Partly to mostly cloudy. High 73F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph..
Partly cloudy skies. Low 57F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
B.J. Stadelman recently bought a small greenhouse from a Big Box store for $360 and is using it to start succulent and cactus plants for his small mobile plant business, Haegur. David Quick/Staff
Retired University of South Carolina law professor Tom Haggard has enjoyed using this small greenhouse not only to start plants from seed, but as a winter refuge from the cold. Provided
Among the plants that retired USC law professor likes to start in his backyard greenhouse are tomatoes. Provided
Jessica Owen, 28, of James Island, is excited about having a newly built greenhouse in the backyard of the house she and Sean McBridge just purchased on Crystal Lake. David Quick/Staff
Karen Coste's greenhouse on Sullivan's Island features doors from the mid-1800s that her husband, Hal Coste, repurposed when building her a greenhouse after she retired as an educator. David Quick/Staff
Trace "Sahaja" Bonner, owner of Holy Cow Yoga, got a simple, 4x6 greenhouse for $450 about four years ago. "I use it mostly in the February through April time, primarily for growing seedlings in the spring ... I love it." David Quick/Staff
B.J. Stadelman is using his small greenhouse as a "propagation station" for succulents and cacti in the sunniest spot of his Wagener Terrace home, the driveway. David Quick/Staff
B.J. Stadelman recently bought a small greenhouse from a Big Box store for $360 and is using it to start succulent and cactus plants for his small mobile plant business, Haegur. David Quick/Staff
Retired University of South Carolina law professor Tom Haggard has enjoyed using this small greenhouse not only to start plants from seed, but as a winter refuge from the cold. Provided
Among the plants that retired USC law professor likes to start in his backyard greenhouse are tomatoes. Provided
Jessica Owen, 28, of James Island, is excited about having a newly built greenhouse in the backyard of the house she and Sean McBridge just purchased on Crystal Lake. David Quick/Staff
Karen Coste's greenhouse on Sullivan's Island features doors from the mid-1800s that her husband, Hal Coste, repurposed when building her a greenhouse after she retired as an educator. David Quick/Staff
Trace "Sahaja" Bonner, owner of Holy Cow Yoga, got a simple, 4x6 greenhouse for $450 about four years ago. "I use it mostly in the February through April time, primarily for growing seedlings in the spring ... I love it." David Quick/Staff
B.J. Stadelman is using his small greenhouse as a "propagation station" for succulents and cacti in the sunniest spot of his Wagener Terrace home, the driveway. David Quick/Staff
Retired University of South Carolina law professor Tom Haggard has a backyard greenhouse for some obvious reasons, including protecting cold-sensitive perennials over the winter and starting plants from seed in late winter, but admits that offers him something else.
“In winter, when it’s been cold, I like going out every morning and sitting in it with my coffee. The earthly, warm, humid smell of it is pure delight,” says Haggard, who is 78.
The avid gardener, who lives in Forest Acres in Columbia, ordered the kit greenhouse, measuring 6 feet by 8 feet, from Park Seed catalog seven years ago. He added fluorescent grow lights to help with the seedlings and uses a small ceramic heater keep temperatures up.
“It’s a very small setup, but provides me with enough plants that I have to give a lot of them away,” says Haggard.
With the end of Daylight Saving Time last week and the second wave of chilly weather this week, avid gardeners in the Palmetto State are shifting their attention to cool-weather plants, preparing for short cold snaps and thinking indoor plants.
For those with greenhouses, ranging from inexpensive kits to handcrafted ones, now through March is prime time.
Kyle Barnette, executive director of the Charleston Horticultural Society, says greenhouses can extend gardening year-round.
“One main reason (to have a greenhouse) is to be able to ‘winter’ your plants. Even in the most temperate zone you risk frost and freeze on winter nights and a well-insulated greenhouse is ideal to save those favorite plants,” says Barnette.
“It’s also a great way to grow from seed all year long which can end up giving you an abundance of plants throughout the full year. Greenhouses are also a great way to harvest fresh vegetables all year round and are excellent test grounds for rare and tropical plants you might like to experiment with and monitor on a regular basis.”
Barnette adds that one benefit that many may not consider is health, noting that studies have shown how both plants and exposure to light during winter can ease seasonal affective disorder, aka SAD.
With increased interests in urban gardening, local food and native, edible and pollinator plant gardening, the potential for greenhouses seems poised to follow the same upward track of the chicken coop.
Cal Looney, owner of Merchney Greenhouses in Liberty, says more people in South Carolina, particularly the urban areas of Greenville, Columbia, Charleston and Hilton Head Island, are interested in growing food and are interested in smaller greenhouses.
