Making a greenhouse decision...

boragejohnson · October 2022

Good evening

I thought I'd garner some opinion please before biting the bullet within the next few months.

I'm pretty much set on the manufacturer, only because I've considered Rhino for so long that I'm familiar with their range, options and reputation - prices too...

I live about 500 yards from the west coast of Scotland (South Ayshire, so a tad more benign than further north but gusts are still an occasionally biblical 80mph+..) - hence the need for strength. I do appreciate of course that other manufacturers will no doubt provide products equal to the job.

Therefore, it's not the type, size or manufacturer I need help with (though I'd appreciate any advice you can give), it's more the question of how much it would be of benefit to me in terms of cost-effectiveness. My new garden will have a strong wildlife slant - I love the idea of cottage gardening, but unsure as to what will survive the winds (and possibly rainfall). My back garden is decent-ish, former-potato field, sand-clay back garden, with a liberal sprinkling of typical new-build rubble. The area is 15 x14 metres.

Now for the crux of the issue - perhaps unusually, I have the idea that I can use the greenhouse almost entirely to grow seed /cuttings to help populate the garden - I do intend to grow some veg but being an absolute novice in this regard, at the moment I can only foresee grow-bags for toms in the greenhouse.

With the rising prices of greenhouses, particularly for the supposedly stronger versions, I'm wondering whether my idea is flawed - for the substantial cost of such a greenhouse, I would be able to buy a lot of plants, and perhaps may be able to completely plant up the back garden. I keep reading of how useful greenhouses are, and may spark off a much deeper interest in eg. growing veg, but with no proper gardening experience, I don't know how deep the bug will bite. To complicate things, I've already had a builder construct a fairly substantial base.

Any thoughts?

nutcutlet · October 2022

I don't regret mine (and it's also a Rhino). It does cuttings late summer, I start off overwintering seed outside but generally bring them into the GH for my convenience around the end of February. It's really larger than I need now but we store a couple of garden benches and have coffee out there on sunny days in winter. In the spring it has more seeds and in summer, tomatoes and peppers etc. One thing I would do if starting again would be to have it half bricked (up to bench height) to offer an easy opportunity for shade. I have a lot of trees and therefore need a lot of shade plants
Having read @Busy-Lizzie's post it reminds me to say I use no heat

Busy-Lizzie · October 2022

I was living in Dordogne, France when I bought my greenhouse, so gardening conditions were different from yours, very hot summers and cold winters, frosts until May.

First I bought a cheap polytunnel to see if it would be worth buying a greenhouse. It was, so I bought one, but not an expensive one.

I had a big garden that I started from scratch and a vegetable garden. I grew a lot of vegetables from seed started in the GH, also cuttings of perennials, annual bedding plants from seed to fill out my flower beds and plant in pots. Over the years it must have saved me a huge amount of money.

I found that it was best with heating, but at first I didn't have any. I piled up a huge heap of horse manure to rot in a corner and it kept the frost at bay. I sat seed trays on it and later dug it in to the bed on one side to plant tomatoes. That was all quite labour intensive so I bought a parafin heater. That kept frost at bay but didn't provide warmth and sometimes covered everything with soot.

Then I met 2nd OH who wired it up and gave me a heater. I used to grow 500 tender bedding plants each spring. I bought heated mats and electric propagators and starting to grow plants to sell for a local charity.

I sold that house and downsized, not young any more. I don't have a GH any more, but it was fun while it lasted.

Sheps · October 2022

All I can say is go for it...you don't sound like you'll regret it.

If you can, go for one with high eaves, the extra headroom makes a difference.

Pete.8 · October 2022

If you just want a nice garden then invest in a range of perennials and shrubs and they'll last for many years.

If you want to develop an interest in gardening and have some fun with a little added frustration, then get the greenhouse.

I've had a Rhino for a few years now and very pleased with it.
I sow and grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and chili in mine - I find it very rewarding.
I grew Scotch Bonnets this year and had lots - just for the fun of it.
I've not built up courage to try one yet though

Simone_in_Wiltshire · October 2022

We live in a wind alley and winds up to 70 m/h were common, not last Autumn and this year due to the change in weather pattern. Living under your conditions there will be much damage not only from winds and rain, but also animals.

We bought a greenhouse in Autumn 2019 for our 10x10 meter garden. It’s full with pots in late winter and Spring. I have probably saved around £500 if not more just with growing everything from seeds but also taking cuttings just to see how they develop. It is so much fun to experiment, I haven’t regretted it. I have only bought a few shrubs until then. I won’t buy new plants next year as the garden is now filled with plants and I concentrate only on growing new types from seeds and taking cuttings.

Just a tip from my side, if you can afford it and have the space, then check if you can buy a bigger greenhouse that allows you to have a chair inside. If it’s windy and cold outside but you have blue sky, you might enjoy sitting in a wind protected warm cosy place - as I do in early Spring.

Bee witched · October 2022

I've also got a Rhino .... and just love it.
When we got it my OH said he'd never see me indoors again ... and he was right.

Used at the moment for overwintering pots, lots of herbs like parsley etc which I can keep going over winter, various cuttings, and autumn-sown seedings for the garden.
It's not heated.
It's also a work space with potting benches etc

I've got a large garden which we started from scratch. It would have been far too expensive to fill with just plants from a garden centre.

Some practical points ....
If you intend to have water butts to fill from the gutters, make sure you've got some sort of overflow arrangement set up.
Don't skimp on the ventilation ... go for plenty of roof vents and side louvres.
Worth buying the Rhino staging and shelving, it's very sturdy.
Get your base absolutely flat and level.

Good luck,
Bee x

Simone_in_Wiltshire · October 2022

Related to Bee witched’s comment: Get your base absolutely flat and level.

The Eden guy that we had to assemble it said it should go into the direction where the water butt is.

We are on clay soil and unfortunately our one moved a bit down where the door is and the main butt doesn’t get any water. Clay moves a lot in summers like we had this year. I have now added additional pipes to the front gutter part and can collect water from all 4 sides.

MikeOxgreen · October 2022

Have you considered a Polytunnel?

Arthur1 · October 2022

I spend a lot of time in my glasshouse just pottering. Wonderful afternoons when it's not nice outside but I can still do something outdoorsy. I think you will quickly become a fan and wish you'd bought a larger one.

Forester_Pete · October 2022

When my builder did the base for mine he did a wonderful job getting a square and level wall with concrete foundation. But I do now wish I had just a little bit of fall to help the gutters. They can overflow easily but the upside is the birds drink from it as there is often some water remaining.

Making a greenhouse decision...

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