Small Greenhouse Tour & Tips

GROW YOUR OWN Foodscape and organic garden in your frontyard.
foodscapingutah.org
We take a quick tour showing our 6ft x 8ft (1.8 x 2.4 meters) greenhouse made by Palram. The video features our rain catchment system and barrel, solar panels for fans, two citrus trees (meyer lemon and mandarin orange), and our vegetable seed starting station. We discuss numerous tips for a small hobby greenhouse including adding insulation, strategies for passive solar heat collection with milk jugs and geothermal, building a strong foundation, picking a good location, and venting.
Learn more about Foodscaping Utah at foodscapingutah.org

[@HalsPals]

We just finished putting up a 6'x6' similar model and I was searching for some tips. This is the only practical video that I've found that actually answered our questions. Thank you.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

So glad it was helpful.

[@sharonhamilton6107]

Was it expensive to build?? And in winter?? How to heat it??

[@sarahkirbach5040]

The gentleman doing the touring did a great job. At first I thought you were a kid you just look so young

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thanks!!

[@heidijones580]

I'm in Utah too so this is perfect information for me, my husband just got me a 10'x6.5' greenhouse for Christmas and I am so excited to get it up and use it.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Great! Glad it’s helpful.

[@jameswilliams4351]

Excellent questions

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thank you.

[@jaybirdgarden]

That’s really cool! It seems like you’re going for a passive-solar greenhouse setup which is exactly what I want to do. I think a more insulated greenhouse is best for colder climates like ours. So the glazing on the north wall and the lower couple of feet of all the other walls could be just wood/insulation to try to keep the heat in.

[@paulsingh5579]

Excellent Video! I have the same exact greenhouse here in Maryland. Bubble wrapped (including a reflective wall on the North side, 10,10 gal black buckets filled with water, and a mulched leaf/grass clippings compost bin attached to the north side with a vent. Hoping it will be enough for the mild winters here! The compost bin I just checked this morning and the center is 130 degrees F!

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Awesome!!

[@smshh33]

Answered all my questions. Perfect 👍🏾

[@joannc147]

Excellent! Thank you for posting.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Our pleasure!

[@Thankful_.]

Soooo awesome!! 😊

[@RealBradMiller]

This is the stuff I'm looking for! Low cost, fun to do, and accomplish a goal! I'm having issues with my small polytunnel( had to downgrade from a large one) and I think I should have gone a step up and gotten an aluminum and plastic panel greenhouse. Maybe this summer/fall!

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Sounds good. Hope it goes well!

[@mnbotanicals]

The water jugs are a great idea, definitely trying that!

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Glad to help!

[@HankLazerFromTV]

Got the same greenhouse and just completed here in Takoma Park MD. Thanks for the helpful tips

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Great. Glad to help!

[@rominhawk3949]

Thanks for a very good presentation. Liked very much.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mishajones2635]

Thank you for this video.

[@hansiesma16]

Thanks. Very interesting.

[@GOK_333]

Fantastic!🙋🏻‍♀️

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thanks!

[@sjcsystems]

Thanks for posting, that's very interesting. Ref the jugs, you can also put a teaspoon of salt in the water in case freezing is a concern, but before screwing the lid down squeeze a little so there is some expansion room.

[@loriplakos8307]

My understanding is it’s the sun/heat breaking down the plastic, not the cold.

[@JAllen-tx3di]

Great Tip!

[@MaiNguyen-bq6gl]

Thanks Best Greenhouse

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thanks!

[@lorraineshobajo7648]

I purchased the exact same green house! The best investment of my garden so far. I put all my strawberry container plants in it and they took of with super growth of which I have never seen as long as I’ve had them m. So I’ve put more plants and all my seed starts in it! It going to be good for my cool weather crops in the fall and winter months to come.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Fantastic!

[@sharonhamilton6107]

I want year round fresh veggies.. So you reccogmend??

[@GardenParasolsSarika]

Great protection for plants.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Yes, thanks

[@PrairieJournals]

Well done🙌

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thanks! 🙌

[@BadAssConcealed]

We have the same green house, it was a pain to set up, I am new to the greenhouse lifestyle we put our up on some wood so it stands about 9' tall. I love it, thanks for the video

[@foodscapingutah5239]

You're welcome!

