Category Archives: How Tos

How to Patch an Unreachable Hole

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Occasionally there will be damage to a spot in the cover that is really hard to get at. The approach and advice given here, for safety’s sake, is a 2 person job. If you have a double cover structure, first unplug the inflator fan.

You will need to attach a padded cross piece to a long ladder. This piece should be 50% longer than your structure hoop spacing. i.e. if you have 4’ spacing your attachment should be 6’ long. This cross piece should be located high enough so that when you lean the ladder against the building it will be making contact with the “bulge” of the hoop.

The base of the ladder will be quite a ways out from the building. It is important that the helper firmly anchor the base of the ladder so that it can not kick out from underneath the person climbing the ladder.

If the hole in the cover is past the top of the ladder, you can lean against a hoop while standing on the ladder.

The area of the cover damage must be dry and warm before trying to put on a patch. Patches will not stick well to cold or damp covers.

As always, please call the office if you have any questions or need any clarification on this information.

Worst case scenario weather reminders for today

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reminders from Norm for how to keep your structure safe in today’s weather

please also review the 3 videos recently posted from our winter q&a

Getting Your Structure Ready for Spring

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From our recent Winter Q&A

  • Reduced anchor holding power in wet ground
  • Ventilation ahead of planting time
  • Uninflating roll up sides
  • Coping with excessively with loose covers
  • Extra protection for tender crops

Stay tuned for future Q&As and submit your questions to be featured!
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Caring for your Structure after a Snowfall

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Segment #2: Caring for your Structure after a Snowfall

  • How much snow is a problem or dangerous
  • Balanced and unbalanced snow loads
  • The correct pattern for removing snow
  • Handling Structure Damage
  • Coping with Snow / Ice / Rain Combination

Stay tuned for future Q&As and submit your questions to be featured!
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How to Prepare Your structure for Winter

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From our recent Winter Q&A

Segment #1: How to Prepare Your structure for Winter

  • What to include in the visual check
  • Potential Flying Debris
  • Drainage Around Your Building
  • Installing Temporary Snow Supports
  • Inflating Roll Up Sides for the Season
  • Making a Snow Removal Tool

Stay tuned for future Q&As and submit your questions to be featured!
Sign up for our Community Connection Newsletter tinyurl.comMSSCommunity

How Can I make my greenhouse its best?

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Different tips to make it more efficient, proper space for plants, proper light,
when to heat and not

There are numerous ways of making your greenhouse more efficient and a better return for your investment.

The first question which needs to be answered, however is, “What does it need to be efficient for?” The answer to that should be in line with your goals and priorities for your greenhouse.

As an example, if you are not going to be growing in the winter, you will not need to make the structure “heat efficient” but you will need to ensure that it is “snow efficient”. If you are growing in the greenhouse through the summer time, the efficiency of your ventilation system is critical.

Making your structure more heat efficient (summer perspective) will be expanded on in post #5 and more heat efficient (winter perspective) will be expand on in post #6.

When you intend to start plants in early spring and then move the greenhouse to start another crop, the moving process can be made more efficient by installing “skis” under the base.

Anchoring concerns are touched on in post #3. This is also a way of making more efficient use of your property with investing in more greenhouse space.

When you implement a trellising program, you will make more efficient use of the floor space in your greenhouse. It is important to consider the need for your plant load being balanced on your structure.

Another important thing to be mindful of is the shading that is created when you implement vertical growing. Under certain conditions you may need to consider supplemental lighting to make things grow.

One consideration that is important to be mindful of as well, is that in the confined space of a greenhouse, you can not grow everything. This is not just a space limitation, but a climate limitation.

Certain plants prefer it warm and some like it cool. Other plants prefer wet and others dry. It will be more efficient use of your greenhouse if you collaborate with a like minded person. You grow more of certain things and the friend does likewise and then you trade the extras.

Here is to working together and growing together!