"simy1" wrote in message
om...
"Ray Drouillard" wrote in message
...


I would like more information on digging a trench greenhouse. I saw
an
article about it a couple months back in either Mother Earth News or
Hobby Farm or some mag like that. It looks like a good idea, and
we'll
have some used windows available in a couple years. I'll probably
cover
it with two or three layers of plastic, though, so the light will be
diffused.


Ray Drouillard

If you google this group, in the past I sought advice for a large
hoophouse (not a green house, but cheaper and just as durable). The
post by Bill Bolle pointed me to a simple and cheap way to make one. I
have just broken ground, and it should be done in two or three
weekends.

I remember seeing an article about one that uses stock fencing for
support. I am considering that as a season extender. Rather than using
it for potted plants, I plan on using it to get the ground warmed up
earlier in the spring, and as protection against late frost in the
spring and early frost in the fall.

For a genuine greenhouse that can be used all winter, you have to either
have a heat source or really good insulation. Digging into a
south-facing hill to take advantage of the fact that the ground stays
relatively warm once you go down a few feet sounds like a good idea.
Adding a bunch of fresh manure would help generate heat and carbon
dioxide for the plants. That leaves the short day as the greatest
challenge.


Ray