department and told them what I wanted to do. Before giving me a permit, they sent me to the county environmental health department. I had to pay a small fee to have one of their inspectors come out to see the proposed location of the new greenhouse. They instructed me to stake the proposed greenhouse area. That area must be approved by the environmental health department before the building standards department will issue a building permit. 

The environmental health inspector visited to verify that the new structure's proposed location did not conflict with…