Stage One - Digging the hole

These photos document the first stages of building my pit greenhouse. Location is everything. You need to locate it with a clear southern exposure. After I dug this hole I learned that this greenhouse should have been tilted slightly to the west. My greenhouse site faces directly south.



I was going to dig this by hand which was feasible because we do not have rocks where I live, but my friend offered to use his tractor. The hole will be four feet deep because I am trying to use the ambient temperature of the earth to help keep my greenhouse at a stable temperature. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer.



Still digging...



The pile of dirt is growing. That is Fort Rock in the background. I had no idea how much dirt comes out of a hole that is four feet deep by 22 feet long, by 14 feet wide.


We have reached the four foot level.


The foundation dimensions will be twenty by twelve. You always want a bigger greenhouse, but this seemed to be the most economical. Next post will show the foundation.