Will a Greenhouse Make Much of a Difference?

[Soylent Green]

I think that we can all agree that the start of the growing season was a bit of a disappointment. It certainly knocked back many of my plants and those that survived didn't produce much. Now I haven't got a greenhouse and I have to rely on propagators that I put on every available window sill. I'm seriously thinking of getting a greenhouse or a poly tunnel, but for the circumstances I mentioned here (rubbish start of growing year) would it make much difference to my fruit and veg?

[veggiechicken]

Depends on what you want to grow!! Compared to a window sill, a GH will give you better light but the temperature will be lower, unless you heat the GH.
I grow salad leaves in my unheated GH all year round but tender plants, like tomatoes I start indoors and don't put out into the GH until spring.

[Soylent Green]

Thanks VC, I want to grow some tender perennials, but mostly I want to start off my seedlings somewhere where they can have better light.

Due to the weather at the start of the year I couldn't plant out and my seedlings were getting too big for the propagator and this was a problem.

I also want to grow aubergines, okra, bell peppers and some of the more climate sensitive cucumbers and tomatoes.

Somewhere that I could bring potted plants in for the winter would be nice too.

[veggiechicken]

I'd find it difficult to go back to gardening without a GH - as you may have seen, I now have 3 For me its a staging post between germinating seeds in the house, then the seedlings go in the GH, and when they are large enough, they are planted outdoors. The toms etc, live out their lives in the GH.
If you think you want one - you do!! Think big when you buy/make one - or have a polytunnel - or have both

[Soylent Green]

I'm rather a big bloke 6ft, 4ins and 19 stone so I couldn't be doing with one of these small Green houses. The polytunnels in the size I need would also be restrictive, so I'm thinking of building a wooden framed GH with a polytunnel skin, that way I can have a long, tall GH with plenty of headroom. I think that this is the way forward

[veggiechicken]

Ermm, yes, You'd be sticking your head through the roof in my GHs!! Sometimes being 5'2" has its advantages
If you can build your own, that would be ideal. There are plenty of ideas on here and on the net. We'll need piccies of course

[Soylent Green]

Of course! My wood working isn't too shoddy, check out my raised beds photos on my profile. Thanks VC you have been an excellent 'sounding board' this morning. I'm now convinced that I need to get to work on a Greenhouse. If nothing else it will be somewhere new to hide from the wife Oh and the smell inside a greenhouse is great!

[veggiechicken]

I'll expect to see something by the end of the week SG

[Soylent Green]

Errr well you may see the hole in the ground where the old brick sheds used to be I'm thinking of using the same design as my raised beds, but extending the supports up to form the sides and the roof sections. I'll have to raise the foundations as the garden often floods to about 6 inches of water. French drains I'm hoping will help.

It will be some building project I can tell you! Everything I construct is built to with stand an above ground explosion from an atom bomb!

[Two_Sheds]

I want to start off my seedlings somewhere where they can have better light.

Yes, a gh is a massive help, IF you can put it in the right situation (sunny, not overshadowed, south or south-west facing).
I wasn't able to grow tomatoes until I got a gh (they get blight outside), and with my gh I can now supply myself, my friends and 2 schools with seedlings

A good one isn't cheap, but I decided I'd rather have a good gh than a holiday every year.

[Martin H]

SG, you should build yourself one of these: Low cost geodesic dome greenhouse kit

If I had the space I'd definitely have a go!

[veggiechicken]

These brick sheds you're about to demolish........obviously, I haven't a clue what they're like (except they're built of brick and there are 2 of them). Is there any scope for turning them into something useful ?
Reroofing with plastic sheeting?
Lowering them and turning them into cold frames?
Keeping the wall on the north side and putting a lean to glazed wall against it?

[Soylent Green]

Unfortunetly VC the two sheds are completely wrong for anything. I had a good think as what to do with them but they are badly built, only 5ft in height and they crumble at the slightest touch. A shame really, but at least I can reuse the bricks. I also had an old wartime pig sty, same size and shape, but at least the blue brick floor came in handy. Thanks Martin H, that looks great but I'm pushed for space so I'm in the process of shoe horning long thin raised beds into the garden. I'm also pressing into service the side yard and the front garden

[Soylent Green]

Hi Two Sheds, the GH will face South to South East getting plenty of sunshine as it will not be over shadowed. I'm looking to build it 5 metres in length but only two metres wide. A super skinny GH

[redser]

I'm rather a big bloke 6ft, 4ins and 19 stone so I couldn't be doing with one of these small Green houses. The polytunnels in the size I need would also be restrictive, so I'm thinking of building a wooden framed GH with a polytunnel skin, that way I can have a long, tall GH with plenty of headroom. I think that this is the way forward

I assume the wood would need to be treated to deal damp. That could be costly. What about a DIY tunnel? ...
My DIY Polytunnel - boards.ie