Revolutionize Your Gardening: Build a Passive Solar Greenhouse like a Pro!

This hybrid Passive Solar Greenhouse, which comes with interesting features, is the most expensive one on the homestead. This is the last part of my 4-part greenhouse series that gives an exclusive look into my greenhouses!
Part 1 - • A Greenhouse For Every...
Part 2 - • A Greenhouse For Every...
Part 3 - • A Greenhouse For Every...
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About Curtis Stone:
Curtis is one of the world’s most highly sought-after small farming educators. His book, The Urban Farmer, offers a new way to think about farming𑁋 one where quality of life and profitability coexist. Today, Curtis spends most of his time building his 40-acre off-grid homestead in British Columbia. He leverages his relationships with other experts to bring diverse content into the homes of gardeners and aspiring small farmers from around the world. Learn more at FromTheField.TV.
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Music and Footage commonly used on this channel:
Sweeps - / sweepsbeats
Biocratic - birocratic.com
The Muse Maker - / themusemaker
David Cutter Music - davidcuttermusic.co.uk
artlist.io/Curtis-38762
Images - licensed via Envato.com
Video Footage - licensed via Envato.com
Music - licensed via artlist.io

[@ron9381]

You did a nice job on your heat storage project. I put in a couple solar heated homes in 1979 under funding from Jimmy Carter that were monitored by Lockheed Martin. for 10 years. I have maintained them through multiple owners, I went through the Lennox solar energy program that they had in the 1970s. The only thing I would’ve done different on yours is use larger ductwork for the vertical your 10 inch pipe is only good for about 400 CFM. The horizontal pipe that runs across on your peak Has a minimal benefit is what I have found from testing doing similar projects. A vertical 16 inch round pipe terminating 2 feet from the peak. You would move more air with less electricity to do it.. but I don’t think that change is worth it once you’ve already have a system all in place. but if you’re doing another project, you may want to try that.

[@jimmoca2182]

Due to the fact that you also use it as living quarters and free aircon...absolutely worth it.

[@AKDanMusicMan]

$50K-$80K is actually cheaper than I thought it would be. I’m looking to do something similar in North Carolina. Also looking to incorporate the “greenhouse in the snow” fresh air feed to convert the outside air temperature to the stable earth temperature at about 8-10ft deep, which is I think around 55 degrees Fahrenheit year round where I am. Hoping the combination of the climate battery plus stable earth temperature will give me a very stable grow house year round. Thanks for sharing.

[@billprice2409]

I really like what you have done here. Little pricey but you demonstrate that the technology does work.

[@christopherwatson6305]

I wish I could've seen more of the office and garage. Looks like it could easily be a pretty cozy residence as well, like an earthship. Well done, Curtis!

[@offgridcurtisstone]

In the latest video about my off-grid system, you can see.

[@christopherwatson6305]

@@offgridcurtisstone Thank you. Will watch. You are awesome!

[@chrise842]

@@offgridcurtisstone what happened to your foam bubble pump idea? Ugly optics, right?

[@linmal2242]

Terrific greenhouse. Fantastic design, well done !

[@egodeathplease]

That is an incredible setup. I think you made the right decision to stay in Canada vs going to Mexico. Pretty soon your going to be able to sell the food you grow for whatever you want. Here in AK. There are literally no eggs for sale in the stores. My chicken coop is probably looking like a catalytic converter to the tweekers 🤣

[@lisacraft1946]

No eggs really crazy I like the chicken coop

[@-S-K-Miller]

What are "tweekers" ? Crazyness about the eggs... wow!

[@lisacraft1946]

@@-S-K-Miller meth users

[@jacklasalle9575]

@@-S-K-Miller usually tweaker in this context means meth user or any high energy problematic drug user, but I also think this person just means normal people will be tweakin for food due to food shortages :)

[@lornemyers6638]

Atleast you have the 2A, us peasants in Canada have no rights.

[@glennscott8622]

Building something similar (structurally integrated south facing greenhouse with residence and barn) in Boulder County Colorado in partnership with Ceres Greenhouses … they are state of the art in geothermal greenhouses). Every design, as you have repeatedly emphasized, is the application of first principles to intended use, local climate, site characteristics, local ordinances, and financing. Thank you Curtis

[@jackcote6447]

great green house, you should consider that that structor will last to 8 times as long as the high tunnel.

