OT: Greenhouse advice.

[Rhythm Thief]

Right, CC gardening types. My wonderful parents have bought me and Ms RT a lean to greenhouse. The only place it will go in our garden is on the north facing end wall of our house. The left hand side will face west, but there isn't going to be much sun getting to our greenhouse until the long summer evenings roll around again. Is this going to be ok, or are we wasting our time and should we get a shed instead?

 

[accountantpete]

Any veg plants that you grow are not going to get enough sun - you could look out for shade tolerant tomatoes etc but I suspect it will be a struggle.

 

[Alien8]

Unfortunately I'd say it was a bit of a non-starter but it does depend upon what you looking to grow in it?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

We don't really want to be limited as to what we can grow in it ... Ms RT has been on the phone to them to see if we can change the order and get a smaller one which will fit in the patch of sun. Unfortunately, this is going to mean demolishing my shed.

 

[Alien8]

The more light it gets the better.

I've got a 6'x4' which I find a lot of work to keep in good shape - regular cleaning (feffing birds!), shading in summer, bubble wrap in winter etc. Used to run a paraffin heater but the condensation is a pain. If you have a lot in it some sort of automated watering like a gravity dripper is good for the summer. Last year in high winds next-doors parasol flew over the fence and embedded itself through the roof - still keep finding little bits of glass!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Changed the order ... we've now got an 8'x6' free standing greenhouse on order. I'm just shopping for sheds now.

 

[accountantpete]

Changed the order ... we've now got an 8'x6' free standing greenhouse on order. I'm just shopping for sheds now.

Make sure it has a base!

 

[sheddy]

That'l be the base layer

 

[Gromit]

Gardeners question time ether this week or last week said you can grow veg just about anywhere. We have a shaded yard and we did really well growing food this year. Lots of veg plants hate having to much sun, seedlings rely on warmth rather than light to germinate. I say you could pretty much stick the greenhouse anywhere and you would still get results.

Seeds need temps of around 5C for germination to take place.

I did a number of germination experiments a few weeks ago placing sweet pea seeds in several places around the college green house, I found that I got the best results on a heated propagation table that was about a meter high.

It's good practice when you get your greenhouse to find out what the optimum temperature is in each part of the greenhouse. You will usually find things grow really well when there between half a meter and a meter off the floor.

Hope this is of some help.

 

[Gromit]

I killed this thread then?

 

[Arch]

I killed this thread then?

Better that than killing your vegetables...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

No, there's some useful advice there, cheers. We've decided to set it up in the only patch of sun the house end of the garden gets - our garden's a funny shape - so it will get the sun from the west and the south at different times of the day.

 

[Apeman]

Keep the faith and you will be fine. Start off with tomatoes, peppers ,chillies,cucumbers. They are pretty foolproof unless you forget to water them.Buy yourself a copy of How to grow your own vegetables or summit like that by Dr.Heyasson in any good garden centre and you cant go wrong. Brilliant books with great advice. Good luck!!!

 

[45cotterless]

What you must get is bubble wrap lining. Garden centres sell it and wee clips for fixing it in place. It makes so much difference.
Folk make too much of greenhouses, too hot in summer, too cold in winter.
I keep junk in mine.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Nooooo
Don't buy a greenhouse. They give off gases that are killing the planet... User482 will lecture you on the subject... for free!