New Greenhouse-advice sought

[annew]

Very impressive!

[Jan Jeddeloh]

So the greenhouse proper is done except for some caulking outside.  The floor is done and looks great.

The next project is the plunge bed.  Current plan is 8" (20cm) deep which is really 7.5" (18 cm) with a 24" reach.  I'm not sure how tall to have the top of the plunge.  I'm only 5'2" so I don't want to make it too tall.  What height do others have relative to their body?  Hip, waist or other height?  I've got one shot to do this right so I don't want to screw it up. We plan to slope it very slightly to one end for drainage and install a drain.  You know that fancy gardener's drain also known as a bucket.  Actually we'll have a hole in the wood and a drain in the plastic lining.  Not sure if I should just use garden variety plastic you can buy at any home DIY store or spring for pond liner.  Has anyone had problems with the DIY type plastic?    Cheaper is better if it works. 

I know Anne Wright is following this thread so I'll just ask this question here in case she didn't get my email.  Will you ship seed to the US with a Small Lots of Seed Permit?  Your seed list has given me severe seed list especially for the narcissus seed.  My 94 year old Dad and I went on the AGS Narcissi of the Iberian Peninsula trip this spring and I've been on the prowl for Narcissus triandrus seed or bulbs since.

Jan

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Here's hoping this picture isn't sideways!

[Darren]

Jan,
I have staging at both hip height and at around waist height. I find the higher ones more comfortable to work at and better for viewing the plants.

Think of it in terms of an office workstation safety assessment:

When seated properly at your desk (with your back straight) the advice is that the top of the desk should be just below and parallel with your forearms when in keyboard position.

Extend this idea to your greenhouse - stand up straight with your elbows tucked in but your hands forward in working position (forearms parallel to the floor - imagine typing on a keyboard). I think the top of your plunge (plant height) should come to just below your forearms so get someone to measure this distance. Then set up a temporary table at this height (just a couple of stacked cardboard boxes perhaps) and try repotting a plant on top of it to see how you find it.

 If too low you will be bending forwards all the time. Too high and you will find yourself hunching your shoulders to raise your arms up. Neither is comfortable or good for you.

[Jan Jeddeloh]

So if your plunge bed top is just below bent forearm level then wouldn't you want regular greenhouse shelving to be about 4" (10 cm) lower if you usually used 4" pots?  In other words your bent forearm level minus the height of your usual pot.  Once the pots are filled your work area for weeding, seed sowing etc would then be at the right height.  I'm asking because one half of the greenhouse will just have standard benching. 

I have both lower back and upper back issues so I'd like to get this right.  I know I hunch up my shoulders when I do stuff because my pilates instructor is always trying to get me to relax my shoulders. 

Thanks for your advice.  My husband wants me to get this figured out by late Saturday afternoon because he wants to get this damned project done.

Jan

[annew]

  My husband wants me to get this figured out by late Saturday afternoon because he wants to get this damned project done.
Jan

Wow - A husband itching to get a project completed!
It's looking great so far.
I replied to your email about seeds.

[mark smyth]

Here is my new 12ft x 8ft greenhouse which I am just completing.

If I was to redo my green house I'd do it like yours Tony. I have a plunge across the back but it means the far corners are too difficult to reack

[Tony Willis]

If this helps the top of my plunge is just level with my hipbone 41 inches and I can reach easily to the back of the beds without bending too far. I used to be 6ft 2 inches but may have shrunk a little now with age. My plunges are 3 feet wide which is just comfortable. If you make them lower you can reach further but more bending is involved which is not what I wanted. Far easier to be comfortable. Any wider and the passage down the middle is too narrow.

Mark is correct about a bed across the end. In one of my other houses I have done this and cannot reach the corners.I found this out when it was done and it was a pretty stupid decision.

[mark smyth]

and if I was doing it again I'd do what Tony has done by making the plunges wider. Mine are 30 inches/76cm wide but the walkway is 36inches/90cm. I don't need a 36 inch walkway. I'd make my beds 36 inches leaving a 24 inch/60cm walkway AND lose the end bed having two straight plunges

[mark smyth]

very tempted to  remake them next summer. I got someone to make welded frames to hold the plunges but like the idea of breeze block 'towers' and paving stones sitting on top

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Time for an update on the new alpine house/greenhouse.

The framework for the plunge bed is done!  All it need is a hole drilled for drainage, the liner installed and the drain put in the liner.  And let's not forget sand.  I bought pond liner which is pretty heavy stuff and three drains, one for each bay.  We'll have to cut holes in the liner to clamp on the drains.  Those drains weren't cheap, over $8 apiece.  My husband hopes to get this done this weekend because we'd both really like this project done. 

Here are some pictures of the progress so far.  You'll note that my husband builds to last.  The thing will survive a 9.0 earthquake which is actually what "they" say we make get here on the west coast.  He was going to make it 10" deep but screwed up and bought 8" boards.  I didn't have the heart to make him take them back. 

Edit : see  the pictures, rotated by Mark in following post 

 I'll post more as things progress further.

Jan

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Sorry about the unrotated picture.  Taken with my iPhone and apparently if you just rotate it on you computer it doesn't "stick".

[mark smyth]

rotated for you

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Thank you Mark!  How'd you do that or where did you find the instructions? 

Forgot to mention my plunges are only about 26" (40 cm) wide because I have short little arms and I have to be able to reach across to shut the windows. 

Jan

[mark smyth]

No problem. I used photoshop.

You can rotate photos on your phone also
www.imore.com/how-to-crop-straighten-rotate-photos-iphone-ipad