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8 Comments

  1. There are sites on the Internet, explaining how to make a Greenhouse with Cattle Panels, rather than Galvanized Pipes. They don’t look quite as nice as the Greenhouse pictured in this article. [There’s no pipe bending device needed, however.]

    There was a prepper MistyPrepper on YouTube, cited by SurvivalBlog, for old time pioneer skills. … Her husband used a small section of a bowed Cattle Panel to create a roof shelter for their stack of firewood. [Instead of just solely relying on the downwind side of the barn.]

    Another site had a Cattle Panel structure used as a quick Chicken Coop, with a solid tarp, rather than clear plastic. half of the roof was left uncovered, for a sunlight section for the chickens. [The ends of the structure were covered with chicken-wire to keep the chickens in the coop.]
    …… +The sites explaining the building of a Cattle Panel ~ Greenhouse, should describe how to protect the plastic cover from the abrasive metal.

    From SurvivalBlog. JWR 5/26/208
    “My other major task this week was repairing and reinforcing a portion of our perimeter fence, where one of our cows decided “the grass is greener” on the National Forest side. That Bovine Delinquent will not be able to get over those welded steel cattle panels.”

    [Out in the boonies, a Cattle Panel is suitable for a lot of tasks. Of course, a roll of duct tape is easier to carry around, than several Cattle Panels.]

  2. This weekend is being utilized by rebuilding my 3rd hoop house. Living in North Idaho, the first two did not withstand the snow in the winters. The first one was made out of cattle panels which I really liked but the snow collapsed it. (the 6 mil plastic was removed too). The second one was made out of strong PVC pipe that collapsed like straws this winter. Last year, we (hubby and I) constructed a greenhouse with pipe and it withstood the N. Idaho heavy snow load. After helping a friend construct several of theirs, we decided to build one and really enjoy it. This year, we are rebuilding the collapsed one utilizing the same resources as last year. We purchased some of the parts online from Johnny’s seeds.

    https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/tools-supplies/growers-library-tools-supplies.html

    They have an interactive website advising the DIY the parts needed for the project. It is really a handy little device. Plus, they have videos on how to bend the pipe and install the hoop house. This is our second one that we have purchased from them and find them to be a great company to do business with. Their pricing is very competitive too and not ALL the product comes from them but they recommend purchasing some of the hardware from local stores. They give you the type of hardware needed and quantity based on the size of your high tunnel hoop house. Happy Gardening everyone!

  3. Great article!!! Now I will share this with my husband! A greenhouse is my dream homesteading project and yours sounds fabulous! I appreciated the info on not only how to build it but also the growing tips. Thanks!

  4. Re: Temperature regulation – instead of a box fan, get an attic fan. If you frame the doorway all the way to the roof peak, the attic fan will nail into the studs above the door. Attic fans have a built-in thermostat which turns on at whatever temp you desire.

    If you have to deal with extreme high temps, the screen in the opposite end wall could be replaced with a swamp cooler pad with a plastic tote and water pump below to drip water onto the pad – wire the pump into the fan thermostat.

  5. Our electric rates [in Alaska] are out of this world high so an electric heater would not be wise to use. Up here in the arctic a Toyo home heating fuel stove would be great for heating the green house. They are very efficient, and a small unit would be more than sufficient for the size green house in this article. All of our beds are raised bed types since our property has perma frost issues; if we can extend our season for just one month in the fall season and one month in the spring season then we could possibly grow enough food to feed my wife and I. We have had a variety of green houses over the years, one that is 20′ X 10′ X 12′ would suffice. The real problem is the winters when we get deep snow, it’s very heavy, or the winters when it hits 50 to 70 degrees below zero which is very hard on plastic.

    We do have long summer days when there is no darkness, this has the effect of causing some crops to go direct into seed not fruit or vegetables and we have to somehow regulate the light. Most often we just throw a dark colored tarp over the top, but this is a pain in the neck to keep up … this year we are building something different, something bigger to give us year round capabilities, something that will let us feed ourselves and put away food for hard times.

    Thank you for the great article; I’ve learned from it.

  6. If I may make a suggestion, this article should be supplemented with the following book.

    The Mittleider Gardening Course https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D10qxEDPWxU

    I was able to grow corn and other plants in beach sand. I also obtained 3-4 ears per potted corn plant using his recommendations for fertilizer.

    Now some people may balk at such, but since we all stock-up other items. It would not be hard to lay in a stock of plant nutrients and seeds.

  7. Some good tips here in the comments, I appreciate Sheepdog’s personal experience with using cattle panels (which make a low ceiling greenhouse, not for tall people), and PVC before going on to the steel pipes which held up. I heard that these were the best, but always nice to have validation from someone who has tried all three.

    I liked anonymous tip on the attic fan, if I could find a used one for a bargain, I would use one. Our commercial greenhouse/nursery in town uses those, that would be the way to go. We do it the cheap way.

    Yes, our electricity is cheap, most of our electricity in Missouri comes from burning coal from the great state of Wyoming.

    Please continue to share your tips on your successes and failures of using a greenhouse. That is what makes this site such a gem. Thank you for the kind words.

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