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Fixing old greenhouse

bellysherebellyshere Posts: 24
in Problem solving
I'm attempting to fix up an old greenhouse and two sides of the greenhouse get plenty of light but the other two not so much. Would it be better to put some shiny horticultural film up on the inside of the two sides which don't get much light in?

Posts

  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    bellyshere  Sorry no-one's got back to you, but my immediate thought would be to possibly line the shady sides opposite the sun with aluminium cooking foil (for cheapness) to see if that is successful in diverting light across to those that aren't getting much at the moment.  Depending on the scale of your 'fix up', if it's fairly radical, I'd recommend you consider the option of converting the facility into a lean to format (if feasible, of course.).
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It depends on what you're planning to use it for, you may find that it's useful to have a shadier section.Temperatures can rocket in a greenhouse even on a comparatively dull day. @nick615 's idea of foil could be worth a try  :)
  • bellysherebellyshere Posts: 24
    It’s not a radical do up as my skills are very limited. I took all the glass out to clean it all up and need to put a new roof on. Taking the glass out was a bad idea though as it took me 6hours to redo one side. Worst jigsaw ever. The horticultural film is cheap anyway so I might try that. Though the shady section might be an idea if it does get too hot. Thanks 
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487

    To complete what I mentioned above on the lean to format:

    The sense of aligning any such building on an east-west direction can’t be denied but, now that the ordinary citizen can aspire to owning his or her own facility, we’re faced with a range of designs with central ridges, the north side of which will inevitably be in the shade of taller plants in the middle.  The growing area, as already mentioned, is often cluttered up with other items and, whilst anything is better than nothing, so much can be achieved with a little thought

     

    The answer, but only for the DIY enthusiast, is to create a greenhouse-type building of traditional pitched roof style, but with the ridge positioned off centre at two thirds to three quarters of the width from the south side.  With a dividing wall, ideally of reflective plastic, the remaining northern space can then accommodate a water tank and other impedimenta, leaving the majority for crops. 


  • bellysherebellyshere Posts: 24
    That’s sounds fancy. If only I could do DIY. 
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