Benefits of Mobility

The Magic Cover

The key to our success is that this greenhouse is not static. Although it is a glasshouse, elegant looking and solidly constructed, it is, nevertheless, moveable. The greenhouse frame rests on a solid foundation that is topped by a pair of rails. Casters on the bottom of the greenhouse frame roll easily on the rails. The lower half of the sidewalls are hinged so they can be folded up. Thus this glasshouse can be shifted sideways to roll over top of crops already growing on an adjacent site when those crops need protection. The benefits of this unique mobility (the 'magic cover' that gardeners have always wished for) are what make Moveable Greenhouses so successful.

• Most cultural problems in the greenhouse are caused by the build-up of pests and diseases and excessive soil nutrients when the soil is permanently covered by the greenhouse. A movable greenhouse prevents these problems by exposing the soil of one site to the purifying effects of sun, rain, wind, or snow while the greenhouse is covering crops on the alternate site next door.
• Additionally, year-round greenhouse gardeners always want to plant crops for the season to come but cannot because the greenhouse is still growing crops of the present season. With a movable greenhouse the alternate site can be prepared and planted independently. The greenhouse is moved over those crops later on as weather conditions dictate.
• The mobile greenhouse offers a number of advantages in addition to keeping the soil fresh and pest free. It allows those of us who like to eat fresh food year-round to avoid the expense of summer greenhouse cooling systems when starting winter crops in August and September. The winter crops are planted out-of-doors on the adjacent site. That means the heat-loving crops growing in the greenhouse can remain there protected from fall frosts until their season is finished. Then the greenhouse is moved to cover the hardy winter crops.

How it Works

The frame of our mobile glasshouse sits on ball-bearing casters which rest on metal rails which extend twice the length of the greenhouse. These rails, one supporting each end of the greenhouse, are attached to strong pipe foundation. When desired, the greenhouse is rolled on these rails to its adjacent site. When in place, the greenhouse is bolted to the rails.

Our own mobile greenhouse has two sites, which we can call A and B. Site A, where it spends the winter is adjacent to an extension of our pantry. Thus we can walk in comfort directly from the house into the greenhouse to harvest winter crops. In May we slide the greenhouse to site B where it grows tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Site A becomes a summer cutting garden until September when we begin planting it up to winter crops again. Another possible layout would also have two sites with the greenhouse spending a year on site A (where it would grow winter crops followed by summer crops) and the next year on site B. Delivering compost and preparing the soil for the crops to come is wonderfully easy when the greenhouse is on the alternate site. Or there could be more than one alternate site.

Unique to Moveable Greenhouses is the use of a post and rail foundation to support the structure. Two sides of the greenhouse sit on casters resting on top of rails to simplify the mobilization. The opposing sides are equipped with hinged sections at the base of the wall to allow for clearance over crops when the greenhouse is moved from the summer position to the winter position. Two people can easily push the greenhouse along the rails once the anchor pins have been removed. The post foundation system allows for simple and cost effective installation without the need for excavation work. Posts are installed below frost level and provide a level base on which to attach the greenhouse rail. The number of posts will depend on the size greenhouse selected for your site. Moveable Greenhouses will provide a foundation post layout as part of the installation package.