From

Location

Message

Date Posted

bliss,n.y.- heart of Wyoming County

Heres a thought to start discussion.
Will Condtructing and growing AGS in hoophouses/greenhouses get us to the next step in producing the 2000 pound record setter?
If so, what size?
All season or part of the season?
Will it enhance the growing enviroment?
Water?
Nutrients?
Temperature?

11/14/2011 12:54:20 PM

bliss,n.y.- heart of Wyoming County

Will constructing

11/14/2011 12:54:39 PM

Colorado

Most of the big ones in europe have been grown in them.They could chime in on what size they think is ideal. Im thinking ,if you had about 8 (800sq ft)greenhouses near the 50th latitude, you could be grower of the year and maybe 2000lber

11/14/2011 1:09:15 PM

Muddy Waters

Thats Funny! The GWG has just picked up there 2nd Sponsor,were working on details,should have figured out in a few days.Its the greenhouse material I used on the Melon Cave,Its a inscect screen,that covers my entire hoop house.I will be growing the 1421.5 Stelts & 1634 Werner In a 60 X 28 screen house in 2012!We will have full details on our website soon.GWG & GPC ROCK!!!YES THEY ARE THE NEXT STEP!!!

11/14/2011 5:07:20 PM

Puyallup, WA

Unfortunately, that will price most growers out of the hobby.

11/14/2011 5:49:31 PM

Muddy Waters

The greenhouses are not expensive to build one. 1500$ over 10 years is only 150$ per year,Cheaper than plastic,You can stop buying Merit & use a lot less inscecticides.

11/14/2011 6:06:40 PM

Onawa,Iowa

Mine came crashing down in a 70 mph wind storm (hoophouse)
and it was anchored with four foot rebar, mother nature
had the final say that day!!

11/14/2011 11:54:26 PM

Hinckley MN

I seem to remember a nice fruit in Alaska was grown under plastic. mini greenhouses to increase early growth is already a standard practice. High tunnels need good ventilation or you can easily fry your plants. You may not need to grow the entire plant under the hightunnel. If you maintain the stumps under the tunnel, you can control moisture/ humidity better. High tunnels do tend create conditions which increase powdery mildew.

11/15/2011 1:03:52 AM

Muddy Waters

Yes check my greenhouse on my growers diary.Its not plastic,its a mesh which allows rain through,air flow,wind & hail protection,no critters get in,flying inscects are done(aphids dont get through)SVBs.Temps are 5-10 degrees warmer.No bees No culls,on melons.No need to bag flowers with no bees.The screen has a 10 year life,cheaper then plastic over a ten year period.We we show you how to consruct a 1 kin hoop house on giantwatermelongrowers.com or a 3 melon hoop house for around 1500$ you can also cover this with plastic when fall temps drop if you like.Info should be posted this fall.Soon.

11/15/2011 7:07:23 AM

Muddy Waters

Giantwatermelongrowers.com Club membership will come with a discount on greenhouse supplies like these anti wind/hail/insect screens & shade & heat materials.Our New Sponsor will be announced soon,This sponsor is based in Sweden,with distributors around the worldwide I think everyone is in shipping range.You could squeze 2 kins in house aprox,1000 sg feet.

11/15/2011 7:40:13 AM

Netherlands

I have been growing in a greenhouse for years. If your climate doesn't require it, don't use them. We have no choice here.
If you don't have proper ventilation there is a higher risk of fungal diseases and especially PM. Obviously wilting is an issue and using shadow cloth reduces the needed sunlight.
It can be difficult supplying enough water and you can't get to the sides of your plant unless you have a lot of extra space in your greenhouse.
Mice, voles and moles like greenhouses.
Hail is not an issue.
A proper (professional) greenhouse with a watering system and good ventilation could be an asset in some climates, but a cheaply constructed polytunnel might not help out most growers.

11/15/2011 12:44:17 PM

Western ny

greenhouse is the way to grow...ventilation is always a problem...but if your open up the end walls and roll up the sides.....one can controll the temp. bill .....one problem with a greenhouse is that a pumpkin plant grows really fast and cross pollenation with another plant becomes an issue , becouse outside plants dont keep up with them....getting pollen from another plant is a timeing issue

11/15/2011 6:12:20 PM

Muddy Waters

If you switch to screen Ventilation is not an issue!

11/15/2011 10:08:05 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Imported Swedish greenhouse covers...HHG what about buy American?

11/15/2011 11:24:29 PM

Anchorage Alaska

To grow in the far north, a greenhouse is a must if you want to compete with the big boys. You can contol the temp and the humidity ,everything but the sunshine which at soltice is 19 1/2 hours..nice..There is virtually no insect worries and in 4 years I've never had a case of PM . I personally think the pro's out weigh the con's and someday somebody is going to pop a big one.. probably that guy that lives down in Nikiski

11/15/2011 11:39:40 PM

Muddy Waters

The screen also gives a rain forest like growing effect would be great in Alaska to raise Temps 5-8 degrees (day & nite)Keeps out deer wood chucks,better air flow then plastic.They employ a lot of Americans at there 100s of distributors in the States & I will check but I believe Canada.Maybe you can find American made,most likely it will be more money on a already pricy product.Its a Global economy now.Most things you cant find American anymore.Its a new World.I see the bumper stickers "Out of a Job yet keep buying foreign"I chuckle a little, to keep from crying!those stickers are 30 years late.I like to grow a 1723 in my new screen house [email protected]

