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snaglpus

My new Fig Greenhouse

Good day, here is a picture of my new greenhouse. I got it from Sam's Club online for about $699. It's 6' x 8'. I took pictures during the build process and may place them on here if requested. The hardest part was the foundation which I have not totally finished yet. I started laying the 12 x 12 slabs but had to take a picture before finishing. I plan on building 3, 2-tiered shelves to hold my fig trees over winter. The date in the photo is wrong. What do you think? Dennis

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Comments (11)

  • dieseler
    14 years ago

    I cant find the door ; )
    Curious what is the clear part made from is it thick plastic, thin etc.
    Oh is there a way to vent the top?
    I cant figure out looking at the face whats that green frame sticking above the roof line.
    Just being nosey.
    It looks nice.

  • Dennis AKA Snaglpus
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    The door is right in the middle. It slides to the right. It is vented on the top right. See how one the third row roof panel is bigger and only have 2 panels instead of 3? Well that one window pops out. It's made of very thick plastic. I'm going to have to glue some of the panels in to keep the house warm in winter. It stays about 20 degrees warmer inside versus outside. It's been over the 90+ here all summer and this thing gets over a hundred on a hot day! The green frame sticking above the roof line holds the door when open. It not a bad little house for the money. Figs all winter long for me!

  • fignut
    14 years ago

    snaglpus, Overwintering in a greenhouse can be a problem. It will heat up considerably during the day, and cool way down at night - the platic glazing doesn't help much with heat loss. If your plants start to grow, you will have to provide some type of fail-proof heat source in case of cold weather. Dormant figs will take freezing temperatures, but growing plants can be damaged or killed.

  • bonsaist
    14 years ago

    be careful with the figs breaking dormancy in the winter than temperature dropping at night. As fignut mentioned, once they break dormancy and the temperature drops at night it will kill the trees.
    I keep mine as cool as possible but above freezing using a heating and a cooling fan.

    Bass

  • Dennis AKA Snaglpus
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks Guys, my goal is to keep the house around 40 degrees in winter. I lost a good number of trees last year and even though I placed some in my garage unheated, they still died. My garage is too large to heat but I plan on placing my smallest cuttings this year inside my greenhouse. I will keep several outside still but this year I plan on wrapping them in burlap. Thanks again.

  • leon_edmond
    14 years ago

    You list your Zone as 7. What state are you in? Just curious. Nice greenhouse by the way.

  • dieseler
    14 years ago

    Snaglpus,
    thanks for explaining the greenhouse now i understand, i like it. It surprise me you lost fig trees in unheated garage as mine is attached but it gets cold in there as well hovering last year in teens with lowest at 8 above yet my trees were ok as last winter was a clod one for us.Even had a few youngsters in there plants that is.
    Martin

  • Dennis AKA Snaglpus
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I'm in North Carolina. We usually get a big snow every 5 years. It's time for one this year. Here, we get 4 full seasons. This year I have too many trees to store in the garage. So I need a way to easily protect them. I have a big shed out back but if tempertures drop down to the teens, I know many of my trees will die if I store them in there. So I have a baseboard heater and a fan that I will control with a thermostat in the greenhouse. I think it will work fine. I just don't want them to freeze. Every year I get an Alma fig tree. Even though I protect it; she dies to the ground and never comes back. This year my sweetest fig is Stella. I got one fig from a 3 yr tree and after a very slow growing year; she's producing fruit. So, I got to protect her this year. Thanks for asking guys.

  • xgrndpounder
    14 years ago

    Hey snaglpus :-)

    You asked, What do you think?

    I think you did good, Nice!!!!!!

    Happy gardening
    Cecil

  • fignut
    14 years ago

    Martin is right about losing figs over the winter in a garage. In zone 7 even the minimal protection of your shed should be fine. You might want to consider other possibilities other than lowest temperature (especially moisture). The only time I ever lost dormant figs in an unheated garage was when I watered them with a hose in late winter - early spring because they looked too dry.

  • oxankle
    14 years ago

    Looks Nice!

    I hope you have good luck with it.
    Be sure to give us a report next Spring.
    Chuck

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