Author Topic: buying a greenhouse (Read 11795 times)

Marianne · « **Reply #20 on:** April 17, 2005, 15:14:50 »

Up at dawn, we were around the local car boot looking for something that could be used as a greenhouse ::) :P.

Only found a book about growing in your greenhouse. That'll do for the moment! ;D :D

Moggle · « **Reply #21 on:** April 17, 2005, 20:02:38 »

Marianne, that is just like the one I have :) But do please tie or weigh it down! Mine blew over on a windy day a few weeks ago :'( :'( I mourned the loss of many seedlings :-\ Have now weighted it down with a 40L bag of compost and 5l bottle of water and have it wedged behind a couple of big terracotta pots.

Lily · « **Reply #22 on:** April 17, 2005, 20:18:52 »

I have a 6 x 4 greenhouse that could be extended if required. I decided to buy a mini greenhouse - like Marianne, instead of buying an extention to the greenhouse. Why? you ask, because it gives me 4 shelves with plenty of light, whereas the extension would only give me 2 shelves and would cost more than twice as much.

Mini greenhouses can be very useful, just be careful on a very windy day, you don't want it mistaken for a UFO ;D

Clayhithe · « **Reply #23 on:** April 17, 2005, 20:20:21 »

Quote from: Marianne on April 16, 2005, 14:33:33

Well here the mini greenhouse.

That's exactly how we started!

It was great :D

Marianne · « **Reply #24 on:** April 17, 2005, 20:27:56 »

Moggle, so sorry you lost all your seedlings ! I will take your advice and Lily's and tie it down onto the patio with something before it takes to the air ! ;D

Lily : I am amazed at how much I can fit in there ! I have today sown an enormous amount of seeds and as soon as they germinate, I will bang them in there too ! :D

We had hard frost overnight but thank god, all the seedlings were OK - And when I unzipped the front, I was amazed at the amount of heat that came out of there. I would say it's an excellent purchase ! Thanks everyone! ;D :D

philcooper · « **Reply #25 on:** April 18, 2005, 11:29:06 »

I think I have to protest that this thread is becoming very sexist. >:(

To EJ, men can multi-task too - they can drive a car and read a map (without turning it upside down!) :D

The points made about never having a big enough greenhouse are very true.

I have a 12 x 6 lean to which came with the house and despite double shelving on both sides it is definitely not big enough - plants expand to fill the available space so installing the 2nd set of shelving just allowed more to be grown.

I would disagree with Clodhopper on orientation. An east west orientation will leave plants on the north side rreceiving not so much light as those on the south and becoming drawn to the south.

Phil

Where are the male greenhouse growers?

ruudbarb · « **Reply #26 on:** April 18, 2005, 12:04:47 »

Quote from: philcooper on April 18, 2005, 11:29:06

I would disagree with Clodhopper on orientation. An east west orientation will leave plants on the north side receiving not so much light as those on the south and becoming drawn to the south.

Hi Phil - my 12' x 8' runs east-west and to be honest, I don't find it makes a lot of difference and haven't had a problem with the plants being drawn but it does provide the opportunity of having a cooler side out of the direct sun. In spring [for seedlings] and autumn [ripening] getting maximum heat gain from the sun is most important which is got by having the longest side facing the sun [when you get some ::) ]. With a lean-to, you have no choice and the rear wall will cause the plants to lean away from it.

From the end of April through to September it is crucial that the house is shaded on the sides facing the most sun and I found some tomato varieties developed less greenback when shaded. Is this something you find?

clodhopper

philcooper · « **Reply #27 on:** April 18, 2005, 12:12:29 »

My lean to is against a low North-South wall so I only get direct sunlight in the morning

I bow to your experience on orientation, it's a while since I had a "full" greenhouse

I don't normally shade, although I did in the very hot summer a couple of years ago. I have never suffered from greenback and grow lots of old varieties that don't claim to be resistant.

Phil

ruudbarb · « **Reply #28 on:** April 18, 2005, 22:35:18 »

Hi Phil - having your house facing east enables it to warm up early with the rising sun in spring and early summer which is good because it reduces the need for heating and frost prevention. The day's maximum temperatures are usually in the late afternoon and once the house is warm, the outside ambient temperature will help to keep the inside temperature up. It isn't so important, therefore, in the late afternoons when your house is out of the sun. Possibly the other side of the wall is then in the sun and retains heat into the night.

Whatever, the most important thing of all is to have a greenhouse and fill it.......... :D :D :D

By the way, I had a bag of compost left over from last year which I kept in the greenhouse and used some of it for potting up some geranium cuttings and the first sowing of seeds. I went to sow some more at the weekend only to find a colony of big red ants had moved in so quickly dumped it on one of the borders. >:( >:( >:(

clodhopper

wardy · « **Reply #29 on:** April 19, 2005, 10:05:04 »

Phil You learn something new everyday. I never knew men could multi task. I shall tell my husband ;D

ruudbarb · « **Reply #30 on:** April 19, 2005, 10:15:02 »

Quote from: wardy on April 19, 2005, 10:05:04

Phil You learn something new everyday. I never knew men could multi task. I shall tell my husband ;D

Surely just by being married men are multi tasked.............. ;D ;D ;D

wardy · « **Reply #31 on:** April 19, 2005, 18:07:23 »

Nah, I don't agree Clodhopper ;D I left my husband to chop some steak for a stir fry the other night as I had to visit my mother in hospital. When I came home nothing had been done as he'd been sitting on the sofa drinking lager and fell asleep. I suppose that is multi tasking drinking lager and falling asleep ;D ;D

He'd had a hard day on the plot fiddling in his shed ;D

kitty · « **Reply #32 on:** April 19, 2005, 18:58:05 »

wardy!youre older than you look gel! ;)
i've kept the oh in the style he'd liketo become accustomed to for 32 years(child bride y'see! ;))ups and downs...no wardy-not them sort!
well..sometimes! ;) ;D
but i always introduce him as my first husband-keeps him on his toes!
i cant be bothered to train another one in at this late stage-
btw-i am getting a marrianne spesh-it looks good and as i havent got a gh,it'll do me-and laer on-i shall turn it into a melon emporium-take the odd shelf out......
thanks for the pic!
kitty
x ;D

ruudbarb · « **Reply #33 on:** April 19, 2005, 20:45:01 »

Quote from: wardy on April 19, 2005, 18:07:23

He'd had a hard day on the plot fiddling in his shed ;D

Sorry Wardy - can you say that again only I think I misheard you ;D ;D ;D

Anyway, he probably fell asleep worried that he might have to get up for a refill and couldn't remember where you had put the other tins...... ??? ??? ???

wardy · « **Reply #34 on:** April 19, 2005, 22:17:31 »

Yes, fiddling in his shed, eg putting up shelves, attaching hooks and hangers and sorting out his screw collection ;D He's on about getting a wine box next Tt!

No, a greenhouse will be the next thing on the plot. My lotty neighbour has given me a greenhouse (well, sort of. It's the frame, minus the base, and all the glass is broken. Apart from that it's perfect :(

supernan · « **Reply #35 on:** April 20, 2005, 07:43:20 »

;) That will be an expensive greenhouse Wardy, 8 panes cost me £28.50, then I broke one putting it in to the last hole on the roof. Wobbled on ladder and whoops it fell through hole in roof!!! So have had temproary double bubble wrap and duck tape on since. Got a new piece of glass but am going to get a helper this time. Hopefully they will catch it if I wobble again.

wardy · « **Reply #36 on:** April 20, 2005, 08:09:51 »

Supernan I have miles of bubble wrap which was used to wrap wheelbarrows in for our in bloom allotment so I'm going to use that. Wot no glass ;D

It will do til I can afford some polycarb or something. Sorry to hear of your wobbly ladder woes ;)

philcooper · « **Reply #37 on:** April 20, 2005, 11:16:19 »

The best, and I suspect cheapest, cold frames on my allotment plot are made from redundant double glazing panels.

They keep the heat in and are almost indestructible

Phil

wardy · « **Reply #38 on:** April 20, 2005, 16:34:40 »

Glad to hear that Phil. A guy has given me a massive double glazed picture window taken from his house. It's huge though so I don't know how I'm gonna move it to the plot or how to build a green house around it. Help, I'm beginning to wish I'd said I didn't want it. That's the second offer I've accepted and regretted re the plot. I'll keep my big mouth shut in future ;D

JohnnyLarge · « **Reply #39 on:** April 23, 2005, 19:05:06 »

I must be really lucky.
I bought my 8x6 greenhouse last year for £40, buyer collects and dismantles job.
I have just got another 8x6 for £20 with all the glass. Another dismantle and shift job.
At our allotments we have a double glazing company on the small estate opposite who bring over their mis-measured windows and glass for free!
We are moving into a house soon (we live in a flat) and I am having one of the greenhouses at home.
Where is the smug smilie?
John ;D

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Author Topic: buying a greenhouse (Read 11795 times)