It took us 4 weeks to get the thing built, but this little slice of heaven will allow me to grow all year long. It also lets me protect my plants from certain household cats. ahem.
The kit was delivered in a very small (but heavy) box & just as we were preparing to build it, I threw my back out. So the kit sat for 3 weeks until friends lovingly came over to help build it.
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I did a little shopping around before I bought this one, scouring the usual online discount spots. Amazon, Overstock, Wayfair.... I ended up buying it through Jet.com but it came via Wayfare. Of course, the very same model greenhouse was $100 more on Wayfare.com (go figure). Final cost was $517, but I got $25 Jet cash (which I used to buy, you guessed it, toilet paper. LOTS and lots of toilet paper. Naturally). Plus I used Ebates and got 2.5% cash back (so, about $13).
This is a Palram Hybrid kit, which means the roof has twin-walled panels but the sides are single walled—something I can get away with in zone 7. My mom is in zone 5 and had to have twin walls PLUS insulation PLUS a heat source, but they get below 0 temps & we rarely get below 20.
Since we don't have electricity running to it, I insulated it with a layer of translucent bubble wrap—all the hardware store had was green or pink. I toiled over the decision but felt pink was so last year. Besides it would make the greenery feel a bit putrid, and putrid greenery is so two and half years ago.
Anyway, I taped the (green) bubble wrap up on three sides, and put a layer of reflective bubble wrap on the North side. In addition, we're utilizing thermal mass (4 inches of rock and pavers, as well as a 55 gallon drum of water plus an extra 11 gallons in the form of recycled milk jugs filled with water). This helps to regulate temps & keep it above freezing. So far we've had several nights that have dipped into 20s and the greenhouse has stayed above 40. I did have to put in an automatic window opener because it got warm enough to fry a couple of my plants while I was gone over the holiday.
We've had a fairly warm November—last week I went in and the thermometer said it was 158 degrees. This was before the 55 gallon drum & automatic window opener were installed. Thankfully, the lowest temp was 41 (on a night that it got to below freezing). The water helps regulate the temperatures on both ends so it doesn't get too hot or too cold inside. (I'll let you know how it goes when we hit January and our coldest temps.)
It's situated in one of the sunnier spots in our yard (which isn't saying much—but it's sunny enough to keep it sweltering inside when it's a bit nippy out).
My next project is to build a cold frame just outside the south-facing wall (where the cardboard bits are). I'm hoping the two will serve to keep each other a bit warmer. Plus, I'll have space to harden off plants without worrying about my absolutely normal sized feet tripping over them.
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