Topic: Bubblewrap/ Shading - Advice please

[Paulines7]

Being relatively new to greenhouse gardening I am wondering about insulation and shading for my unheated greenhouse and have the following questions:  :-\

1)  If I bought some clear bubble wrap for insulation would I have to take it down in May or could it stay up all the time?

2)  If it stayed up, would it also act as shading? 

3)  Does green bubble wrap insulate and shade?  If so, I imagine it would not let much light in during Spring?  Any observations please?

4)  Has anyone researched the cheapest place to buy bubble wrap on line please?  I would need a lot for my 12' x 10' greenhouse.

and finally,

5)  I have a very large roll of fleece.  Could I use this as insulation and shading?  If so should I use it in the same way ie attach it to the glass.  I have already bought some alliplugs in anticipation of attaching bubble wrap or fleece.

The past few years I have just covered everything over in the greenhouse with fleece but haven't been particularly pleased with this method.

Your help would be much appreciated.   :D

[silverbirch]

I put  my bubblewrap up around October, and take it down mid April-ish or whenever I need to get the growbags in position.  If you leave it up over summer the sun (hopefully!) will start to degrade it, so it will go brittle and need replacing quite quickly.

I tend to use that greenhouse shading paint as it's cheap to buy and easy enough to put on and take off.  The other thing you could use is shade / windbreak netting.

I've only got an 8' x 6' greenhouse and the bubblewrap lasts a good few years, so I tend to get it from the garden centre.

[Paulines7]

Thanks for your reply Silverbirch. 

My greenhouse will not be clean and tidy until April and I do not overwinter plants in it.  By the sounds of it then it will not be worth my while putting up bubble wrap.  I usually put my plants from the windowsill indoors into the greenhouse in mid April then cover them with fleece if a frost is due.  I have bought alliplugs now which may not be of use then.   ::)

I have thought about the paint for shading and may have to use it.  I may try hanging the fleece up with the alliplugs.  Has anyone ever done this?

[Chris Graham]

Does the bubble wrap actually make much of a difference to a cold greenhouse?

[davee52uk]

Hva you ever seen scaffolding work on buildings? They have this kind of blue or green nylon mesh. If you should find any of this about it's excellent for shading. I have a piece big enough to go over teh whole greenhouse.

A bit off topic but just a suggestion

[Tee Gee]

blue or green nylon mesh.

I think one name for this product is 'Rokolene'

Regarding fleece as an insulator/shading material I have found this to be OK.

I find that it soaks up condensation in the winter thus keeping the humidity in the greenhouse down and it is good for shading in the summer.

But on the downside I also find it acts as shading in the winter when plants are in need of all of the available light.

I find that bubble wrap to a lesser extent also acts as a shading material (in winter) so I use sheet cellophane which is totally transparent and has some insulating qualities, perhaps not as much as bubble wrap but at least I get good light transmission.

So basically I would say it is down to personal choice.

Sorry but I don't know of any suppliers of any of the products mentioned, in fact with the next few years I will have to find a supplier as my roll of cellophane is nearly finished.

[davyw1]

Like Tee Gee says you have to way the odds. Light or heat and bubble wrap will only give you 5 degrees more heat, but reduce your light when its needed most.

[LesH]

      Staples stores sell bubble wrap/film in varies widths and lengths. Also the choice of small or large bubbles.

[star]

Ooh......big pops, little pops ;D ;D ;D


I only have bubble wrap with big 'uns, so will have to use that at the expense of some light :-\

[bazzysbarn]

Hi can any one help me ? I have a 10 x 8 greenhouse and i need some bubble wrap for it, how much much do i need as most of it is in metres and i cant work it out! Thanks 

[Lauren S]

What about putting bubble wrap on all round the greenhouse and then for extra reflection adding tin foil on the south facing side...shiny side facing the inside.

[Old bird]

Pauline

I use, in summer, a long length of window netting, which you can get very cheaply from a charity shop! 

If you use those funny little plastic clips that you can buy £1.99 for shed loads! Then it is really quick and easy to put up and take down.  I don't insulate in the winter.  I don't use my greenhouse much then but keep the lemon trees and some other fairly fragile stuff in there!

Old Bird

 ;D

[kenkew]

Hi can any one help me ? I have a 10 x 8 greenhouse and i need some bubble wrap for it, how much much do i need as most of it is in metres and i cant work it out! Thanks 

Have a look here, Bazz.  http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm

Stuck? Come back for info.
Ken.

[star]

Thats a great link Ken......thanks ;D ;D

[tonybloke]

I have 2" polystyrene, 4ft high, lining my greenhouse at the allotment, bubble wrap on the inside roof,It maintains frost free temp when down to -5 outside. handy for veg seedlings.
I keep a triple-sized bale of straw in there, as a heat store, and as another surface to put seed trays on.rgds, Tony, Norfolk

[floraldi]

Pauline

I use, in summer, a long length of window netting, which you can get very cheaply from a charity shop! 

You seem to indicate that all charity shops sell it. Is this the case?

By the way I think I saw you in a film on TV the other night, on your own in a huge building hiding from the baddies but winning in the end, of course!
Forgot the name of it.


Old Bird

 ;D

[floraldi]

Then quote system on here does not work well does it. On MSE you can quote but delete the part of the message you don't want. Strange.

[Geepeeaay]

Hi

You might wanna try www.envelopemaster.com

I bought on line a 1200 mm x 100m roll for £24.68 inc. vat, delivered... took about 3-4 days to get to me

I chose large bubbles, but they do small bubbles too, different widths and lengths