U Gotta Greenhouse?

[Midpack]

I'm determined to grow some vegetables, herbs, etc. at home. Unfortunately the deer and other wildlife where I live are way more determined to eat everything I plant long before anything ripens. I've tried all sorts of makeshift fencing, various repellants and I give up. We grow a few things on the back porch, but much too limiting.

Do any of you have home greenhouses? I am thinking I might like something smallish so we can grow our own food (yes, only food) and maybe even extend our growing season some.

Thoughts?

 

[veremchuka]

I don't have or use a greenhouse. I have read that some vegetables don't do well in a greenhouse tho I forget which ones. Also greenhouses can issues with humidity and diseases. Before I went that route I'd do an electric fence or a high regular fence. Deer can jump 7' but angling the fence out confuses them. Electric on bottom and a wire mesh above may be another option. Animals can do a lot of damage.

 

[Rambler]

I'm determined to grow some vegetables, herbs, etc. at home. Unfortunately the deer and other wildlife where I live are way more determined to eat everything I plant long before anything ripens. I've tried all sorts of makeshift fencing, various repellants and I give up. We grow a few things on the back porch, but much too limiting.

Do any of you have home greenhouses? I am thinking I might like something smallish so we can grow our own food (yes, only food) and maybe even extend our growing season some.

Thoughts?

You may be able to use cold frames with poly carbonate glazing. These are usually 4x6 or 4x8 feet, built with 2x12 framing timber or 2*2x6 frames. Then build a lid with the glazing. When it gets warm, you MUST open it in the daytime or it will overheat. When we move back stateside, I intend to get a 10x12 greenhouse, and will grow a lot of our food.

Let us know how you decide.

R

 

[freebird5825]

If you have a screened porch, you can attach clear plastic to create that greenhouse effect. Or make some removable plexiglas panels. Be creative!

My screened-in porch serves as my greenhouse. It has a sturdy shingled roof, so there is never any danger of collapse under snowload. I have homemade plexiglas panels originally designed to keep the snow out, and used to take all of them down in the spring. I now take only 2 of them down. There is an overhead fan (Hunter outdoor model) for air circulation and a 2 foot gap between the top of the plexiglas panel and the screened opening at the very top. Rain and snow cannot get inside. The porch is large enough so the plants get indirect but bright light.
I use my porch in very early spring to harden off my inside grown seedlings before I plant them in containers for outdoors. I keep the container plants inside until the threat of frost is gone, which believe or not can be up until the first week of June. All of my containers have casters or sit on top of plant dollies, so I can move them inside if I need to (threat of hail or extreme leaf blistering heat).

 

[Life_is_Good]

A friend of mine in California bought a greenhouse kit and assembled it in his backyard. It has square plexiglass panels that slide into a frame. It accommodates screened panels and fan supports for air movement. I think it may have cost him just over $1000.

He's got tomatoes, peppers, and other potted veggies. Because he lives in a mild weather climate, the veggies can produce year after year after year. They are protected from the rain and slightly cool CA winter temperatures.

The greenhouse seems very sturdy. I think it would protect against deer and other animals.

 

[freebird5825]

There is a pretty good article here
ACF Greenhouses Buying Guide - Help Choosing a Greenhouse

How much snowload do you deal with ?

 

[Glo]

My husband and son built me raised beds, which are 4 feet by 4 feet. They built lids to go over top. The lids are squares of wood and attached to these frames are chicken wire. I plant the seeds, water, and cover with lids. It works great; you'd be syrprised at the amount of produce you get from a 4 x 4 bed. And we have a lot of wildlife in our area, which cannot eat the tender plants.

 

[Midpack]

My husband and son built me raised beds, which are 4 feet by 4 feet. They built lids to go over top. The lids are squares of wood and attached to these frames are chicken wire. I plant the seeds, water, and cover with lids. It works great; you'd be syrprised at the amount of produce you get from a 4 x 4 bed. And we have a lot of wildlife in our area, which cannot eat the tender plants.

I don't suppose a further description or picture would be possible. We have a raised bed about 6' x 12'. We've tried screens and flexible fencing, but we're contending with determined deer along with other wildlife. The small animals seem able to burrow or climb anything, and the deer are strong enough to push over anything that isn't essentially permanent.

My wife put up posts about 4' apart with flexible fencing about 4' high all around - one morning a few days later I looked out in the morning to watch a deer that had just leaned into and over the fence and was munching away. I love the wildlife around our neighborhood, but I wish they'd let me have some food of my own...

 

[Glo]

Sorry no digital camera. But check out Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. Page 70 shows exactly what we have; it works! (original book was 1981; revised edition 2005.)

 

[veremchuka]

A 4' high fence will not keep deer out! Deer can jump, a 7' is good but 8' is better.