My "New" Greenhouse. (Sub-title: My Recycled Greenhouse)

Jay Nolen

After moving into my new house, I noticed (last winter after the leaves had fallen from the oaks and cedar elms) two old greenhouses on a property near my subdivision. The house on the property was vacant. A month ago, I looked the property up on the local county appraisal district website and learned who owned the property. I composed a nice letter to the owner asking if I could salvage/recycle the greenhouses. Two days later I received a phone call from the owner and got his permission to enter the property and remove the greenhouses if I found them to be useful. What I found were two 7 foot wide by 10 foot long by 7 foot high greenhouses. Covered with decomposing green fiberglass.

Yes, that is a 10 inch diameter cedar elm growing up through the greenhouse in picture GH03.

Attached Images

	GH01.jpg (32.7 KB, 78 views)
	GH02.jpg (33.8 KB, 64 views)
	GH03.jpg (42.3 KB, 87 views)

Advertisement

Jay Nolen

I removed the old fiberglass panels from the sides and roofs of the greenhouses and disassembled the the cross-members from the main vertical frames. I hauled away and disposed of the fiberglass as I had told the owner I would and brought my bounty home.
I disassembled the aluminum frames further and cleaned them up as best as I could. I found that two of the vertical main frames were in very bad shape and used those for replacement parts to make four good main frames. I used 2 x 8 and 2 x 4 treated lumber to create a foundation.

Attached Images

	GH05.jpg (30.3 KB, 34 views)
	GH06.jpg (38.5 KB, 32 views)

Jay Nolen

It turns out that the frames were originally made to hold 4mm twin-wall coroplast panels. With some careful measurements and trial and error I was able to shape and install the panels into the end frames.

Attached Images

	GH08.jpg (36.3 KB, 30 views)
	GH07.jpg (23.8 KB, 30 views)

Jay Nolen

Let the assembly begin!

Attached Images

	GH09.jpg (29.3 KB, 40 views)
	GH10.jpg (21.1 KB, 52 views)

Jay Nolen

Here I am, standing in the doorway of my "new" 7 foot wide by 15 foot long by 7 foot tall greenhouse. Another trip to the local Lowes Home improvement store for a screen door with a "kick panel" long enough for me to cut off to size. I covered the inside of the screen with a panel of twin-wall and installed it in the opening.

Attached Images

	GH11.jpg (16.4 KB, 65 views)
	GH12.jpg (16.2 KB, 53 views)

Jay Nolen

All in All, four weekends and about 300 dollars U.S.
This next weekend? Decomposed granite floor (approximately 1 cubic yard).

I will still need to install water and electric to the greenhouse along with vents and fans but this will protect my tropicals and sub-tropicals from the central Texas winter this year.

Yes, Our first freeze of the year occurs tonight.

Joanie

Beautiful! Just beautiful! Did you anchor it down against the wind, or is it heavy enough?

Joanie

__________________
"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says,
'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'" ~ Dave Barry

Jay Nolen

Joanie,
Funny you should ask....
Before I installed the door we had some high winds that did move the greenhouse over about a foot. The house acted like a parachute!!!
The frames are attached to the foundation with screws. This next weekend I will install some anchors into the ground prior to installing the floor.

grampz

Mr. Jay,

When you were explaining your good fortune at last month's club meeting I thought how lucky you were...Now that I see what you have managed to accomplish with the material, ability, and a bit of hard work, I know where I can bring a few of my larger trees to winter them...You do have a lot of extra room in there don't you?...Great job...I do need to get more information from you on where to get those panels...I think I may also be able to come up with a workable situation...

Thanks for sharing this...

Regards
Behr

__________________
As the Master departed the workshop,
he could have sworn he heard some
one saying rather loudly...
"I thought he would never leave"
San Antonio Bonsai Society, Inc.