Is it possible to run a greenhouse in Oklahoma

[bleedinorange]

Our summers here reach the 100 degree mark sometimes. How would I cool the greenhouse without boiling everything? Anyone else have greenhouses in hot climates?

[WizardOne]

Tagging along, I want to set one up in northern California.

[caseyz]

bleedinorange,

I have been thinking about the same thing. I live in Tulsa and I grew up with 2 3000sqf greenhouses in my back yard. The way we cooled them in the summer time was pretty neat. At one end of the greenhouse we had a couple of 55 gallon drums buried in the ground and a pump that pushed the water from the drums to a trough that was about 6 foot off the ground and went across the entire end of the greenhouse. Under the trough was a cardboard like material that the water flowed through down to another trough on the bottom that collected the water and sent it back to the drums. Two large exhaust fans on the other end of the greenhouse pulled air through the cardboard and water. It was basically one very large swamp cooler. You can purchase the system I just described from greenhouse makers.

We also would cover the green houses with lime or shade cloth. That helps alot.

Heating on the other hand is a whole different deal. Get ready for some massive gas bills...

My parents still have one small 1000sqf greenhouse out in Jenks that is empty. I have been thinking about maybe setting up an aquaculture system in it. I am still thinking about the economics of it though...

[bleedinorange]

Thanks for your feedback casey. A swamp cooler setup is a great idea. If you decide to do this let me know, I would like to see or hear about your findings on how the temp is controlled. I will do the same for you if I decide to go with this. My parents had a small GH and I don't remember what the heating bills were. Anthony Calfos book says that all the water in your GH acts as a heat sink during the day and retains most of the heat through the night.

My main concern was cooling the GH, heating will not be that much of a problem.

Thanks Again,

Michael

[bleedinorange]

bump

[yadayadayada]

Hello: To keep the temps down you could use an evaporative cooler...the cardboard like stuff and water and a fan to pull air through..... but i doubt it could cool down 20 degrees especially in high humidity areas.....if your temps are around 100. To maintain ambient air temps you need to move 1 to 1 1/2 times the air volume with fans per minute. You could also use a cover...basically a tarp like mesh to limit the sunlight. I would just use coolers for the water and fans to move the hot air out! Dad use to have a greenhouse business!!!

[yadayadayada]

In reading the post I realized it should be one air change in 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. But every minute is what we shot for.