Merchney offers 12x12 and 10x10 greenhouses, ranging from $2,500 to $6,300 with accessories, but Looney says his focus remains on larger greenhouses for commercial and institutional customers, including schools such as St. Johns High on Johns Island and Dorman High in Roebuck.
“If you really wanted to promote it (smaller greenhouses) and get them out there, you could sell the heck out of them,” says Looney, who is 36 and been in the greenhouse business for more than a decade. “I don’t try to market to the hobbyist because it would require a call center that could field questions and I’d have to hire five more people to do that.”
When 29-year-old Charleston resident B.J. Stadelman started his mobile plant shop, which he calls Haegur (Icelandic for unhurried, thought-out, measured and quiet), he ran out of room in his house in Wagener Terrace.
“My porch, both front and back, was full. I needed a little greenhouse,” says Stadelman.
So the Millennial recently hit the internet, found a 4x6 Palram model for $340 on the site of a big box store, and ordered it (shipping was free).
“I had to assemble it. I did it alone, but you probably need two people to do it. A few beers in, it took me about five hours to finish,” says Stadelman, who currently has it full with succulent starts.
To catch the most sunlight in his tree-filled yard, Stadelman placed it in the middle of his driveway. He also expects that when it gets below freezing, he may have to put a small heater in the polycarbonate structure.
“It (the greenhouse) is not big at all, but it’s big enough. It’s my propagation station.”
Another option in the lower price range is the manufacturer Flowerhouse, which offers a variety of small greenhouses that pop up, like a tent. As a result, they are portable for locating in different spots of the yard and also may be taken down for summer storage. Visit www.flowerhouses.com for more information.
Just before contractor Adam Martinelli sold his house on Crystal Lake on James Island, he finished a greenhouse out of materials leftover from remodeling jobs.
The beneficiaries of that effort are the new owners, Jessica Owen and Sean McBride, who are excited to have the sturdy, hand-made structure, just feet from the lake. The greenhouse has electricity, running water and plenty of windows for venting in the event it gets too warm.
Owen, a nurse practioner, says they are not experienced gardeners, but this winter they plan to start plants in the greenhouse for the spring. They also bought some citrus trees, some in containers that they can move into the greenhouse if the temperatures drop into the 20s.
McBride adds, “We’re looking forward to doing some gardening.”
Contact David Quick at 843-937-5516. Follow him on Twitter @DavidQuick.
According to Clemson Extension, a home greenhouse can be small and simple, with a minimum investment in materials and equipment, or it can be a fully equipped, fancy, automated conservatory. The greenhouse must, however, provide the proper environment for growing plants.
The greenhouse should be located where it gets maximum sunlight. The first choice of location is the south or the southeast side of a building or shade tree. Sunlight all day is the best, but morning sunlight on the east side is sufficient for plants. An east-side location captures the most November-to-February sunlight.
The next best sites are southwest and west of major structures, where plants receive sunlight later in the day. North of major structures is the least desirable location and is good only for plants that require little light.
Deciduous trees, such as maple and oak, can effectively shade the greenhouse from the intense late afternoon summer sun. Deciduous trees also allow maximum exposure to the winter sun because they shed their leaves in the fall.
Evergreen trees that have foliage year-round should not be located where they will shade the greenhouse because they will block the less-intense winter sun. You should aim to maximize winter sun exposure, particularly if the greenhouse is used all year. Remember that the sun is lower in the southern sky in winter, causing long shadows to be cast by buildings and evergreen trees.
Good drainage is another requirement for the site. When necessary, build the greenhouse above the surrounding ground, so rainwater and irrigation water will drain away. Other site considerations include the light requirements of the plants to be grown; locations of sources of heat, water and electricity; and shelter from the winter wind. Access to the greenhouse should be convenient for both people and utilities. A workplace for potting plants and a storage area for supplies should be nearby.
A home greenhouse can be attached to a house or garage, or it can be a freestanding structure. The chosen site and personal preference can dictate the choices to be considered. An attached greenhouse can be a half greenhouse, a full-size structure or an extended window structure. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type.
Lean-to greenhouse is a half greenhouse, split along the peak of the roof or ridge line. A lean-to greenhouse is useful where space is limited to a width of approximately 7 to 12 feet, and is the least expensive greenhouse structure. The disadvantages include some limitations on space, sunlight, ventilation and temperature control. The lean-to should face the best directions for adequate sun exposure.
Even-span is a full-size structure that has one gable end attached to another building. It is usually the largest and most costly option but it provides more usable space and can be lengthened. The even-span has a better shape than a lean-to for air circulation to maintain uniform temperatures during the winter heating season.
