Topic: What Greenhouse?

[JIS]

Thinking about getting a greenhouse, the prices vary sooo much...
Looking at an 8x6 one, what make greenhouses do people recommend?
What options are really worth having?
Cheers!

[Tee Gee]

What options are really worth having?

In my opinion; forget the options at this stage! use the money to get as big a greenhouse as you can afford and have space for.

You will find that you will soon accumulate bits and pieces (options) in due course but you might rue the day you didn't get a bigger greenhouse when you first had the chance..

[JIS]

Thanks for the quick reply, going for the biggest one that will fit in my garden!
I'm really not sure what greenhouse companies to look at, I;ve seen greenhouses that are £400 and £8000, any guidance on manufacturers would be really appreciated.

Thanks.

[cleo]

I`m half in agreement with Tee Gee but don`t always sacrifice quality for size. Some at the lower end of the market are not that good.

A good greenhouse does not come cheap but will last for years and years.

As for options-extra vents or a couple of louvre windows-a lot of `off the peg` greenhouses do not have sufficient ventilation.

[JIS]

Polycarb vs horti glass vs toughened glass  ???  I like the idea of polycab...
I was looking at a "palram" greenhouse, although it does say that if its a windy spot it might not be a good choice, how "windy" is windy do you think?

[Tee Gee]

My last three have been Altons I think that speaks for itself!

[cleo]

They look good Tee Gee-it`s all about budget and purpose I have 10*12 Cedar house,a 16*16 purpose built one using a brick wall on it`s West side and a solar polytunnel.

Halls look OK and so does the range from Two Wests and Elliot-it`s not easy to recommend

[Two Choices]

JIS, when balancing size versus the cost, I'd recommend you go for at least one lower louvre vent, two auto roof opening vents and toughened glass and an aluminium base (which you can get level and secure before fixing the rest on top). I'd also go for some purpose build staging if you can afford it.
Good luck ;)

[MrsKP]

As for options-extra vents or a couple of louvre windows-a lot of `off the peg` greenhouses do not have sufficient ventilation.

definitely agree that two vents and louvres should be standard !  at least they should fit then rather than buy them afterwards and have all sorts of fiddling and fannying about with ordering new sheets of precut glass and odd gaps that need filling !

My toughened glass Hall's 8' x 6' would have been about £500 with the extra vent and louvres which made me choke at the time so i did without the "extras".  I now realise that would have been a very good price and saved us much "scratching of heads" later on.

 ;D

[Tee Gee]

If you buy Alton your vents & side vents come as standard.

The numbers you get are subject to length.

My 10'x8' has two top vents and four low level side (adjustable) vents.

I bought two louvres and never use them.

Auto vent openers are a must!

The concrete base was another selling point for me.

When I bought my first greenhouse I made a list with seperate columns for each feature that come as standard. Once collated I studied the pros & cons and in the end I decided on Alton.

ps No I don't have 'shares' in Alton  ;D

[Trevor_D]

Agree - vents & louvres essential (self-opening, if possible). Ours is an Alton, nearly 20 years old - very sturdy. If you can, fit electricity & water in the GH. We've got a sink with hot & cold, and the electrics run a heater and a heated sand-bench (and a radio!) I miss those luxuries at the allotment.

[Spookyville]

anyone got a rhino, if so are they as good as they claim ???

[Two Choices]

Being over 6 ft  I went for one with increased ridge height which I do find prevents me stooping and banging my head when working at the bench.  I'm pretty sure it's a Rhino and I bought their aluminium staging with wooded slats along with a seed tray rack that holds 15 full size trays. With toughened glass it was around £600 two years ago. I think it is well made and would certainly reccommend it. TC

[potterfanpete]

We bought our greenhouse last Autumn from the greenhouse people. I think the make was AGL. We were going to just get a 6x8, but the 6x10 was only a bi more, so decided to go with that, and glad we did! If you're going to get glass, get toughened. Horticultural just breaks up into large pieces. When my dad accidentally dropped a piece of the toughened glass, it shattered into millions of pieces. Hard to clean up, but way more safe.