This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Greenhouses
Fishy65
Posts: 2,276
As a complete newbie with greenhouses, when is the best time to water plants in them and how often/how long do roof vents need to be open. Is it ok to leave vents open at night? The plants I've sown are nearly all hardy perennials.
Lots more questions but that will have to do for now.
0
Posts
For hardy perennials you can leave the vents open now, and the door. My doors haven't been shut for weeks. I only close down for gales and the vents sort themselves out. As you know Fishy, my gardening style is not as precise as some but the plants grow. I water in the morning while the night are still coldish.
Another thing to consider for later is shading, it reduces the stress.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks nut, I do seem to remember your GH doors were open in November? I've left the vents (2 in a 6ftx8ft GH) open tonight and will do likewise on the door. I noticed today that things in general are too damp which prompted the questions.
I bought some shading, the internal type. The stress - is that us or the plants?
Stress? us and them Fishy
I've got added stress, I have to keep a friend's tomato seedlings alive for a week while she's on holiday. Still tiny, on kitchen windowsill. Didn't sow mine till today.
In the sticks near Peterborough
PS
A cold GH gives some weather protection but you can't keep it warm.The temperature out there on a winter's night is just as low as on the roof and colder than up against the house.
Yes, we have thermometers everywhere
Ventilation is very important
In the sticks near Peterborough
That's another thing I need - a thermometer. There's a lot more to this greenhouse malarky than meets the eye isn't there.
I have tomato seedlings too, on the kitchen window sill
It will be a while before my toms go to the GH
Hardy plants are tough, they will grow faster with the daytime warmth of the GH y but for years I grew them all outside with no protection
In the sticks near Peterborough
Fishy, if you are getting a thermometer then get a maximum minimum one.
Will do Busy-Lizzie
That's true nut, those hardy natives survived the winter on the garden table.