[@michaelglenning5107]

I invented a greenhouse feature that you might find interesting. On the inside of your greenhouse underneath the glazing surface you can hang insulation panels that hinge like plantation shutters. Closed at night they offer substantial insulation. Open during the day they redirect light onto growing plants. In the summer you could run the climate battery, but switch it so it vents outside after charging the battery.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Have you built it?

[@michaelglenning5107]

@@offgridcurtisstone a gardener friend of a coworker did. He said it worked, and no supplemental heat was needed. I always recommend a scaled down trial before going big.

[@paulmaxwell8851]

Michael, I like your idea. There ARE some engineering challenges: those insulation panels need to be rugged and impervious to both extreme heat and ultraviolet. The also need to fit together accurately. But the idea has merit. I'm sketching up a greenhouse right now and just might consider this. Cheers from Williams Lake, B.C.!

[@jackieow]

If your thermal wall were painted black it would probably absorb more heat to re-radiate later. You and Arkopia are showing points of converging greenhouse evolution.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

It doesn't actually make that much of a difference for us because it's so cloudy in the winter.

[@ivannightly1919]

you should look at "citris in the snow" an excellent next level green house design

[@lvtruth6351]

Excellent video series, thank you Curtis!

[@tracipapp8698]

Thank you for sharing Biodome with us! 🙂

[@jacquelineharper5811]

I am grateful that you can afford to show, what there is available If you can afford it. Some interesting concepts that I have not considered or seen before. Thanks

[@jdwilsun]

Awesome everything! A beautiful functional greenhouse! I would consider using gravel in the climate battery instead of sand. I think it would improve heat transfer since air can pass through the gravel contacting every rock directly. This eliminates many thermal barriers like, relying on heat transfer through the sand from one grain to the next & across the air barrier between each grain of sand to reach the longitudinal ducts & then get conducted into the ducts & back again. It also eliminates the longitudinal ducting.

[@woodworks2123]

Great series Curtis. Lovin the journey brother. Keep up the awesome work. You're an inspiration to many.

[@williamdavisnorth]

Thank you for giving more details about this greenhouse! Would you be able to explain more of the technical science about this greenhouse / what you can grow over the winter in it? Can you grow warm weather crops all year long in this greenhouse? Thanks for all you do!

[@offgridcurtisstone]

All depends on how much sun we get.

[@elijahgoodfarm9101]

Wow Curis thank you for sharing!! I am building a space in alaska based of some of the design ideas of earthships.. really cool to share your project thank you. Elijah

[@catherinegrace2366]

Congratulations!

[@cjfredi]

Awesome. Thank you CS.

[@TheRealMercyofGod]

I love this ! Pure motivation 🙏🏼❤💯

[@healthfullivingify]

Excellent job as always, Curtis. Thanks for sharing your design.

[@FeralGypsy]

I'd love to live in this! Maybe do glass block half or three quarter walls for separation of living areas. I LOVE this design!

[@jasonostler1298]

Bomber video, absolutely love the content...

[@creativeminds3220]

I love your well thought out plan. At zone 0 full food security, I'm just loving it! Would you consider selling the blueprints for the geothermal greenhouse/workshop/garage/home combo? Thank you for this very informative walkabout. Greetings from Ontario.

[@paulmaxwell8851]

Excellent video and great greenhouse!

[@amarketing8749]

Great video, with a lot of in depth detail on the build!! One question, those European Style Windows don't have screens. Are pests not a problem in your area?? I would be afraid to lose all my produce to pests or get an infestation in this very nice greenhouse.

[@jenniferpackard6558]

This is the best plan I've seen. Would you consider a book or booklet explaining all the aspects of the build?

[@offgridcurtisstone]

We're planning to do a course on it.

[@jenniferpackard6558]

@@offgridcurtisstone Thanks for the reply! I hope I will have access to it then.

