DIY Network

My Ultimate Greenhouse: Jay Stanton From "Special Presentation" episode DMUW-S

Jay Stanton created a custom greenhouse at his home in Hummelsville, PA.

My Ultimate Greenhouse

Jay Stanton
Hummelsville, PA

The temperature outside was close to zero Fahrenheit, but inside Jay Stanton's greenhouse it was close to tropical. This winter day stood as a testament to Jay's thoughtful planning and design, which took nearly four years of research. "I talked to a lot of experts," explains Jay. "I went to an agricultural college and did a field trip to Longwood Gardens, and asked a lot of questions."

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Jay surveyed his property to find the best location in respect to the sun, and began drawing out the plans for a 20 by 24 foot greenhouse. "The reason for creating a greenhouse of that size was that it fit the property, but more important, it matched our home. That was the one thing my wife required, she said you can build a greenhouse but it has to be pretty."

While there are many greenhouse kits, Jay saved money by doing it himself. (Photo 3) He used discount sliding glass doors for the entire front of the greenhouse, and used double-wall poly carbonate sheets instead of glass for the roof. "They are much lighter than glass and impact resistant," explain Jay. "The poly carbonate allows the light to come in and it insulates well. The best part is that it refracts the light well so it's nice and bright, but you don't get the hot spots from glass that can burn the plants."

Jay has propane heaters in his greenhouse, but rarely uses them thanks to an ingenious method of storing heat. During the day when heat rises two fans collect the hot air and circulate it through pipes buried in a stone pit. At night, the stones radiate the heat back into the greenhouse.

Jay's greenhouse is designed with several custom features that keep tropical plants warm through Pennsylvania winters.

"The function of the greenhouse is to over-winter plants," says Jay. "But it really is a very pleasant place for me to be in the wintertime. It's such a pleasure for me to work in this atmosphere. We'll come down here and have lunch or read a book. It something I enjoyed building."