11/16/2011 6:18:09 AM

Lymington UK

Growing under cover is a great way of controlling your plants and the Alaska growers have just confirmed what Stuart and I think.
Which is?
Once you have forked out on your cover, growing under it gives you a huge advantage over most other growers.
The biggest pumpkins are grown wherever the best weather is but inside we have great control every year.
We hope to be covering growing inside at Vegas this year so are there any questions you would like answered?
Ian

11/16/2011 2:34:10 PM

[email protected]

I have put up 2 new 24 X 60 greenhouses. All I have left is the poly, will do in early Spring.
These both have opening roofs for venting, No need for any mechanical fans etc.
Roofs will open and close via thermostat.
As soon as I get done with the GPC auctions, I'll post a bunch of pictures.
There are a lot of different greenhouse on the market, this system will work best for me because of crazy temp changes. This way you can see one type of cover.
I'll include costs also if you want.

11/16/2011 2:56:13 PM

Ohio

Handy, I have a girl going to college next year and a boy the year after and was wondering if that screen company would put this in consideration for me, and that is can I get a grant loan, or some kind of financial aid from that screen company to loan me (like a credit card) that 1500.00 ? Or maybe, can they take payments of $150 a year for ten years, until the entire $1500 is payed off? (Interest free of coarse.),,lol

In all Seriousness Handy, your idea with this screen sounds great to me, and would love to give it a try with out question,..... but $1500 is a big chunk of change for a middle class grower like me, even if it does add up to $150 a year for Ten years, its the $1500 upfront that is still there to fork out in the beginning.

Is there anything out their that is a little cheaper but similar to this type screen that us poor middle class growers can use? I really like the idea of this screen.

11/16/2011 3:20:22 PM

Belgium

poly tunnels are the cheapest way to go

11/16/2011 3:53:19 PM

sevierville, Tn

Brooks, the screen isn't 1500, Mark was trying to give a cost for a new greenhouse with screen. The screen is 600-1000 depending on size.

11/16/2011 3:57:48 PM

Muddy Waters

The 1500 includes hoops every 2 feet 7.50 to ten bucks a pc.Wooden foundation 4x4s headers screen door,You could do it 4 less if you try the net I use is Econet L . etc.I have daughter in College & 1 in high School,4 grand kids & 1 in the Oven,I quit smoking 7 years ago.Thats 10$ a Day habit.I can spend 3,650.00 before anybody(wife) can stop me.I dont Hunt,No snowmobiles,RTVs.motor boats etc.I Quit drinking 25 years ago thats was about 200$ a week habit.lol

11/16/2011 7:11:08 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Some pretty interesting products;

http://www.gintec-shade.com/index.html

11/16/2011 9:36:31 PM

Taber, Alberta

Watch out for Eddy in 2012. I saw his setup last week and it's impressive. Thanks Eddy for all your help.
Alan

11/16/2011 11:50:07 PM

Onawa,Iowa

Thanks N-S-Boys
Was looking to build a retractable system and Gintec
has what it takes to get it done!!!!!
And there 8' mesh side walls, will be great for
wind protection,hail, critter's,people,aliens &
asteroids.
Again Thanks

11/17/2011 12:15:47 AM

Onawa,Iowa

Eddyz
Are you from the States or Canada ?
more info on your new 24 X 60 greenhouses please.

11/17/2011 12:38:31 AM

Onawa,Iowa

[email protected]
forgot this

11/17/2011 12:40:08 AM

Waterville, Ohio

I wanted to start a thread like this a couple of weeks ago when Bp was shut down. Honestly, I believe getting to 2,000 pounds will be achieved outdoors within the next year or two. I think this question is even more relevant for our quest beyond 2,000..I think the ability to reach our later goals will depend on extending the growing season and plant durability/disease resistance like amelio was saying. This realistically could only be done in a greenhouse.

Imagine starting your seed germination in early March and trying to get your plant to last until October.. Just a thought for once the 1 ton barrier is toppled.

11/18/2011 2:34:35 AM

[email protected]

I live just outside Calgary Alberta Canada.
Beautiful country put eratic weather. We have had snow in every month of the year. So just to be competitive we need cover, As many of the growers in Europe, we all face the challenge of cold temperatures especially at night and extemely short growing season.
Our last frost is usually in late May or Early June, and in the fall our first frost is the first week or 2 of September.
Our Normal day time temperature in the summer is 72 degrees F. and our night temps are generally in the high 40's.
If we plant outside, we generally get to pollinate in Late August.
With a greenhouse we can increase our weights by 300 to 400 percent. my best outside was 322 pounds, my best inside is 1011, and that was with a cold frame.

11/18/2011 10:38:18 AM

Polson, Montana

I live in northwestern Montana and like Eddy have a short growing season and cold weather. One night this past August the temp dropped to 36 degrees. I had one plant in a high tunnel and the rest outside; the difference being a new state record of 893 inside the tunnel versus 597 for the largest grown outside. My high tunnel is 24 x 60 which I bought from Oregon Greenhouses for $2,200 and erected myself. It did make a difference.

11/18/2011 10:56:20 AM

Ohio

Handy, you are right about the habits, if I quit chewing snuff(almost 2 cans a day) I could save a bundle,,,,,lol. can you shoot me a email when you get a chance?



[email protected]

11/19/2011 5:13:34 AM