[@GagnonJY]

Good video!👍

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thanks!

[@pattivincent9412]

Thank you!

[@acisclolallave1527]

I live in north central north carolina and I cover my 10x14 greenhous with a couple layers of pool solar covers. Nothing more than a big bubble wrap. Inside I place stray bales under the benches. I grow orchids and these things keep the greenhouse warm enough that during a power failure I don't have to worry about heat.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

The pool solar covers are a great idea!

[@theredman101]

Thanks for the video! I think I'm going to try out your lava rock trick.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Great!

[@CAgrandaddypurps69]

Nice i have that same green house here in hawaii. Usually just use it to start fragile seedlings so birdS and rats don't destroy them Until there a true leaf size. Then i move everything to my 30 ft by 60 ft green House. But i start thousands of seeds in that little bugger. Does the job. Great video. Much love from mountain view, big island Hawaii. Keep it up

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thank you! 🙌

[@JoshuaCussins]

I like the water thermal heat storage idea in gallon milk jugs. Just make sure they're organic milk jugs, lol jk. I actually did a similar think with a big pvc pipe that I had mounted high, hanging from the ceiling. The idea was to to pump water from a storage tank up thru the hot water tank, this warms the water a little before watering, there's is a thermostat switch in the warm water tank that automatically switches on when the water reaches a set temp to keep water from getting too hot.

[@CheezNrice4u]

Can you talk more about your rain barrel set up please? 😊

[@acavemancandoityoutube]

Great vid guys! I’m green with envy

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thanks!

[@charlesothuon4843]

Cool video

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Charles Othuon Thanks!

[@charlesothuon4843]

@@foodscapingutah5239 thanks 👍🤩

[@CheezNrice4u]

I have this greenhouse set up just this year, but we have the opposite problem here in Central TX 😅

[@jojojeep1]

Harbor freight sells a 10 x 12 for $600 maybe a little more that’s the one my wife and I are thinking about, of course we have to reinforce it nothings good from the factory

[@Sherman1862]

Awesome Video! I'm in the Market for a Greenhouse.. Was looking at The Eagle Peak pop up ones as It's not too expensive and if i need to take it down in Summer to move it I can.. Was looking at the 12x8 one as I can use it for storage too.. Anyone out there have an Eagle Peak? Wondering if the 12X8 one might be too large? I live in the SF Bay Area and it doesn't get too cold here.. But we do get a hard freeze from time to time.. Anyway! Thanks for all the great tips and Green House Tour!!! : )

[@valeriepawelczyk7635]

Curious of the best type of paint for the milk jugs? Love this idea for adding heat as in zone 7a here!

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Great! -We don't know much about how different paints hold up, good question! We just went with what we had available. The paint has definitely lasted longer than the milk jugs. We have to replace the ones that get the most sun every year or two. -I'd recommend not filling them quite full to allow for expansion and contraction.

[@naturalworld702]

Good joob👍

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Thanks!

[@boytoy7605]

Pretty cool you must be in a colder place to have to keep it warm I'm in southern California so I have the opposite problem I need to keep it cool.

[@boytoy7605]

Oh duh Utah

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Yes, we get some cold in Utah in the winter for sure! ...pretty hot in the summer though.

[@connieefurulee]

I know this is an older post. But I have been searching for info on greenhouses gutters to collect rain water. Would you post a link to the gutters you used. And how did you attach it to your greenhouse. Thanks in advance for your reply.

[@johndean5860]

Please do a video on the arbor

[@foodscapingutah5239]

It’s in the works! ...thanks for the suggestion

[@lydiao1971]

Awesome video. I do have a question. I have the same greenhouse and how did you connect the greenhouse plastic into the corners as the corners do not have the slots to use those twist things. I have tried tape but they fall apart?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Hmmm, good question. If you mean the extra greenhouse plastic (polyethylene) film, we did tape it on, but I think we used greenhouse tape. Strong tape that holds up to the temperature and moisture swings well.

[@randycampbell7828]

I am looking for plans on how to build a simple green house out of PVC.

