Allotments 4 All

Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: mummybunny on March 08, 2010, 14:00:06

Title: greenhouse support
Post by: mummybunny on March 08, 2010, 14:00:06
Hi all,

Me again pondering on something  ::) I have a greenhouse to use this year Hooray  ;D So my question is how do you attach netting or similar for cucumbers etc to grow up? I'm growing crystal lemon this year and its telling me to train it up netting or wires!

Also the seed packet is telling me to sow singly now but other seed websites are saying to sow in April Help!!!!!


Thanks not sure what i would do without you guys apart from get myself completely muddled up  :P
Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: Squash64 on March 08, 2010, 14:32:34
Something like this maybe?
http://www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSite/product/BPFS.htm

I haven't used them myself but they seem like a good idea.  
Unless someone else has a different way...

Just noticed that the postage charge is very high on that site, they might be available in hardware shops though.  Or Ebay.
Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: Chrispy on March 08, 2010, 15:03:01
I use greenhouse shading clips, they have little hole for wires ect, but I do find I need a couple of washers if I am not actually fitting shading.

You can plant early if you have somewhere good to grow them on, ie, a heated greenhouse or heated conservatory, but if like me, you are starting on your window sills, then you will need to leave it a bit longer.
Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: Tee Gee on March 08, 2010, 16:05:28
 
Quotehow do you attach netting or similar for cucumbers etc to grow up? I'm growing crystal lemon this year and its telling me to train it up netting or wires!

You do not say if it is a timber one or aluminium.

I have both so I do the following;

I stretch a wire ( or two if the greenhouse is quite wide)from one gable end to the other.

The wires are fixed with eye bolts/screws on the timber one, and brackets similar to the ones Two Wests sell, on my aluminium greenhouses.

Then I tie in canes to them as you can see in the following picture.

I don't like nets but if I did I could suspend if from the cross wires.

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Allotment/Tomatoes2.jpg)

QuoteAlso the seed packet is telling me to sow singly now but other seed websites are saying to sow in April Help!!!!!

I have looked up where you are so I would say mid April in Bristol

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Cucumber/Cucumber.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Cucumber/Cucumber.htm)
Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: mummybunny on March 08, 2010, 16:35:33
HI all

Thanks so much for the replies i just couldn't get my head around it all  ;D Its a aluminium greenhouse so i will get some of those fixings and I'll be set. Will hold off till April for my cuc's glad i asked  ;D

Whats your reason for not using nets Tee Gee? I grew marketmore up trellis last year which didn't work out great  :-[ a few of the cucumbers grew through the holes then back on themselves resulting in some tasty but odd shaped ones  ::)

Would the crystal lemon ones grow up canes like on your link?

Was planning on using some of my large pots cutting the bottom off and sitting that in grow bags this year. Also planning on the same treatment for my toms. Unless I'm told that's not a good plan  ::)

Thanks again Lucy x
Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: Tee Gee on March 08, 2010, 16:54:21
QuoteWhats your reason for not using nets Tee Gee?

Too fussy & not supportive enough, and if I have a double row I can get to the back row!

Quotea few of the cucumbers grew through the holes then back on themselves resulting in some tasty but odd shaped ones

The same can happen with netting!

QuoteWould the crystal lemon ones grow up canes like on your link?

Also planning on the same treatment for my toms

I grow all my vine / cordon plants on canes Cucumbers,Tomatoes,Melons,Squash etc.

Because my canes slope the trusses/cucs/squash etc hang down verticaly and are not affected by the support/s

QuoteWas planning on using some of my large pots cutting the bottom off and sitting that in grow bags this year.

Forget the grow bags, half fill your pots (bottom half) with farmyard manre and top up with potting compost (growbag contents will do)

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Allotment%2013th%20June/Tomatoes2.jpg)

Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: mummybunny on March 08, 2010, 17:26:01
Thanks Tee Gee  ;D
Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: sunloving on March 08, 2010, 18:45:21
Wow tee gee thats fabulous

mummy bunny dont know what yours is like but mine has several bolts with nuts on on the gable. So i undo the nut slightly and wrap a loop of wire behind it then screw back in to make hold fasts for string/wire. To much of a skin flint to buy the proper gear!

I'm growing crystal lemon for the first time this year to so thankyou for the tips!

x sunloving
Title: Re: greenhouse support
Post by: chriscross1966 on March 08, 2010, 19:07:20
I've got a shelf down the long side of teh 8x6 that I use and it folds up. I train my cukes up a couple of strings tied to the end of that down to shortish canes in the big pot they're growing in and then along the shelf basically behind the tomatoes that come in front of it.... seems to work but don't ahve photos..

chrisc