Removable Panels?
Printer-friendly versionAt the risk of sounding silly, I have a unique design question...
Has anyone heard of/tried a gh design that allows for transparent "panels" that could be added or removed as the seasons change? I'm talking about basically a frame with a permanent angled south-facing wall (obviously, clear). Then "side" and "roof" panels constructed of lightweight frame material and greenhouse film. These panels get attached to the frame in some tight/airtight fashion when conditions warrant it. The reason for this seemingly outlandish idea is based on these things that I've learned from reading and researching (some of these assumptions may be misguided, but that's why I'm asking):
1) it seems as though, during the summer, most greenhouses get too hot to grow plant inside unless you have shading material or even more elaborate cooling systems.
2) wind circulation has many beneficial affects on plants, from pollination to drying leaves and preventing diseases, etc.
3) most of the plants I want to grow do just fine outdoors, except that our growing season is so short (Colorado) that cooler weather sometimes hits too soon to maximize crop yield ("crop yield" sounds like I've got a farm - I'm really only talking about several raised garden beds).
So, after getting some good information on this forum and thinking it over, I'm wondering why not build the frame, but leave it pretty much open to the element through most of the growing season. As cooler nights threaten, I add the "walls" and possibly the "roof" (this would be hinged to continue to allow for ventilation, as necessary) to just lengthen the year. Not interested at this point in trying to grow things over the winter.
It's difficult to describe exactly what I'm envisioning, but hopefully you get the idea and may have input. Thanks for any thoughts,
eric
I was thinking along the same lines and was looking at a soluion involving some cheap patio sliding doors. Just mount them at a 45 deg (or whatever) angle for the south facing side and use another set for the back wall. Open them up when you want circulation.
This would certainly be something you could do, and would be best accomplished with greenhouse film (from a cost and ease standpoint). In fact it's something people do fairly often. You could even do it with polycarbonate panels, but of course it would be quite a bit more expensive. :D
Something also to think about is either inflatable side curtains or rollup side curtains. That way you don't have to bother with taking apart and putting together half your greenhouse every 6 months.
Of course, I'm not entirely sure these would be substantially more cost efficient than getting fans/shutters/cool cell. This solution would probably run you about $1,500 give or take.