[@Mark-te8ky]

what kind of heating system do you use?

[@thunderrollsmedia]

What is your growing zone? Utah is warmer than Colorado

[@michaellawrence905]

How did you anchor the frame to the 4x6 wood? Did you have to drill holes in the frame? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Good question! No, the greenhouse came with holes pre-made for securing it to a foundation. We bought lag screws and put one in every hole. I can't remember the spacing of the holes but there were a lot of them, all the way around the foundation.

[@imanboostyt]

I believe if you keep the milk jugs 90% filled it can keep them from breaking.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Good idea! Thanks! It might help them last longer. The sun is so intense though that they might still fall apart fairly fast.

[@loriplakos8307]

You might consider 5 gallon cans painted black. Ask a local restaurant who might use the large containers.

[@brandonbenscoter509]

Can you explain which direction your greenhouse faces and/or which side you insulated? i.e. north wall of greenhouse?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Yes! The long open side faces south and the heavily insulated side (that also has the painted milk jugs) is the north wall. The front door faces east.

[@djf2918]

Very Good video but I'm more interested in using horizontal PC pipe to grow veggies because of the space factor.. Any advice? I'm relocating to Columbia Tenn. Not sure on weather parameters in that area.. Really want a H O A approved Alum & plexi & somewhat wind resistant. Thanks, DjF

[@foodscapingutah5239]

No problem. Here's our PVC low tunnel that might interest you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4TPeah_q8hrfs0&lc=UgyVhae-wG-WWj7Kw5B4AaABAg

[@redwasp1000]

What about snow load on the roof? Do you have to clean the roof off from snow?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

The roof candle the snow we get here in Utah and it is steep enough that the snow slides off as soon as the sun comes out. Sometimes I brush off a little snow in the morning just so it will generate it will generate some solar heat during the day and the citrus can get some sun, but you wouldn’t have to do that.

[@zaypeaceIslamstories]

Fan attached to the solar panel can you put link to it etc and battery and any attachments plz

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Here's a link to the 12v oscillating fan we've been using: amzn.to/3jvRbM1 There's nothing special about it, but it seems to work fine. The fan in the PVC pipe is just a cheap computer fan. The solar panels are connected to a 12v deep cycle battery and they have a charge controller. If you want to create that sort of set up, you'll want to research DIY solar power.

[@Aestheticnerdlife]

If you lived in the canyon right below Ogden I'd imagine that plus your regular house would blow away. Every morning I drove through there it tried to throw my car into the other lane.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Yes. The mouth of the canyons are crazy windy!

[@verawallace9055]

That's sounds real Scary 🙄

[@sansam64]

What did you use to line your both wall? Just bubble wrap?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Hi! For the south facing wall and south sloping roof we used greenhouse plastic and it also extends to the highest part of the north sloping roof. In the apex of the roof we adding cheap large bubble bubble wrap to add an extra layer at that highest point. The north wall is really well insulated with reflective aluminum bubble insulation plus actual fiberglass insulation in between the milk jug shelving and the wall. The aluminum reflective insulation extends up the north sloping roof as well. We also added some window film insulation to the door and the far wall. (a real DIY job all over 😂). Hope this helps!

[@GunninWizard]

Link to that greenhouse?

[@asmabegum8674]

Hiya please can you tell me how do you collect rain water in the barrel

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Yes. The greenhouse has little rain gutters that drip into our 5 gallon buckets that I later dump into the barrel in the greenhouse. I have thought about trying to put a line through one of the walls that would allow it to feed directly into the barrel, but haven't gotten to that project yet. Dumping the buckets hasn't been too bad.

[@rubirodriguez3124]

Could you tell me the name of the solar panel fan? I/m setting up a greenhouse like that but in Florida so I need to be able to cool it. Thanks!

[@11thHourCreator]

Yes, I would like to know also.

