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Choosing a greenhouse

MandyBMandyB Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hi I've just starting getting the gardening bug having seen a full year in our new home and what surprises were lurking in the beds (beautiful bluebells!). Having recently planted a Vegtrug full of goodies and spent a fortune on plants for my pots I'm really keen to grow these from seed next year so am looking at buying a greenhouse. I'm not really sure where to start so if anyone can share tips on best makes of greenhouse and any good books that will help me begin my greenhouse gardening I would be really grateful. Thanks
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  • Maud is in the gardenMaud is in the garden Posts: 581

    I bought a greenhouse last year from the greenhouse people, they advertise in the Gardeners World mag. They were really helpful. My first growing season and i really wish i had bought one before. At the moment its full of plants waiting to go to the allotment. I plan to grow tomatoes, cucumbers and chillis in it. Its been a bit of a learning curve and i hope to learn from my mistakes.

  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    Hello and welcome.

    Best advice that I can offer is to get the largest greenhouse you can afford and have in your garden. Over a short time you will fill it up, esp over winter.

    I would say that a wooden greenhouse with glass is best option. Metal frame with glass or plastic comes second. Those lightweight plastic bag growframes that you see are not really worth it.

    Getting electricty and water in the greenhouse is also something you should plan for.

    Location - west facing if possible, also sheltered is good as you do not want it to smash in strong winds.

  • MandyBMandyB Posts: 2
    Thanks for the advice. Have had a measure up and can fit one in twice as big as I originally thought so am off to order it on Sunday.......very excited but also a bit daunting as will be a steep learning curve!!!! Have electricity next to it and hose just about reaches so just need to get myself some seeds and plugs!!!
  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619
    You will have many happy hours in your greenhouse! I sometimes think that mine is my favourite place in the whole world. Do let us know how you are getting on with it.
  • donutsmrsdonutsmrs Posts: 487

    As figrat said having a greenhouse is the best thing in the world. I have now got two of them and I love them. I use one for my main growing and the smaller one for harding off. I have only had the second one about 6 weeks and while we were away on holiday  the police had chased a car into our road and the person they were chasing then bailed out of the car and ran down the side of our neighbours house lept over the fence and straight through my greenhouse roof, I was so upset when we got home to see it all twisted and broken with glass everywhere but thankfully my plants survived. My husband has now repaired it so I am up and running again. I spend many happy hours in the greenhouse and I hope you do too, good luck and enjoy.image

  • LilyanneLilyanne Posts: 21

    I ordered a polycarbonate 8x6 greenhouse from the company below, on Tuesday evening on-line. It arrived Thursday. The two of us started to construct it on Saturday morning and had it finished by Sunday evening. By Monday evening, all my seedlings and young plants had been removed from every windowsill in my house into the new greenhouse.

    The service from this company has been really good.  I received a courtesy phone call the day after my order to ensure that they had my instructions correct. All parts were delivered intact. Instructions were very good, although we did rush some stages in our eagerness, and had to go back to re-check what we had done!

    I am really pleased with the greenhouse and I think I am definitely going to "spend many happy hours" there.

    http://www.summergardenbuildings.co.uk/

  • Moonlit HareMoonlit Hare Posts: 153

    I miss my greenhouse, I've decided because we aren't going away on holiday this year I'm going to save up and treat myself for birthday and christmas image

    Hope MandyB will let us have a sneeky peep when she's up and running!

  • seaside oldieseaside oldie Posts: 45

    This is my first year with a greenhouse, and it has been one of the best things i have ever bought.  Have grown a load of plants from seed, overwintered tender plants, and have now got tomato plants, sweet peppers and chillies growing, like the other people who have replied I spend an awful lot of time down there!  Enjoy MandyB!

  • pr1mr0sepr1mr0se Posts: 1,193

    My GH is my sanctuary - I could (do, actually) spend hours there, especially in the spring when I'm sowing seed, pricking out plants and potting them on etc.  I take my radio and it is a little bit of heaven, snug inside no matter what the weather is like.

    My suggestions would be, like others, get one as big as you can afford and locate.  Then have an electric fan, that can be set for "frost" setting.  It keeps the temperature just above freezing, but only switches on when the thermostat registers the temp.  I have it a little bit warmer when I have seeds in there, but also use electric propogators, which have helped enormously.

    I also insulate in the winter - bubble wrap does keep it extra cosy, so the running costs are kept as low as possible.

    Hope that helps.

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619
    Bloke electrified my gh last year, and it has made such a difference! I have a basic fan heater like Shrinking Violet, also good in the summer (haha!) for cooling it down just on the fan setting. Heated propagators also very worthwhile. Oh, and automatic vent openers are invaluable as well. I used to have a wind up radio, but that conked out recently. Used to love pottering about on a Sunday afternoon listening to Gardener's Question Time.
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