ever built a green house from old house windows?

[bornthrifty]

I ran into several old windows and am thinking about constructing a small green house out of them, I don't want to put in electricty (to grow all winter)

I just want to use it to winter over some vulnerable plants, and to extend my growing season,


I have some experience with green houses, in the commercial realm,


(so they used every gadget they could)

for me I am looking back at some old ways to retain heat in the hot house,

any one with experinence what do you think?

should I try to have a stone or cinder black knee wall and floors to hlep absorb the heat during the day and then hopefully have warmer nights in there, could I use sand as a floor (but that might invite critters that I don't want)

a sunken floor?


to use some of the earths heat, but I am concerned about flooding


also I have heard of people using milk jugs and such filled with water to help control the temps...

any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated, thanks so much!

 

[miss_thenorth]

I posted a link from a Mother Earth News article quite while ago about a greenhouse built from old windows. Maybe do a search?

 

[SKR8PN]

I am using 5 gallon jugs full of water as a heat sink in the green house I am building. 5 gallons per sq ft of floor space. I'll let you know how it works out next year, as I didn't quite get it done for this winter. DARN IT!

 

[Beekissed]

Am doing the same thing, although the bulk of my glass is old shower doors. I will be using the 5 gal. jugs, painted black, also. I will be having an earthen floor and will be building it lean-to style against a white outbuilding.

Hope to start construction after the first of the year.

 

[dragonlaurel]

The knee wall is a good idea, especially if it's dark colored. The water containers help keep the temps stable longer.
Black plastic on the floor absorbs heat too. Where you are at makes a huge difference in how many tricks you need to make it warm enough.

A black 55 gallon drum would absorb lots of heat if the greenhouse needs that much.

 

[ScottSD]

depends on where you live is right!

Here, It's supposed to get down to -10 tonight......

 

[dragonlaurel]

It's 28 here and supposed to go down to around 24 for the low. Not too thrilled about that. I was from Florida, so I'm allowed to be a wimp about cold.

Here's what I used to have for when it got really cold.
http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/Starterhouse/productinfo/HG-FHSH/