Grow a garden year round, more or less. Plans for a relatively inexpensive dome greenhouse.

[jtuck004]

Last edited Fri Jun 22, 2012, 06:42 AM - Edit history (1)

Directions here

This is built with 1 x 2's, inexpensive bolts and nuts, sheetrock screws, strap metal with holes in it. You can buy everything at a home center like Lowes or a good locally-owned hardware store.

It's covered with plastic sheeting. I am drilling pilot holes before putting the sheet rock screws in, it splits less that way.

I'm building one, attaching it my storage shed. I will paint the facing wall of that black to help hold heat in that building, and I am putting some empty large plastic drums inside (used to have car wash soap, now empty). Will fill those with water and paint them black, just for a little heat storage during the day. It is not far from the back door, so if I need it I could string a small electric heater.

Thought maybe someone might find it useful.

[Denninmi]

1. I have one suggestion for you that will save you a lot of grief long term.

Don't use cheap sheet poly from the hardware store (as is shown in the photo). It isn't UV stabilized, and can break down in as little as 4 to 6 months, tearing, flaking, and crumbling.

It will initially cost you about 4 times as much, but invest in some UV stabilized greenhouse poly. It should last a minimum of 5 years in most climates, and here in Michigan, the stuff rated 5 years actually lasts about 10 for me.

Something like this basic type:

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/4-year-greenhouse-film/plastic-greenhouse-film

Or something like this that has better anti-condensation coating:

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/thermal-ac-greenhouse-film/plastic-greenhouse-film

[jtuck004]

2. Thank you.

Theirs is a project to attract kids and teach them some skills, hopefully get a few to continue, designed so volunteers can pay out of pocket. It becomes a trade-off between the cost of materials and doing a project. If just a few continue growing food though, they can figure out some partnership or a way to raise money to replace it.

I am investigating ways to give away raised bed gardens to get more food being raised in backyards, and thought something like this might be a nice addition for start-growing volunteers.

For individuals, or if money isn't an issue, I completely agree with you, and I intend to do that for my smaller one. We live in a Zone 4 or 5, depending on the year, so I expect to get some use out of it.

On another site I saw them use double-sided sticky tape that was designed for this (stickier than Lowe's tape?). I need to read up on that, should be easier on the plastic with staples, after the plastic is pulled over the structure.

It's like a big erector set, but with big people toys And the dome brought back memories of the 70's.

I would like to see all that innovation going on again.

And thank you very much for the links.

[jtuck004]

3. And then I read this...

This 6 mil thick high quality polyethylene greenhouse film manufactured in North America...

So if it doesn't keep a project from happening, it would be better for the group to find a way to afford this for the lower budget one's too, instead of supporting our off shoring efforts by buying Chinese poly from Homer. The cheap crap winds up in pieces all over the yard, as I discovered with a wood pile last year, so less overall in the landfill.


All very important, but if it costs you a group of kids and a project...

[Denninmi]

4. Well, I don't know what your budget is, but you're probably talking under $150 for the poly.

And you might find better prices if you shop around. If its an educational project, I would also contact local greenhouses and ask them if they have any scrap ends of rolls they could donate. The garden center I used to work at would keep the scrap ends, usually something like 10-12 feet by whatever width, often 20 or 40 feet, laying around. I know a couple of times they gave some away to the local schools for projects.

[jtuck004]

5. Good ideas. Thank you again. n/t

[NJCher]

6. very cool

Thanks for posting it, jtuck.


Cher

[BlueToTheBone]

7. I agree, don't use cheap plastic

you'll rue the mess you'll have to clean for years to come, not to mention, having to do it again.

I love the design! Here's my favorite place for greenhouse materials.
http://www.growerssupply.com/farm/supplies/home

You'll most likely need heat. The barrel thing was a bust in my greenhouse, they just took up space.

Also, I would make the tail longer so that you can seal off the edges with straw.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. That's a cool design.

I could make a shade house with that same frame. In fact, what would be ideal for me is to figure out a way to be able to switch out the sheeting with shade cloth on the same frame. I live in a fairly mild climate but do need frost protection in the winter. This without any heating would be adequate since the days warm up quite a bit.

[jtuck004]

9. There are, and I don't have a link. light tubular steel car covers,

garages, whatever one wants to call them, that have covers which range from tarps to clear plastic. They sell them at Harbor Freight and other outlets.

We bought some plants the other day, guy had one of those from a discount place, was missing the cover. He contacted the mfr and they didn't have the standard tarp, so they sold him a plastic cover, UV resistant, has what looks to be cotton twine sealed in for reinforcing, perhaps. He now uses it for plant starts and hardening.

You could put plastic on and just add a tarp or shade cloth on top in the summer.

We live in a place that goes between Zone 4 and 5, our last frost is usually around June 1. In back of us is a concrete building with a wood frame extension. They put the rigid plastic that is sold in 4 x 12 sheets at Homer around and on top, said last winter in the snow, when the sun was shining it was 113 degrees F, without supplemental heat.

Friends that we buy eggs from heat theirs when needed with a small electric heater, grow tomato starts for sale.