Cattle Panel Greenhouse

2009 - Volume #33, Issue #4, Page #39

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"Pre-fab greenhouses can be quite expensive so we worked with stuff we had laying around to make our own," say Lou and Kathie Palladino, Murphy, N. C., who used cattle fence panels and other materials available at most building supply centers.
    "It works great for starting plants in the fall or even growing them all year long. Best of all, it didn't cost much to build," says Kathie.
     The greenhouse measures 40 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, and 6 ft. high at the center. It's made from 10 cattle panels, each measuring 16 ft. long by 4 ft. wide. The arched panels are covered by a sheet of 6-mil clear plastic that can be easily replaced as needed.
    To hold the cattle panels in place they used lengths of bent rebar, in the shape of "candy canes", to hold the edges of the panels. Louis cut the rebar into 18, 24 and 30-in. lengths and then used a vice to bend the tops into the shape of a hook.
    They first put hooks in one side of a panel and then bend it up into an arch and put hooks in the other side.
    They repeated the procedure with each panel, wiring them together where they meet at 2-ft. intervals and then covering the wire ties with duct tape to keep from tearing the plastic. To hold the plastic away from the rough ends of the panels, they duct-taped a length of 1-in. dia. black plastic tubing over every joint where the panels come together.
    The plastic that goes over the top is anchored down on each side with landscape timbers.
    Next, to keep the greenhouse from blowing away in high winds they ran rope over the plastic, going back and forth and using the rebar to hold the rope down at every two panels. They also added plastic door covers at both ends. During the summer they add two box fans that hang from the top of the greenhouse. The fans circulate air and keep the heat down.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lou and Kathie Palladino, 1457 Marrestop Rd., Murphy, N. C. 28906 (ph 828 494-2919).

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Cattle Panel Greenhouse BUILDINGS New Techniques Pre-fab greenhouses can be quite expensive so we worked with stuff we had laying around to make our own say Lou and Kathie Palladino Murphy N C who used cattle fence panels and other materials available at most building supply centers It works great for starting plants in the fall or even growing them all year long Best of all it didn t cost much to build says Kathie The greenhouse measures 40 ft long 8 ft wide and 6 ft high at the center It s made from 10 cattle panels each measuring 16 ft long by 4 ft wide The arched panels are covered by a sheet of 6-mil clear plastic that can be easily replaced as needed To hold the cattle panels in place they used lengths of bent rebar in the shape of candy canes to hold the edges of the panels Louis cut the rebar into 18 24 and 30-in lengths and then used a vice to bend the tops into the shape of a hook They first put hooks in one side of a panel and then bend it up into an arch and put hooks in the other side They repeated the procedure with each panel wiring them together where they meet at 2-ft intervals and then covering the wire ties with duct tape to keep from tearing the plastic To hold the plastic away from the rough ends of the panels they duct-taped a length of 1-in dia black plastic tubing over every joint where the panels come together The plastic that goes over the top is anchored down on each side with landscape timbers Next to keep the greenhouse from blowing away in high winds they ran rope over the plastic going back and forth and using the rebar to hold the rope down at every two panels They also added plastic door covers at both ends During the summer they add two box fans that hang from the top of the greenhouse The fans circulate air and keep the heat down Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Lou and Kathie Palladino 1457 Marrestop Rd Murphy N C 28906 ph 828 494-2919

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