[@timmeier8863]

I have a 6x4 greenhouse, love it , Reno NV. Only asking to better understand, my problem is nobody ever talks about the water jugs temperature?and how long temp in jugs last , during the winter my greenhouse only gets to maybe 70 with blankets off , so temps in jugs can’t get above 70 or close , so how long will that help when sun goes down and biggest problem is 1 hour before sunrise, I do have 600 watts of solar and battery bank , but always looking to improve, I do have solar can heating for during the day for fresh air (not to turn on heaters and use batteries) as long as the sun is out , pretty awesome stuff , but can’t justify the space for water containers just yet , I know they cannot last until sunrise, need some numbers

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Those are really good questions! I haven't taken more than a few temperature readings on the jugs of water, so it might be worth getting more numbers to know how much they help. In general, our system stays 5-15 degrees above outdoor temps all the way through sunrise. The 5-15 range depends on how much sun we get during the day and even the next day. Two or more cloudy or snowy days in a row definitely exhausts most of the passive stored heat.

[@timmeier8863]

@@foodscapingutah5239 thanks for getting back, I keep my greenhouse setting at 65 on and 70 off for first stage heat , 2- 250 watt heaters ( 500watts ) second stage on at 62 also 2- 250 watt heaters , I like the small amount of watt heaters so as not to have on/off problems which really kills battery bank and not subject plants to highs and lows , at 19 degrees first stage runs 500 watts and does good job and second stage cycles on/ off so far without problems , I do have small fans that come on with grow lite during cloudy days and fans that come on with heaters as to not have any space that gets neglected, (cold/hot spots )and with push sensors can actually tell when and how long heaters are on for

[@welsh_vegan_allotment_holder]

Can I ask if this the palram harmony greenhouse? Thanks for the video.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Sure, yes it is! Palram Harmony 6x8.

[@welsh_vegan_allotment_holder]

@@foodscapingutah5239 thanks for the reply. I'm thinking of getting a palram harmony 6x4 for my garden. It looks great. Cheers from Wales.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

@@welsh_vegan_allotment_holder Cheers

[@wherethewildberreysgrow7443]

How do you keep your rainwater barrel from getting a bunch of nasty stuff in it?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

It has a screen to keep bugs out. It might grow a little algae from time to time. We do rinse it out once a year, usually in the fall when it’s already empty after summer.

[@TheSassiMe]

When did you begin to grow the lemons and mandarin? I have seedlings of lemons currently....

[@foodscapingutah5239]

We got them in early 2017. We moved them to larger pots last year. They are both dwarf varieties. It is fun to get some fruit off of them for sure.

[@krane15]

What are the pests like in your green house?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Hi! We have had very little pest pressure in the greenhouse. We are careful to not bring any plants or soil from outside of the greenhouse into it. The exception to that is our citrus trees, which live in pots outside in the summer and in the greenhouse in the winter. One spring we did have a build up of aphids on our citrus. We released some ladybugs in it which seemed to be effective.

[@lillycarpenter1048]

What kind of solar panel do you have

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Next to the greenhouse, we have a 30watt panel and a 20w panel. Purchased the 20w panel first and then found out we need more. They are inexpensive panels. Goliath brand in this case but really there are probably better ones now.

[@bizzynails360]

Theres a better jug thatll hold better/longer. Theyre the ones without the handle.

[@jaimanlive]

What's the temperature there?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

USDA Climate Zone 6b-7a (ave coldest temp of the year is 0F), but.it's a semi-arid intermountain climate with hot, dry summers.

[@sharonhamilton6107]

So reguardless I can grow citrus??

[@foodscapingutah5239]

Hi Sharon, I don’t quite understand your question ... regardless of what are you asking?

[@bashaberl1428]

What zone are you in?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

We are technically in Zone 6b by USDA Zones but it is an intermountain arid climate.

[@janewolf4541]

You must not have strong winds there. With the plastic.

[@foodscapingutah5239]

We don't have wind year round, but we do have a fair amount of wind every spring and a couple major wind storms typically in May. A few years ago we had gusts over 90 mph and didn't have any damage. We did quite a bit of extra work to make sure it was well anchored.

[@ahicken9631]

What zone are you in?

[@foodscapingutah5239]

We are in Zone 6b. It's a semi-arid intermountain climate. Pretty cold in the winter with snow but many sunny days. Summers are hot and very dry, no clouds for months.