Greenhouse suggestions

[Daethen]

We have a friend of our family who loves my enthusiasm for growing things. He also happens to be wealthy. It looks like he may be willing to help me get a greenhouse. The ones he has found are all clear plastic. Not plastic sheeting, but hard walled. My question is, before he goes and purchases one does anyone know what I should be looking at to be useful year round in Wisconsin? I know what he is thinking of won't stay warm enough in the winter months. Does anyone know where a good place to get one would be or if there are plans out there to build your own? I would love it if he were to help me, but it does no good if I have to bring everything in during the winter. Advice, please.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Do a search, Jonada, here in the forum. There are several threads on what to do and what one would need to build a greenhouse.

Good luck and congratulations!

Cheers,
BD

[cindiras]

I have been working in the Horticulture building on Iowa State University's campus for the last two months. They have taken down a half dozen older greenhouses built in 1903-1908 and are going to put in two large greenhouses to replace them. Some of the plans I have overheard are using underfloor heating ( those plastic hose systems, I forget what they are called), Height of a greenhouse should be at minimum 16 feet for proper air circulation.
They were also talking about cooling in summer, but they were using terms I am not familiar with and it went (zip*) right over my head.

[Daethen]

Thanks, Cindi.

[cindiras]

I also heard that a couple of the small old units they took down were going to be sold at Iowa State University's surplus sale. but that was before they discovered the old original caulk contained asbestos and they had to call in an abatement crew to remove it. So I don't know if the steel frames and glass panels are going to be sold or not. anyway, they were 25 feet long.

[Daethen]

Cindi, that would be pretty awesome to get ahold of. I do stained glass work and have done construction and painting (houses and commercial) for much of my life. If they decided to sell the parts, I could take care of assembly and replacing the caulk. Keep me informed.

[cindiras]

You can keep an eye on it yourself at their web site. Iowa State University gets you on Iowa State's page, choose c from the alphabet listings and look for Central Stores. This is the group that handles surplus sales. This may be something they would put out to bid soit's worth checking out. I know the Ag college is getting the two largest of the old greenhouses.

[Daethen]

Cool. Thanks Cindi

[cindiras]

Bad news Jonada! I checked with one of the Horticulture professors when I could not find a listing for greenhouses or greenhouse materials in the surplus ad. The smaller greenhouses were the older ones. They ended up discarding them because of the asbestos contamination and the steel framing had rusted away at the base. He suggested I look for an article in the Iowa Horticulturist (magazine) from 2003 or 2004 for an article on building a home greenhouse by Mark Hoffman and Cindy Hoyes. I'll try to find a copy to share.

[Daethen]

You are going above and beyond. Thanks so very much!!!