Greenhouse. Different than outdoors... right?

[E9noxis]

I recently purchased and 8x6 greenhouse. In a different thread, it was mentioned that its difficult tonnage the internal environment of a greenhouse. I figured it would be better. I just want to protect them from eyes, animals and rain.

I also plan to start all the plants in my propagater and tent. Same thread mentioned light timing with the actual daylight hours and revegging due to bad timing.

My question is this...

GREENHOUSES.

What do I need to know?
Is it worth it?
More difficult than it needs to be?

Any little details your experiences have taught you will be considered while I mess it up for myself. Please inform me

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

You already bought it?
Pile as much dirt on 3 sides as you can. It will help stabilize temps inside in all weather.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Amazon.com

 

[E9noxis]

I got this one. It's inexpensive but not cheap. My only fear is it can handle up to 20 mph winds... it that weak? Seems weak...

 

[Oldchucky]

I would stake it out like a tent Bottom and top with Guy wires or ropes. Make sure Water doesn’t puddle on the roof and collapse it. Good luck!

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

That looks like weave over plastic. It will last about a year because it's not UV resistant.
I would anchor it well.

 

[dreamnfox]

my buddy grew his first outdoor this year in that. He filled 4 5 gallon buckets with quick dry cement and attached it to those. He got some crazy wind at his place but it was fine. He had to many plants in his and ended losing 1 plant to PM. I would keep it to 4 small plants and you should be fine

 

[Homesteader]

Heat is really hard to manage in a greenhouse and even harder in a small one. I wish you luck though. They are great for spring but come summer it is just really difficult to keep things under control. Maybe you can rig up a battery operated fan for an end wall or tie up the sides to let cool air in. It sure is nice working in one during the mornings though just more difficult than most imagine it is.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

I recently purchased and 8x6 greenhouse. In a different thread, it was mentioned that its difficult tonnage the internal environment of a greenhouse. I figured it would be better. I just want to protect them from eyes, animals and rain.

I also plan to start all the plants in my propagater and tent. Same thread mentioned light timing with the actual daylight hours and revegging due to bad timing.

My question is this...

GREENHOUSES.

What do I need to know?
Is it worth it?
More difficult than it needs to be?

Any little details your experiences have taught you will be considered while I mess it up for myself. Please inform me

Greenhouses produce their own environments. In the bright sun of the summer, you can count on at least 10F increase in temp over the outdoor temperature. That would be a minimum rise with outstanding ventilation moving outside air through the greenhouse. Less than adequate ventilation can see temperature rises of 20F-40F in some cases.

I have 2 very large attic fans in my greenhouse. One pulls the outside air in. The other exhausts the hot air out of the greenhouse. I can keep temps within 10f of outside temps with this setup + a greenhouse shade net.

During the fall, Michigan night time temps drop into the 40's regularly ... and then the 30's as we approach November. That drop in temperature raises the RH to unacceptable levels. Combine that with many cloudy and rainy days, it's very difficult to pull the humidity out even using those fans. Once the moisture starts condensing on the greenhouse glass, you have an environment ripe for PM and mold issues.

Moral of the story? It can be done, but research greenhouse climate control methods thoroughly and only invest in a greenhouse if you feel confident you can control these extremes. For me, in Michigan, it's not worth trying to run past September. October is when the nightmare's typically begin. So ... choose your strains to finish well within the range that would finish naturally in your area in open air. Otherwise, you're setting yourself up for a lot of work to get your crop to harvest without issues.

 

[E9noxis]

Ok. I'm now considering setting up the frame and growing them "outdoors" and jut putting up the walls on days scheduled with heavy rain fall. I dont have the time or resources to maintain an environment that doesn't want to be maintained.

It sounds like the moral of this story is it was a waste of money for me. I'll try to make it work. And I will make a grow diary for it so you all can tell me what's wrong. I'm so new at this I'm greener than my plants.

 

[josefrahl]

I'll tell you my experience with a greenhouse like that. Bought one last Feb. Staked the 4 corners of the tent, the 'skeleton' had 2 stakes each leg, the entrances I put two 12" metal augers in the ground (front and back door), then I used luggage locks to connect to the door's zippers to the augers. Got 1 storm a week or 2 after I was finished, and was checking on it every 30 mins to make sure it was standing. Went out about 3 hours into the storm, and it was gone. Storm pulled everything out of the ground. It destroyed my back fence on it's way out, and I spent a few hours looking for it, but was never seen again. Decided to grow inside instead.

 

[Homesteader]

I had a similar experience with a cheap car canopy Jose! The zipper broke on the thing during a storm about a month after I bought it and ripped the stakes out of the ground like nothing and took off like a kite. Found it up in the trees all mangled. Going to try to salvage the frame for a small greenhouse but I was pissed.
@E9noxis The thing isn't worthless though and they are great for tomatoes if you can get it out of the wind or to get your garden a month or two head start. I like your plan though.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Ok. I'm now considering setting up the frame and growing them "outdoors" and jut putting up the walls on days scheduled with heavy rain fall. I dont have the time or resources to maintain an environment that doesn't want to be maintained.

It sounds like the moral of this story is it was a waste of money for me. I'll try to make it work. And I will make a grow diary for it so you all can tell me what's wrong. I'm so new at this I'm greener than my plants.

The greenhouse will work great for garden starts like @Homesteader said. It will also work as a wind/rain barrier, and do well for you during the summer months providing you have adequate ventilation. There are a lot of benefits to using one, but you won't extend the grow season much unless you have enough sunlight during the fall to dry off the condensation from the previous night very quickly. Michigan falls are cloudy and rainy more than sunny. I'm considering running a few Early flower photoperiods by Delicious Seeds (Sugar black rose, and Delicious candy). Both should finish in September in my area.

 

[Homesteader]

Here is my current greenhouse vs outdoors in Maine.

 

[Backwoods70]

Ok. I'm now considering setting up the frame and growing them "outdoors" and jut putting up the walls on days scheduled with heavy rain fall. I dont have the time or resources to maintain an environment that doesn't want to be maintained.

It sounds like the moral of this story is it was a waste of money for me. I'll try to make it work. And I will make a grow diary for it so you all can tell me what's wrong. I'm so new at this I'm greener than my plants.

Thats what I do. I have pvc hoops with the small black netting ( keeps the deer and other critters out ) then when in flower and calling for rain, i pull plastic over it and leave both ends open. Works great man