Need help with a winter greenhouse

[Sebrightmom]

I have came up with an idea that I want to happen. We have an outdoor woodstove. I thought about building a greenhouse by the wood shed and heating it will the woodstove. With that said, I need to figure out what greenhouse would be the best. I want to be able to grow food for my family in the winter plus I will use it to start seedlings in the Spring. I also thought it would be wondering to winter my rabbits in the greenhouse that way I wouldn't have to worry about froozen waters.

Here is where I need the help:

* I need to know what type of material I need to get for a Greenhouse in Indiana.
* I want one that will last for awhile

Thanks

 

[Joel_BC]

I read your post, and a few questions came to me. Do you have experience with greenhouses (not in winter, maybe, but in the ordinary growing seasons)?

The trick is always to try to keep the internal temperature between about 60-85* Farenheit, for most crops. If the temp goes higher, most plants will stop growing. I'm sure one of your considerations already has been to keep the temps from going down to freezing or below, which would kill the plants.

If you have greenhouse experience, you'll realize that in summer the key during the daytime is venting of the GH, both for avoiding overly high temps and to keep air moving to avoid fungal problems. A woodstove is pretty much a "point source" of heat, so the area immediately around it will be very hot, and the area within the GH that is furthest away will probably be the coolest. Unless you're building a very large GH, you should consider whether your woodstove is too large.

I have friends who have a commercial vegetable-starts nursery. They're using a wood heater in an octagonal building that has two largish greenhouses attched to it - the arrangement heats the central building and the greenhouses. But they have a sizable commercial-type ventilation system that moves the air around in the greenhouses, and serves to vent heat out when the internal temps get too high.

I'm not posing these points to be dicouraging. But these are things to consider when designing.

 

[hoosier]

http://knowledgeweighsnothing.com/free-step-by-step-plans-to-build-a-barn-style-greenhouse/

This looks like it has potential.

 

[Emerald]

borrow this book from the library The Four Season Harvest by Elliot Coleman. it is about using unheated greenhouses for "harvesting" all winter. sure there are some real tricks to it. like growing enuf in the late fall to have it winter over. but some of his techniques have been streamlined from older growing techniques like cloches/cold frames and just plain wintering over. but very good book.. I've borrowed about 6 times from the library and would like to buy my own copy so I am not always running on my memory..

 

[Daffodils At The Sea]

I am about to build a seed starter shed with heavy insulation and glass to the south, soil floor to take advantage of the 50 F temp of the soil where it doesn't freeze. But placing it between two greenhouses, I hadn't thought of, but would really help in spring and fall!

If you want to grow for a family I have found the minimum size is 12 x 20, and even that fills up quickly.

This rebar greenhouse is economical and can be added on to easily. It's crucial to slide PVC over the rebar before inserting the second end in the ground. I once saw a guy make a house out of two layers of plastic in Alaska to prove that the air between the layers is great insulation.

http://www.northerngreenhouse.com/rebar-greenhouse/

Joel, that's a great design your friends have, Keeping the starter room in between the two uninsulated greenhouses!

 

[k15n1]

My co-worker runs a serious famer's-market stall and farms about 8 acres. He starts his plants in the house by a window. So a greenhouse isn't really required. Although I want one. Just don't put the garden on hold until you have the highest high-tech gardening equipment.