[@david-kg5jz]

It would be awesome if you made the plans for this open source! 🙏🙏

[@FeralGypsy]

I think he does this as kind of his way of making a living so open source would benefit you, not him

[@chadfellers9128]

Have you thought about reversing you fans has it get too warm to pump cooler heavier air in the top of the space and help cool it, similar to the way they cool earthships

[@rossmackintosh7683]

I recently found your channel, well.. knew it existed but did not dive in due to lack of time. I too have designed a passive solar green house based on stuff I have read over the lest 3 years. Funny that it also it strikingly similar to what you have and even in size. Construction of that will be 2024 also due to my lack of time! I came to the conclusion to use 12” headers under ground as most do not. I did some math and figured most were lot large enough to avoid forced air, glad to find you did the same. Not sure I’ll add a sun bathing area but noted the micro greens for chickens that we will make room for in it as now we do it in the house and its a bit of a pain. Great content Thanks. I understand the huge effort to produce these videos

[@hobocyclist]

Super nice 👍

[@dklurf]

This is just ultra nice. You can do it cheaper. Cob is good for thermal mass. Black Water tanks are also good for thermal mass. Instead of walls you can use more poly. I wonder if you can use that humidity to grow tropical fruit? You’d be the only one with mangos in you area lol.

[@daveyboy8907]

Do you have lots of humidity problems?? What kind of dehumidifier do you use?

[@andrewsheets9966]

Awesome greenhouse. I have been in the passive solar greenhouse in boulder at golden hoof farm, place was awesome, lots of tropical fruit. Have you ever looked at solawrap product as a covering for the top?

[@fmcdomer]

This is the dream folks

[@mervynshute880]

Can you please, temperature readings for outside , inside . Fan on , and fan off. Just wondering about the cost, and noise, by running the fan. Does the heat rise enough without running the fan? How often do you run a fan for putting air in between the polythene. Can you talk about how this is done and sealing the sheets . Also when replacing the sheets; it cannot be one big sheet, how many sheet compartments are there?

[@Faithful_Tribe]

Would be curious your experience sun-bathing under panels like these-and what your vitamin-D levels are. Would be a good Winter project kit: to do a small greenhouse panel sun-tanning lean-to.

[@alainprostbis]

just a quick question Curtis that i hope you would answer. i am not in the same climate as you are and so my goal is slightly different. here you show whats happening on a clear day with minus 4 degrees celsius oustide, and the inside is upwards 15 C. what would be the temperature at the end of the night when it is minus 4 outside? (that is the lowest temperature we usually get in the south of france). meaning what would the climate battery alone do, without the greenhouse effect of the sun:light of day. cheers!

[@noodle3768]

Anyone thought about burying radiant heat pipes in groud, and use radiator to exchange heat inside the greenhouse? Is that easier to build?

[@kentmorgan9464]

Try using a Heat Recovery Ventilation Unit to bring in fresh air in the cool of winter and keep the humidity down.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Did you that on yours?

[@Chris-nt9lk]

I moved a couple of years ago to 40 acres in the Cariboo, the house and 10 acres of the yard is on a nice south slope where the other 30 acres is in the valley bottom. i would love a passive solar heated green house. How cold are you getting inside the green house mid winter when its -20 to -25 for longer periods of time? I am assuming I could make it a three season greenhouse, but keeping things alive in the dead of winter, I am unsure about without a lot of supplemented heating.

[@dutchmiller704]

Wow!,,

[@libbyhicks7549]

Hey Curtis, they took down your live stream video today. I missed part of it and tried to rewind. that is the second time they've done that.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

All on Rumble.

[@tobiasklazar8006]

Would be possible to get building plans for this building?

[@offgridcurtisstone]

What are you willing to pay?

[@noodle3768]

In a cloudy winter day, how many degrees can the greenhouse warm up comparing to outside?

[@offgridcurtisstone]

It depends on a lot of variables. It have never frozen without any heat and -30c outside.

[@bobsmithers]

Did you have to take your bank manager out for weekly diners or just throw cash at this size of project? The bank manager in my area have been hanging guys on projects then going back with his realtor buddy and buying in company names. This corruptions is beyond. Enjoy sowing your seeds Curtis!

