Greenhouses

[Southern Elk]

We have done without vegetable gardening for 9 years since moving to Montana. We miss it and I am considering building a greenhouse. We live at 6,000 ft elevation on the side of a mountain, so I feel like it’s our only option. Does anyone have tips on materials, size, design, etc? What about kits that you can order and assemble onsite? This all new to me. We never had to use a greenhouse down south. It’s windy here, so whatever I do needs to be sturdy.

 

[Nick87]

@brymoore

 

[Nick87]

We have done without vegetable gardening for 9 years since moving to Montana. We miss it and I am considering building a greenhouse. We live at 6,000 ft elevation on the side of a mountain, so I feel like it’s our only option. Does anyone have tips on materials, size, design, etc? What about kits that you can order and assemble onsite? This all new to me. We never had to use a greenhouse down south. It’s windy here, so whatever I do needs to be sturdy.

I wish you luck, I cant imagine not having garden fresh tomatoes. One of the simplest pleasures in life.

 

[Southern Elk]

I wish you luck, I cant imagine not having garden fresh tomatoes. One of the simplest pleasures in life.

My family loves tomatoes. We used to make all sorts of things with them. My wife makes good salsa.

 

[Straight Arrow]

We have done without vegetable gardening for 9 years since moving to Montana. We miss it and I am considering building a greenhouse. We live at 6,000 ft elevation on the side of a mountain, so I feel like it’s our only option. Does anyone have tips on materials, size, design, etc? What about kits that you can order and assemble onsite? This all new to me. We never had to use a greenhouse down south. It’s windy here, so whatever I do needs to be sturdy.

Check out the link below, featuring greenhouses designed for and manufactured in Montana.

Undercover Agriculture - Greenhouses, High Tunnels, and Outdoor Structures.

www.undercoverag.com

 

[mtmuley]

We have done without vegetable gardening for 9 years since moving to Montana. We miss it and I am considering building a greenhouse. We live at 6,000 ft elevation on the side of a mountain, so I feel like it’s our only option. Does anyone have tips on materials, size, design, etc? What about kits that you can order and assemble onsite? This all new to me. We never had to use a greenhouse down south. It’s windy here, so whatever I do needs to be sturdy.

Aren't you a builder? Do what you want. mtmuley

 

[Southern Elk]

Aren't you a builder? Do what you want. mtmuley

Never built one. Would like some recommendations on sizes, designs, and materials. Thanks for your help though.

 

[mtmuley]

Never built one. Would like some recommendations on sizes, designs, and materials. Thanks for your help though.

Didn't mean to offend. I'd head to nurserys in the area and ask questions. mtmuley

 

[cgasner1]

I think a green house is kinda like a shop or a shed and bigger is better. I was actually asking a girl this morning I know about getting my the windows out of sliding glass doors to build one in a year or two.

 

[cgasner1]

Didn't mean to offend. I'd head to nurserys in the area and ask questions. mtmuley

Could always go look at the prebuilt stuff. My father in law is super handy woodworking building things and still bought a pre built

 

[mtmuley]

Could always go look at the prebuilt stuff. My father in law is super handy woodworking building things and still bought a pre built

I couldn't do that. Toyed with the idea of a modular on my property 20 years ago. Stick built it myself. Happy. mtmuley

 

[kwyeewyk]

Check out the sub-frostline concept, I think there are several large ones in Montana. Basic concept is the floor is below the frost line and maintains warm temps in winter/cool in summer, uses a passive ventilation system that pulls through the ground and vents through the peak. I think about 20x30' for minimum size to really be effective as a passive system. Might have to be pretty deep at your elevation though.

 

[cgasner1]

I couldn't do that. Toyed with the idea of a modular on my property 20 years ago. Stick built it myself. Happy. mtmuley

He ran the numbers on all of it and it didn’t really save any money and was dealing with some serious health issues at the time. They are actually quite spendy is you buy that double insulation plastic stuff

 

[Hem]

Sturdy, let light in, let heat out.

 

[Southern Elk]

Could always go look at the prebuilt stuff. My father in law is super handy woodworking building things and still bought a pre built

Some of those fancy looking ones are $10k. I couldn’t do that for a few hundred dollars worth of vegetables.

 

[Gellar]

I wish you luck, I cant imagine not having garden fresh tomatoes. One of the simplest pleasures in life.

I dont eat tomatoes except when they are fresh from the garden.

 

[Nick87]

I dont eat tomatoes except when they are fresh from the garden.

They are in a category all their own for sure.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

YouTube is your friend and build it twice as big as you think you need…you know, kind of like the size of a gun safe

 

[cgasner1]

Some of those fancy looking ones are $10k. I couldn’t do that for a few hundred dollars worth of vegetables.

That plastic they use for insulation is insane for price and a lot of the other things to help regulate the temp are stupid expensive also. I feel the same way about our current garden and all I have to do is haul water for it

 

[Pagosa]

I built a subterriamian greenhouse in 2023 out of insulated concrete forms setting on a 20"x10"footing. The total dimensions is 20 ft by 30 ft. My wife grows peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins and orca and basically any type of hot weather crop. I welded metal trusses and 2x6 purlins with cheap clear poly roof and side panels. They arent cheap but we dont have to heat it and she starts her plants in mid April and we have tomatoes until late Oct. Start onions and coolweather crops im March for a harvest in mid May. We grow carrots, onions, etc outside in raised beds.