New Greenhouse

[TexasTim]

Just put up a 10' x 12' greenhouse so I can move indoor growing to greenhouse!

Want to continue growing vandals, cats, dendrobiums, oncidium, etc.

Live in Dallas, Tx

What % shade cloth ( aluminet) should I use in summer and winter?

Will use wet wall and misters for humidity control.

16" exhaust and 20" fresh air vent. Comments pls!

[dounoharm]

howdy neighbor! I am north of Amarillo....

for a free-standing gh, I think a 60% shade cloth, put up around march....and taken down maybe November...

my gh in north Carolina had to have shade on the west wall year round....and I bought a big pool cover thing which I put on under a light shade cloth in winter....the shade cloth just held that pool cover down due to winds..

my current gh is a lean-to, with 2 walls connected to the house, so I have issues there, but I am about to get it straight....

sounds like you have a handle on it so keep up with letting us know whats happening...post some pics!

[estación seca]

People here in Phoenix use 60%-70% Aluminet in summer and 30%-50% regular shade cloth in the winter, depending on how many trees/buildings provide shade, and at what time of the day.

Run the greenhouse without plants for a week to be sure your temperatures don't go too high before moving everything in there.

[Optimist]

I'm on the New Mexico side of Amarillo. I do not know what your winter is like out there, but I know I would need a heater/winter method to warm the green house before I even set it up, so if you have to move the plants, they need to go somewhere.

Shade cloth depends on the type plant, how high up they are hung, season, time etc., so that is a hard one.

[Selmo]

A hobby sized greenhouse is just a place to house your plants in, when you can not keep them outside. Keeping plants in a greenhouse in the middle of summer when the outside temp. is over 100F in not helpful. Yes, you don't have to worry about water on the floor in the greenhouse, but there pros and cons with having a greenhouse compared to indoor growing. We use 50% aluminet reflective shade cloth, for shade, but use it mostly for heat suppression. We put it on in the spring when daytime temps in the greenhouse get in the the 90F even if outside temps can only be in the 40's. This is usually about daylight savings time (beginning of March) and take it off around fall daylight savings ( November) this is when we need more light as the sun angle is getting low and we need daytime heating. You will spend half the year trying to get the heat out of the house and the other half of the year trying to keep the heat in. The reflective shade cloth does a very good job of letting in light and not letting in much heat. We can keep the temp in the greenhouse within about 5-10F of the outside temp with it and fans. But when it is 100F outside, 110F is not good either. Keeping your plants outside when you can is best, and only use the house to over winter them. Good luck with your greenhouse and keep us posted

[dounoharm]

oh my goodness! I finally got my jaybird mister set up in my greenhouse and boy, let me tell you! it makes such a difference! it felt so good sitting in the greenhouse yesterday! we have most of the gravel floor installed, that helps tremendously with humidity too....

y'all have to remember I live north of Amarillo, home of rocks, rattlesnakes, oil, and gas.....it gets hot, fast! and it gets down to zero for days in winter....
I have a new evaporative cooler to install and I think it will be set. I have a lean-to greenhouse with 2 sides on the house....and it is off the back door where I have my new bedroom!!
I hope it will actually help save on a/c this summer, we will see! I have a very efficient natural gas heater which is lovely in winter....





we also put the bench back that goes under the jaybird so its off that plant stand....it is looking and feeling good!

[dounoharm]

all done except the wiring....and a bit of shade cloth at the back....
even with the extreme heat we have experienced of late, I am maintaining a pleasant temp that has only touched at 95 degrees during the worst of the heat....I think the evap cooler will be a lifesaver in texas.....
I am glad we haven't had the electric done yet, I am going to need more outlets in some different areas, now that the equipment is all installed....
the gravel floor is a killer, we still need a couple loads....
pardon the sideways pics, I cant seem to make the right...










my old epi oxypetallum, queen of the nite....my mom sent it to me from nc, and it broke into a million pieces...the big branches are sprouting again, but I have a gazillion leaves to root.....