CactiGuide.com

Hello everyone.
Here is a story in pictures of my first greenhouse.
I had debated over a few months on how to build this taking into account: budget, cover material (plastic sheet/poly twin wall/ poly corregated panel), and local climate ( central Texas we get hot summers and somewhat mild winter with rain mid 20[-3.5C] to 100[38C].

I also factored in how long i wanted the greenhouse in its location: I built a ciderblock base to level the 4x4 treated lumber but did not cement it in place.

please let me know if yall have any suggestions.

(also notice the amount of time it took me, only working weekends, measure by the vines in the garden)
started with a dry fit of the lumber and steel frame (need to move that peach tree!) added four 4x4 lumber piers inside the cinderblock foundation. secured them to the horizontal 4x4 base. decided on metal strapping to wrap the steel frame and secure the 2x4 lumber added all-weather tape to decrease risk in tearing the plastic added 2 layers of weed fabric and covered with limestone gravel used a combination of batten tape with bradnails/ pvc snap claps/ and wiggle wire to secure the plastic a view of the seed germination station/ need to shield from the sun some blooms during the trans

temps in the greenhouse have already reached into the 100s(~37C) have a venting schedule in place.
All that is need now is to install a door, mosquito netting for the roll up sides and build more benches for future plant . I will post updates soon.

thanks for viewing!
-lui

I would add diagonal bracing to the 2x4 frames of the end walls. Nice setup, though.

Best wishes

K.W.

Great job there Lui. I bet you don't have quite so much spare space by now though

Susi

We had a Tornado come through here in late Feb.
The greenhouse survived better than the house!
Only damage to the GH was the plastic ripped off the frame...just re-stapled it .

All the trays got blown over. Most of the cacti was just laying around. pots and soil everywhere. only real loss was ALL my seedlings.

but we get past it!

Last photo is of the GH with the mosquito nets added.

Will upload some photos of the new benches and cacti once they are in proper order!

I will leave yall with some photos of spring blooms here in the GH and rock garden.

Glad to hear that you are OK, hopefully the tornado did not do too much damage to your house. Kinda hard to tornado-proof a greenhouse but sounds like much of your collection made it through. Lots of cleanup work I'm sure. Hope your recovery goes/went well. Hard to look at the picture of the knocked over plant tables but looks like the actual structure held out pretty good.
Good Luck!
-Rei