Tag Archives: self sufficiency packages

How do I make sure it stays where it is supposed to?

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Pointers on anchoring, what kind of things will impact holding power of anchors,
anchoring after moving a structure

A phrase Norm has used thousands of times in his career is, “There is no such thing as too many anchors.” We consider it important to help customers understand the aerodynamics involved with a greenhouse shape.

The relatively small cost of the anchors is a short-lived savings after a building has blown away or shifted. By understanding and implementing what is required you can ensure a long term usage of your structure.

The job of your anchoring system is to counter the three aerodynamic forces working on your building.

  • Down force is usually seen as snow load
  • Up lift and lateral shift are forces typically associated with wind load
  • Wind going over a structure creates lift similar to wind going over an airplane wing

The first thing you will need to assess is what you are actually working with. If you have bedrock close to the surface, you have large rocks, or you have straight sand, it will impact your options for anchoring.

The actual holding power of your soil is an important consideration. Soil that has been recently excavated has considerably less holding power than soil that has not been moved in a long time.

The total surface area of an anchor post in contact with the soil is an important consideration. Large and short may have more contact area than long and slender.

When anchors can be used in alternating directions, it will multiply their individual holding power.

Wet soil usually does not have the same holding capacity as well drained soil. An important consideration here is rainwater which is shed by the building. As an example, with a 16’ wide structure, 8’ of rainwater goes each way. This means that the narrow area next to your building get 8 times the rain that the rest of the property gets. If you have poorly draining soil, this could be a potential problem.

If you are planning to use the movable structure option, proper anchoring has some additional challenges. Since your building is vulnerable to sudden increases in wind during this process, your anchoring protocol needs to be done quickly. Always do a test in the new area to confirm what you will be working with. With the quickness that is required, there is also a reminder that taking shortcuts will come back to haunt you.

We would like to reiterate, “If you are not 110% sure, please ask” There is no situation out there that is so unusual that we have not already been through it.

Your long term success is very important to us!

We hope you are finding value in this series of posts, helping you prepare for your new growing adventure! Reminder that the deadline is May 31st for Fall Delivery. We look forward to working with you for your projects!

What are the considerations for growing over winter?

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Heating, interior tunnels, air circulation, humidity control

When someone is intending to grow in a plastic covered greenhouse over winter, the first order of business is to put a double layer of plastic with air between.

This cushion of air acts as insulation and will reduce heat loss by about 30%. A secondary benefit from this cushion of air is that it reduces condensation in the greenhouse dramatically.

Even if you are not going to heat the greenhouse, it makes sense to put the extra layer of cover with air between since it will provide a significant extra margin for cold.

The small fan which puts the air between the layers is made to work against pressure. It can not “over fill” the cavity.

When installing the second layer of plastic, it is not pulled tight. This allows the second layer to puff up to about 10 cm which is the optimum space.

It is the dead air space that creates the insulation value. If the air is moving, you will not have optimum efficiency. This is the reason it is important to be vigilant about patching any holes in the plastic when they occur.

Especially if your intention is to grow without heating, you could benefit from installing and using small interior tunnels. These tunnels would only be covered during severe weather. Since the air volume is small, even the heat from a few light bulbs will make a difference.

Interior air circulation is even more important in the winter time than it is in summer. In the winter time when things are more likely to be closed up, the probability of stagnant air is high.

It is important to monitor the humidity level in your greenhouse as well. Getting rid of excess humidity will cost you some heat, but you are creating a healthier environment for your plants.

If you are using a forced ventilation system for either humidity or heat control in the winter, it is important to have the thermostat close to the incoming air so that things will shut down quickly if the incoming air is extremely cold.

Any heating system which is used in a greenhouse should have a stainless steel heat exchanger and burner. The standard aluminized units simply will not stand up long term in the moist environment of a greenhouse.

We hope you have found value in this series of posts, helping you prepare for your new growing adventure! We look forward to working with you for your projects!