Charming, Functional, and Sturdy : Charlotte Country Day School's 8'x12' Greenhouse

Charlotte Country Day School science teacher Taryn Page’s organic gardening program is impressive.  Rows of irrigated raised beds are thoughtfully placed like a feng shui  army formation, with plenty of space for students to navigate between them. The garden sits in an open space, unfettered by overhanging trees, and reels in hours and hours of direct sunlight even in the winter months.  Compost tumblers wait patiently nearby, ready to receive garden waste, while a hutch keeps careful watch over  the garden program’s shovels, hoes and rakes.

Yet, despite the well planned garden and sunny location, the Country Day School’s garden program was still confined to the frost free growing season between spring and fall.  

Charlotte Country Day School's 8'x12' Greenhouse _ exterior from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

A greenhouse was the answer, of course, but Taryn had more options to sort through than Baker Creek’s Heirloom Seed Catalog.

It doesn’t take long to see that the market is loaded with greenhouse options ranging from inexpensive kits framed with plastic or aluminum frames and covered with thin plastic glazing, to heavier gauge aluminum and steel, or wood frames glazed with high performance multi pane polycarbonate or glass.

Charlotte Country Day's 8'x12' Greenhouse _ Interior from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

While their low price points will grab the attention of many gardeners, many prefabricated greenhouse kits are notoriously flimsy, and often rack or even collapse under even modest wind, snow, and ice loads.

And while no one could deny the beauty and elegance of a high end hobby greenhouse placed on a stone knee wall, and loaded with high performance options like triple paned, low E glass, evaporative cooling, gas heat,  an automatic misting system, supplemental lighting, and double doors at each end, these come with a price tag that can rival that of a well  equipped BMW, and  well outside the allowance that Country Day dedicated for this project.

So with budget considerations, and more importantly the safety of dozens of young gardeners in mind, Taryn quickly whittled down the options.

Ultimately she selected a classic, sturdy gable greenhouse design made by Microfarm Organic Gardens, with durable red cedar lumber and shatter-resistant polycarbonate glazing. The Country Day School greenhouse measures 8’x12’ and about 9’ high at the peak.  

The structure was framed with red cedar 2x4 lumber, and studs and rafters are spaced 24” on center to ensure the greenhouse can support  the heaviest wind, snow and ice loads, or even the weight of a person maneuvering along the roof for maintenance.  

The red cedar framework was securely fastened to a level base made with 4”x4” red cedar timbers, and the greenhouse floor was filled with #67 gravel, which provides both good drainage and traction.  

The Charlotte Country Day School greenhouse was glazed with 6mm twin wall polycarbonate material, which has much better insulation value than single pane glass or polycarbonate, and features a special UV protective coating on the exterior.  Polycarbonate is nearly indestructible, and will not shatter like glass, and unlike acrylic or plexiglass, polycarbonate will not turn cloudy or hazy over time. The material even comes with a 10 year performance guarantee from the manufacturer,  Charlotte based Polygal.

In order to help Taryn maintain an optimum grow environment with good air exchange, two manually operated roof vent windows were placed on each side of the greenhouse.

Interested in a similar greenhouse, or perhaps a smaller or larger version for your home or organization? Microfarm will happily build this gable design to any size specifications - as small as 8’x8’, and up to 12’ x’24’.

CLICK HERE to schedule a consultation, or simply email hello@microfarmgardens.com