Can the life be increased by removing the film at the end of the season ? Would trying to remove it and then reinstall it later lead to tears and points of weakness that will ultimately reduce its life ?
by xdr567
Can the life be increased by removing the film at the end of the season ? Would trying to remove it and then reinstall it later lead to tears and points of weakness that will ultimately reduce its life ?
by xdr567
10 Comments
Depending on how the poly is locked in place tons of damage can be done. Small creases and stress marks compound over time with repeated on and off jobs.
6 mil polyethylene is what we use to cover our commercial greenhouse and it lasts upwards for 3-5 years here in Michigan assuming weather is mild and the double layers stay inflated. We either use a ‘wiggle wire’ with rail or ‘cam-lock’ with rail to secure the plastic to the galvanized structure. Typically installed as a clear + UV combo to improve longevity and solar gain.
Get a shade cloth
Did you buy a tmg greenhouse?
I was wondering about their greenhouses
The problem isnt necessarily how long you CAN get out of your poly, its how long you SHOULD get.
Poly is rated for 4 years because after that, the UV wear from the sun drastically lowers the amount of PAR radiation that gets through the plastic, which your plants need. Most growers worth their salt know that the reduction in yields will decrease past the point of what it would cost to just replace the plastic after 4-5 years.
Local greenhouse had 2 that the double layer film was 9 years old before a tornado picked the one greenhouse up frame and all flipped it upside down on top of the other one.
We use poly on our commercial greenhouses. The amount of time they last depends on what poly quality and thickness you get. Our gutter connect is 8 mil on the outside and 6mil inside and we change it out at around 7 years to make sure we don’t have anything break before but we also inspect every few months and keep it inflated which helps with longevity. We also have a couple of stand alone like shown and have double 6 mil inflated and they last 5-7 years. Biggest thing is buying real greenhouse poly that is uv stabilized.
On the Olympic Peninsula. I pressure wash the inside every 3-4 years. I’m seeing about 12 years off 6 mil gh skins. They end up tearing at the original creases.
Do not remove it, you might rip it in the process or when re-attaching it. It’s way easier to apply it fresh from the roll than re-applying the oddly stretched one you took off. Also taking it from at the edges and whatnot it tricky cause it kind of stretches in place around edges and corners. It’s just a lot of work and not really worth it. Just make sure to remove heavy snow. Biggest dangers are hail and heavy storms and people with sharp and spiky tools.
Have seen one of these in a commercial size basically ripped to shreds from a storm because the foil wasn’t properly fastened at the bottom and it turned into a big sail which even bent the steal frame. So IMO it’s more important to properly fasten it than removing it to protect it or something. Our foils usually last anywhere between 2-10 years. Getting a bit thicker/quality ones is worth it. In general it’s my preffered cover because it’s cheap, easier to apply, great light transmission and we do not use any heating.
Does anyone have the greenhouse pictured?
I just picked up all the piping for what I believe is that actual greenhouse, and there are a few pieces I’m not quite sure where they go? I would also love if someone would be awesome enough to take some photos of how the piping goes together and how it braces inside? or if anyone could point me in the direction of who the manufacturer is and if they have manuals online?
Sorry for being off topic!