How to Move a Greenhouse

How to Move a Greenhouse
By Cheryl L. McClure

Have you ever wondered how to move a gigantic THING? I’m talking structures like a henhouse or a greenhouse.

How lucky we are! A friend of mine called and told us they knew someone who had a greenhouse in their backyard and just needed it removed. Take it away. Free! We didn’t know what kind but Jan Paul, being the handyman he is, went to check it out. It was a 8 x 15 ft fiberglass greenhouse that needed some TLC once we got it home. It took some work to get it out. The owner had workers at their house to help Jan Paul lift it and set it up on his trailer. Then came the task of anchoring it down for the hour + ride home down the highway. He strapped it in and secured it for the ride. 

It had been so windy the last week or so, he kept it tied down to the trailer. We finally go a break and were able to move it off the trailer and into position between the duck pen and the compost piles - and additional composters we received when our son-in-law bought an abandoned house. This was our lucky week. Woo Hoo!

Anyhow, I set this up in a slideshow so you can see how gradually and easily Jan Paul made this work. It astonishes me the way he can take what I see as a monumental task, and turn it into a seamless structured activity that accomplishes the goal. He did basically the same thing when moving the henhouse from the ranch to the country house.

Note the back of the greenhouse was at the front of the trailer so we couldn’t just back the trailer in position and slide it off. We had to slide it off the side and pivot the greenhouse so the door would land in the front.

1. After getting the greenhouse home: The edges of the greenhouse were lifted or braced up and treated 1x6 lumber was slid under and screwed to the underside of the lip. He also put 1x6 on top of the lip sandwiching it.
2. Regular 2x4s were then placed perpendicular under the 1x6s and going across the trailer to the other side; screwed in place for bracing.
3. After pulling the trailer in position, an additional 12 ft - 2x6 was added across the front and one was added across the back, attached to the treated pieces underneath. An additional 2x4 (side brace) (full length of greenhouse) was screwed under the 12 footers. Now the side brace will make it easier to slide down the “ramp” made of additional 2x4s leaning between the existing braces underneath.
4. The yellow straps were secured so that we could push the greenhouse and it would tilt and slide but not go all the way down the ramp. They were attached to the trailer and then wrapped around the long 2x4 side brace that ran parallel to the greenhouse. So we would push a little and then release the strap a little and then push some more.
5. Once it was at ground level, two of the 2x4s were then moved under the side brace. Jan Paul, using another strap at the opposite end, was able to slide it across the 2x4 pivoting the greenhouse.
6. Using leverage, he lifted the bottom so I could slide the PVC underneath. This allowed us to roll it in position. We had an additional piece of PVC that ran past the width of the greenhouse, so with two of them, we were able to easily move it further back or forward to our desired location.
7. We removed the additional bracing with leverage from a shovel or 2x4 to lift the edge and then placed bricks under the treated lumber. A little shoveling of dirt and so forth was needed to get it level. 

Oh, and see, I was just mainly there for moral support. LOL He could have done this whole thing by himself. Amazing. Next we move the burn barrels...

But we are not done yet! Normally this greenhouse is sunk in to the ground about six inches, but we are going to anchor it and fill the inside with gravel. 

The fiberglass is a bit worn and needs a new coating so it still needs to be cleaned and coated. Jan Paul is also planning to build a frame and glass door for it, plus the windows/props need some adjustment and repair. But all in all this will make a great place to put our patio plants in the winter time and start or even grow veggies in the winter! 

Do you have any tips on greenhouse gardening? I’d love to know!!

With the chicken yard, coop and henhouse, duck pen and greenhouse, we are going to call this the Duckominium Complex. Once we get the greenhouse in shape we still have plans for improvements on the henhouse and the duck pen. It’s all good. It’s all fun! If you want to see how we built our henhouse with repurposed materials you can see the article called Henhouse from Scratch.

The best part is, we didn’t need any Pan-Away or Deep Relief or Orthosport after this. But you can bet I have it on hand for when we do!! Be ready for the next time you have worked extra hard and you want relief.  Find your relief here> YL Essential Oils

​Happy Gardening!

Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch