unheated greenhouse

[aquilegia]

How much use would an unheated greenhouse be in late winter/early spring?

Would it protect tender things (like tomatoes, etc) from the frost that early?

My neighbour has a greenhouse that he doesn't use and we were talking about me making use of it at the weekend!  :)

[aquilegia]

[Dunc_n_Tricia]

Once my toms had germinated, they were put straight in the unheated greenhouse,and seem to be thriving.

I've also started peas, brassicas, lettuce and fennel early, and plant them out when the seed packet says I should sow the seed! Will be starting off courgettes and cucumbers in there soon as well.

It is also worth knowing that you can get quite reasonably priced heaters for a greenhouse. We have a parafin one which I use early on if there is to be a very hard frost. Not exactly tropical heat, but it keeps the frost out!

I say go for it,

:-* Tricia

[tim]

Definitely!

As opposed to paraffin, and power is available - re-imbursable - a heated mat is V useful & economical. If you do it, let it be known & you'll get more help. = Tim

[budgiebreeder]

Grab it quick before someone else does.Best thing you will ever have had.Endless hours of pleasure in store for you .Heated or unheated.

[gilgamesh]

If heavy frosts are expected, an unheated greenhouse MAY not be enough - but if you are talking of tomato seedlings etc. you can do a Flowerdew - and put them in a propagator inside the greenhouse - or better still, get an expanded poyystyrene box (they use them for fish etc), put the LID on the staging, and put the BOX, inverted, over the seedlings at night.

[Wicker]

We have no power on our site but do use paraffin heater(s)once the seedlings go in.  Until then we have two of those plastic mini-greenhouses on the plot which we put inside the greenhouse in the winter and they provide adequate protection for my overwintering begonias, dahlias etc once the covers are zipped up.

[tim]

Nice idea, the fish boxes - we get them with our Cornish fish. = Tim

PS We still don't know if power will be available.

[aquilegia]

No way of heating greenhouse. It'll be in my neighbour's garden still, so I obviously won't be using his electricity and I can't get an extension lead or anything from my house to it. I'm too cheap to actually buy a parafin heater!

[tim]

OK - so it's COLD!
I'm not the chap to talk to, but I am amazed & V impressed  that toms can be put into the cold house in the winter-early spring. Mine die in ours in MAY!

As a starter, herbs & lettuce through the winter - sow leeks, onions, lettuce etc...But have we established that it's for veg and/or flowers? = Tim

[aquilegia]

Mostly veg. Probably also starting off flower seeds (mostly I grow hardy ornamentals).

[shifty581]

Hi Aquilega
I have had a Cold Greenhouses for years and always grow all my seeds in there every year, from Toms to all my vegetables for my allotment, I live in the midlands, start sowing my seeds at the end of March.
It’s always nice to have somewhere to go on a wet day and still be able to do something for your allotment.
If there is a heavy frost warning I cover the seedlings with plastic cloches.
Tony
;)

[Doris_Pinks]

My unheated greenhouse gets covered with bubblewrap for the winter, and I use it to grow hardy salads, and keep tender plants over the winter, so far for the past 5 years no deaths by frost! I would love to heat mine, but when I asked on this site the only thing for me would have been paraffin, and I just know I wouldn't remember to top it up! So go for it Aqui!! I wouldn't be without mine ;D Oh and the bigger the better, as mine is already choco with seeds, and loads more to go...............DP

[Dunc_n_Tricia]

I'll second the bubble wrap. We've had ours double glazed in this way for a couple of years. It's worth leaving it on in the summer as well, because the bubbles diffuse the stronger sunlight and reduce 'scalding' of tender plants.

:-* Tricia