Freestanding greenhouses are separate structures; they can be set apart from other buildings to get more sun and can be made as large or small as desired.
When deciding on the type of structure, be sure to plan for adequate bench space, storage space and room for future expansion. Large greenhouses are easier to manage because temperatures in small greenhouses fluctuate more rapidly. Small greenhouses have a large exposed area, through which heat is lost or gained, and the air volume inside is relatively small; therefore, the air temperature changes quickly in a small greenhouse. Suggested minimum sizes are 6 feet wide by 10 feet long for a lean-to and 8 or 10 feet wide by 12 feet long for an even-span or freestanding greenhouse.
A good selection of commercial greenhouse frames and framing materials is available. The frames are made of wood, galvanized steel or aluminum.
Build-it-yourself greenhouse plans are usually for structures with wood or metal pipe frames. Plastic pipe materials generally are inadequate to meet snow and wind load requirements. Frames can be covered with glass, rigid fiberglass, rigid double-wall plastics or plastic films. All of these have advantages and disadvantages. Each of these materials should be considered — it pays to shop around for ideas.
Greenhouse frames range from simple to complex, depending on the imagination of the designer and engineering requirements. The following are several frames commonly used:
Quonset: The quonset is a simple and efficient construction with an electrical conduit or galvanized steel pipe frame. The frame is circular and usually covered with plastic sheeting. Quonset sidewall height is low, which restricts storage space and headroom.
Gothic: The gothic frame construction is similar to that of the quonset but it has a gothic shape. Wooden arches may be used and joined at the ridge. The gothic shape allows for more headroom at the sidewall than does the quonset.
Rigid-frame: The rigid-frame structure has vertical sidewalls and rafters for a clear-span construction: There are no columns or trusses to support the roof. Glued or nailed plywood gussets connect the sidewall supports to the rafters to make one rigid frame. The conventional gable roof and sidewalls allow maximum interior space and circulation. A good foundation is required to support the lateral load on the sidewalls.
Post & Rafter & A-frame: The post and rafter is a simple construction of an embedded post and rafter, but it requires more wood or metal than some other designs. Strong sidewall posts and deep post embedment are required to withstand outward rafter forces and wind pressures. Like the rigid frame, the post and rafter design allows more space along the sidewalls and efficient air circulation. The A-frame is similar to the post and rafter construction except that a collar beam ties the upper parts of the rafters together.
Greenhouse coverings include long-life glass, fiber-glass, rigid double-wall plastics and film plastics with one- to three-year lifespans. The type of frame and cover must be matched correctly.
Glass: An aluminum frame with a glass covering provides a maintenance-free, weather-tight structure that minimizes heat cots and retains humidity. Tempered glass is frequently used because it is two or three times stronger than regular glass. Small prefabricated glass greenhouses are available for do-it yourself installation, but most should be built by the manufacturer because they can be difficult to construct.
The disadvantages of glass are that it is easily broken, is initially expensive to build and requires much better frame construction than fiberglass or plastic. A good foundation is required and the frames must be strong and must fit well together to support heavy, rigid glass.
Fiberglass: Fiberglass is lightweight, strong and practically hailproof. A good grade of fiberglass should be used because poor grades discolor and reduce light penetration. Use only clear, transparent or translucent grades for greenhouse construction. Tedlar-coated fiberglass lasts 15 to 20 years. The resin covering the glass fibers will eventually wear off allowing dirt to be retained by exposed fibers. A new coat of resin is needed after 10 to 15 years. Light penetration is initially as good as glass but can drop off, considerably over time with poor grades of fiberglass.
Double-wall plastic: Rigid double-layer plastic sheets of acrylic or polycarbonate are available to give long-life, heat-saving covers. These covers have two layers of rigid plastic separated by webs. The double-layer material retains more heat, so energy savings of 30 percent are common. The acrylic is a long-life, nonyellowing material; the polycarbonate normally yellows faster, but usually is protected by a UV-inhibitor coating on the exposed surface.
Film Plastic: Film plastic coverings are available in several grades of quality and several different materials. Generally, these are replaced more frequently than other covers. Structural costs are very low because the frame can be lighter and plastic film is inexpensive. The films are made of polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), copolymers and other materials. A utility grade of PE that will last about a year is available at local hardware stores. Commercial greenhouse grade PE has ultraviolet inhibitors in it to protect against ultraviolet rays and it lasts 12 to 18 months. Copolymers last two to three years.
Post and Courier 148 Williman Street Charleston, SC 29403
News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com
Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.