Geodesic Dome Great For Year-Round Gardening

Geodesic Dome Great For Year-Round Gardening BUILDINGS New Techniques More than 1 000 families have set up geodesic greenhouses from Growing Spaces to supply themselves and others with fresh vegetables herbs flowers and fruit year-round     “Most greenhouses are season extenders ” says Udgar Parsons Growing Spaces “Our Growing Domes create an enclosed garden that’s productive 365 days a year ”     Parsons and his wife Puja have been building and selling geodesic greenhouses for 22 years     Winters are no problem for the Growing Domes Developed in the mountains of Colo they have been erected in the deserts of the southwest and as far north as the Aleutian Islands     “They’ve handled winds of more than 100 mph ” says Parsons “Our premium model has five-walled glazing with four dead air spaces That keeps air inside around 30° warmer than the outside temperature Our standard model keeps it 15° warmer If extra heat is needed the domes take only a third as much energy to heat as a conventional greenhouse     The two models range in size from 15 to 51 ft in dia and 9 1/2 to 21 ft in height     The domes are constructed with 2 by 4-in Douglas fir struts polycarbonate greenhouse glazing panels a treated wood or redwood base and 16-in or higher foundation walls     Water tanks are a common feature in all the domes Tanks range in size from 600 gal to 2 300 gal in domes 33 ft in diameter and less Tanks in the larger domes are custom designed to match dome uses     The tanks provide much of the thermal mass that maintains temperature in the dome They can also be used to grow aquatic plants and/or fish     Cooling is provided by solar actuated vents and cooling vent fans A solar-powered fan is included in the kit to push warm air under soil beds in the winter for improved plant growth Custom-cut insulation panels cover the northern 2/5 of the domes The panels keep the domes warmer in winter shade the water tank in the summer to reduce heat buildup and have a reflective surface that increases the light available to the plants within the domes     Parsons projects a 20-year life span for the domes depending on climate and care         The price for the 15-ft dia dome kit is $4 950 for standard double-glazing and $5 950 with premium five-wall glazing The premium style 51-ft community dome costs $44 950 Kits don t include heating ducts perimeter and wall insulation base sand and gravel or sheet metal and lumber for recommended water tanks These costs can range from $650 to $1 950 depending on dome size     Videos on Growing Dome Greenhouses can be found at www farmshow com     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Growing Spaces P O Box 5518 Pagosa Springs Colo 81147 ph 970 731-2120; toll free 800 753-9333; info@growingspaces com; www geodesic-greenhouse-kits com

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