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Thinking of a greenhouse

akinchokaneakinchokane Posts: 7
in Fruit & veg
Wondering if you good folk can help. I am very much an amateur gardener.I usually buy all my summer bedding etc from the garden centre but would love to be able to grew all I need for my spring and summer containers from seed. I’m wondering if this would be possible with the help of a green house and if there is a book or an idiots guide to help me ? Thank you 

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    A greenhouse would certainly help but it's a big investment,  unless you're lucky enough to get one for free, or second hand. 
    You could manage with a couple of coldframes maybe, but it depends on what you want to grow. 
    When you say a guide, do you mean one on choosing a greenhouse or growing from seed (or maybe both !)
  • akinchokaneakinchokane Posts: 7
    Just hoping to grow bedding plants to fill my containers,to begin with. Probably a guide to using a green house. Could you get a fairly decent greenhouse for around £250? I have a big birthday coming up.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I have had a quick search,  and you can get a Halls Greenhouse 6x4 for around £250
    https://www.greenhousepeople.co.uk/greenhouse/125/halls-popular-6x4/
    I'd advise you to do as much investigating as you can and checkout where it will fit in your garden etc.
    With regard to a book, this is an oldie but goodie
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenhouse-Expert-Dr-D-G-Hessayon/dp/0903505401
    Again a search on Amazon or any similar site should give you a few to choose from  :)
  • akinchokaneakinchokane Posts: 7
    Thank you Anni. Do you reckon it’s feasible to grow what I need from seed? 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I'm not quite sure what you mean, but l would say that if you get one, you will find it very useful. If you want to raise things like half hardy annuals and perennials it comes in very handy. Only you can know for sure exactly how much use you would get out of it.
     In the Summer you can use it for growing things like tomatoes, peppers cucumbers etc. 
    These days heating a greenhouse can be a very expensive business but you can use it to overwinter things, and it does give you a head start when Spring comes. Mine does have electricity,  but these days l tend to use layers of fleece, it's cheaper! 
  • PlashingPlashing Posts: 328
    You always try and get the biggest one you can afford you will always find that its not big enough,I bought a 8' x 6' and I am finding it isn't big enough but with me in my late seventies, I don't know whether I have enough time to get my money back even with growing tomatoes,peppers and starting all my veg and bedding plants,I could do with a 10' x 8'.
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    @akinchokane I bought a 6x4 greenhouse (it's all I have space for) about 4 years ago having never grown anything from seed before.  I now grow 90% of the plants for my containers, lots of biennials such as foxgloves and wallflowers, some perennials and next year I'm going to start growing veg from seed.  I love it.  I use a small fan heater that works on a thermostat and keeps the greenhouse frost free which allows me to overwinter some tender perennials.  Must admit if I had the space I'd have bought a larger one but the 4x6 is great.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
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