[@Hlutea-Hmar]

???

[@Usonian7]

Would ever consider a replacing the poly roof for a glass one? The view would be astonishing. What would the other pros and cons be?

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Hell no. Cost, difficulty of installation, danger if it breaks. Not even close to being worth it.

[@Usonian7]

@@offgridcurtisstone lol, sweet and simple. Crazy synchronicity, I watched you several years, then found Owen. To realize you're in the same camp is an awesome confirmation that I'm listening to the right guys. -Usonianbear

[@silverbackag9790]

@@offgridcurtisstone what about polycarbonate? Two layers top and bottom of the rafters for insulation. Probably would need a blower for occasional use in case condensation build up.

[@dantheman9135]

Crush it

[@adamwallace8082]

Maybe I'm wrong but, I'm surprised you can't reverse the flow of your climate battery so that in the summer you are sucking cooler air from the ground, to regulate your greenhouse.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

You can, but it’s only effective to a certain point.

[@chinchillaruby4170]

watching this series in reverse order.

[@Kush-fw4fr]

They make solar powered minisplits you could hang on the collar ties might want to look into them

[@thinginthewoods1414]

Every school in Canada should have one of these. End of story.

[@cletushatfield8817]

Why? They'll have crickets.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Exactly. If your kids are in school, they'll be eating bugs and going to drag queen pedophile time.

[@harmonicliving3507]

Like

[@MicroUrb]

Curtis, when you say you are 20 feet wide, you just mean the greenhouse itself, right? You are not including the garage, it can't be including the garage. Also, why a six foot deep floor to bury your climate battery? Is it the way to do it for your climate zone or some other reason?

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Ya, the greenhouse. Deeper the climate battery, the more heat you can store.

[@MicroUrb]

@@offgridcurtisstone Ahh, beautiful thanks. I am not going to lie I am wishing I took the course with you and Rob Avis right about now regarding passive solar greenhouses, oh well. Thanks again brother.

[@doriangrey4582]

all of this for 3 tomato a year.Great!

[@g.p.3844]

2:20 check that spot again, its manufactured wrong, the wood at that spot will rot within 3 years.

[@eswainz]

Kinda looks like that video clip was taken mid construction,, the finished outside doesn't show the exposed wood

[@kerrytoby7041]

I would consider your greenhouse a multi functional space so fully a greenhouse but most of the $ are justifiable even if it was not used for a greenhouse at all. Almost any space with those environmental and open light components are justifiable.

[@Chickenjoe_99]

How come I never see anyone apply this idea inside their house, I have seen similar ideas but nothing identical to this

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Because it creates a lot of humidity that it can compromise the construction.

[@Chickenjoe_99]

@@offgridcurtisstone understandable but what if the pipes were run under a slab and just the radiant heat was used not the air

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Same problem. That doesn’t change that much.

[@Chickenjoe_99]

@@offgridcurtisstone so a better idea would to just build a south facing trombe wall for a house

[@offgridcurtisstone]

@@Chickenjoe_99 Just put the big windows on the south side of the house.

[@dantheman9135]

Get healthier building and growing 💪see your Chiropractor and Crush on

[@kermitfrog8340]

Hey I recently found your channel and was impressed by your greenhouse build however it soon turned evident you are bitter about people and their comments. Are you an actor like Trudeau? You do know what projection is right? Like if you describe people as being armchair and you express the questions as comming off as angry etc ypu are projecting that about them. You could have comments turned off if you did not want any or you could learn to put your ego aside. I think when people ask a legit question like why you went with a smaller generator or this or that you can not tell the expressions or manner or facial expressions etc that they use. So if you feel attacked or criticized or better than others because you went off grid and some of them haven't remember life is short you can build a castle on the earth but you can not take it with you. You are surrounded by beauty, mellow out.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Sounds like you're feeling attacked. I find that really only the armchair quarter backs get offended.

[@JoanieCarey]

Curtis!! Love the tie collar idea for vertical growing capacity.. AND SWINGS. I did the same thing in my 12x16 winter greenhouse. Check it out @tjc.ranchandmarket Great run down of this construction. Taking notes for my next project.