when to put up greenhouse?

[ohiogoatgirl]

hello! i'm in ohio. our last frost here is about april 15. right now we have about a foot of snow. four days ago it was 66* F and i was hiking around barefoot. my greenhouse is 5x5 ft and 6.5 ft high. got it from lowes for christmas. but i dont know when to put it up... it says its a pop-up. i want to put it up permanently and put wood inside to make it nice and stable. what do y'all think?

 

[Collector]

If you have a spot prepared for it you can put it up when the snow melts. Framing on the inside sounds like a good plan if you want to make it permanent structure. Good luck with it.

 

[chris09]

I am in NE Ohio and I would say as soon as you can prepare the area put it up.
I have a 10x15 A-Frame greenhouse and plan on planting seed in it within a week or two.


Chris

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

thanks
i dont have a way to heat it
does that make a difference
i have no greenhouse experience
yet

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

well i'm putting it up today. all the snow is melted. putting in 4 metal t-posts at the corners and adding more tie downs. i'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[lesa]

If you grab a thermometer (I got a big one at the dollar store), you will get an idea how your temps are in there....That will make it easier to judge when you are in the "safe" zone! Happy Gardening!

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

well i put it up yesterday. yesterday the temp was upper 30s and the temp in the greenhouse was 60* F. this morning at about 10:30 AM the temp was 60* F. so that means the temp stays about 20* higher than the outside temp. me and dad are gonna build shelves for it today. i have a little thermometer in it from the dollar store.

 

[sheaviance1]

Oh! I want a greenhouse so bad! If I had received one for Christmas, it would probably have been up that evening Have fun with it!

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

i wanted to put it up on christmas! i just love it! well i put my window box in the greenhouse last night. it had a few green bean plants in it that were from a sprouting test i did.
well they died... so that means its freezing in there at night right? because they were 100% dead.

what can i put in there to keep it warm at night that doesnt need plugged in? because it is set up in the garden so its like way too far for an extension cord, and i dont have anything to put in there even if it was closer. so what can i do?

i was thinking of how in earthship houses some have packed tires in the walls and they soak up heat all day and slowly let it into the house at night. how can i do something like this in my greenhouse?

thanks!

 

[lesa]

Don't be too discouraged...it is probably a little early for you. What about covering the plants inside with a blanket- or covering the outside of the greenhouse (if it is not huge). Thermal mass is good- if you have room for it. Black painted jugs filled with water, for instance.
How about trying something out there, that is not too delicate. Like lettuce, or spinach?
You can also use it to "grow" things during the daylight hours and then bring them in, when the weather prediction is cold. It is a lot of exercise and a PITA, but it will keep the seedlings safe- and give you nice sunlight during the day.
Hang in there- spring is coming!