New Greenhouse Shelving

[Trevor]

Well, with things warming up down here and all the seedlings I've sown the past couple of years needing to be potted on, it was time to expand the shelving in the greenhouse. I came up with the design and then spoke to the manufacturing department (my old man!) and put them (him!) to work ! Here's the results, I thought they may be of interest to others wanting to make their own.

Basically each unit is two frames, the bottom one sits in feet and then uprights sit on the bottom shelf to support the top. It all pulls apart and can be moved by one person if need be. The actual shelving material is tile underlay.

The frames-
[attachment 14095 IMG_3977a.JPG]

[Trevor]

Some of the uprights in place.
[attachment 14096 IMG_3978a.JPG]

[Trevor]

And finally all done and a final inspection by the manufacturing department.
There's a second one along side this now, so I think I've got about 8.5 square metres of shelf area to play with...I think that's about 2100 63mm square pots !:baringt:
Top shelf is fairly high for two reasons, one I'm tall, taller than the manufacturing department anyway,:) and two, to allow as much light as possible to get to the bottom shelf.
[attachment 14097 IMG_3980a.JPG]

[Dennis]

Is the original staging made of turf sods by any chance?

[Trevor]

Hope you're not dissing my well manicured lawn Dennis:shame:(:P)

[Bill]

Hi Trevor,

Looking good. Funnily enough that high/low shelving is exactly what I was planning for the new shelving in the back half of my green house for the bigger plants. Maybe not quite as tall as that, as I suffer from duck's disease(:D

[DaveW]

"Maybe not quite as tall as that, as I suffer from duck's disease"

There are such things as stepladders Bill. My staging is 3'-0" wide and 3'-0" from the floor. The 2'-0" wide shelf above is 6'-8" from the floor, even though I am only 6'-0" tall. A pair of aluminium steps with a platform at the top make it quite easy and comfortable to use high shelves. As Trevor says, the higher you can get your shelf above the staging the better since it does not cut off the light to the benching below.

Your own height is immaterial, that is why step ladders were invented, it's the plants welfare that matters not you having to climb. Many also seem to do much better the higher you can get them towards the roof in the greenhouse anyway.

DaveW

[Peter]

Excellent project Trevor! And nice to see the manufacturing department using a spirit level!
Interesting that you're using what looks like a pvc sheet - presumably as a shading, in a polycarbonate glazed greenhouse. Or was it there to protect the manufacturing department from getting sunburnt?

[John E]

Hi Trevor
The shelving looks good but the bottom one seems very low down. You wait until you have one foot in the grave like me then you will curse how low you made the shelf when it comes to bending down to see the plants.

[Trevor]

Thanks Guys. As always it remains to be seen how practical the setup is. But I think it'll be okay. If I'm struggling reaching down or up John, I can put higher feet under it and/or shorten the risers to change the configuration.

Peter, that's shade cloth draped from the roof. It's the white weaved stuff, not the usual green/black. Do you guys use that over there ? I prefer it as it diffuses the direct light and still keeps things bright.