Dave

[Davdandy]

Hello.

I stumbled across this site while looking at greenhouses and decided to register.

My name is Dave and am 45 yrs old,married with two small girls aged 4 and 7.

I am considering a 6x6 greenhouse for my first purchase and am undecided on whether to go for a safety glass or polycarbonate one.I realise the poly could be a problem in high winds but whats the views from you guys.I have looked at a Gardman 6x6 and possibly the Elite high eaves craftsman.I don't wish to break the bank so any advice will be gratefully appreciated.

I will post some more tomorrow as i am about to go out but just wanted to say hello and start the banter going.

Dave.

[Jardiniere]

Hello Dave....your my wife now (sorry i say that to all the Daves- remember? League of Gentlemen?)

[Digger-07]

Hello Dave and welcome to the forum.
My personal choice would be to go for polycarb at least until your girls get a little older.

[selfraising]

Hi Dave and welcome to the vine!

[Davdandy]

Thanks for the welcomes peeps,and yes Jardiniere i do know the LoG very well.

Ok,a bit more about myself.

I live in a semi detached house with a medium sized garden and room for a small greenhouse which as i said i am looking into getting soon.

I have looked at a wide range on the net but i cannot gauge how well built they are.I have looked into a few garden centers to give me an idea but it is you the very people who use them who i trust most rather than some sales person at the center.

I would go for toughened glass or the poly for the glazing but am concerned about wind and do not wish to keep buying new panels every year.Some come with bar capping,is this better than the clips to secure the glass and is it worth the extra money?

As i said above the two greenhouses that caught my eye one tough and one poly.

What do i want it for.Well,for one i want vegetables that are tasty to eat unlike the lame and bland food we get from the supermarkets,also i helps to keep the food costs down.But also because i want to,a hobby if you like.

I am interested in the obvious veg such as toms and peppers but also chilli`s and herbs,coriander,thyme,basil,parsley and so on.

Ok,enough for now.I will have a mooch around this site and speak some more.

Dave.

[Lottieval]

Hi Dave and welcome,
Two thoughts on your greenhouse choice - whatever size you manage to afford it will very quickly become far too small and I agree about safety glass though I must admit when my kids were small I had ordinary glass, it was situated at the end of a fairly small garden and they learnt not to go close to it unless I was with them. With regard to glazing bars or clips my current one has clips and we live in Pembrokeshire where we get our fair share of gales, it hasn't been a problem - yet! Perhaps I shouldn't have said that!! Fingers crossed for next winter.

[Davdandy]

Thanks Lottie.

I would assume the bar capping holds the glass more firmly in place rather than the iffy clips,would i be right?

[basketcase]

Hi Dave! *waves*

Can't help about the greenhouse, but thought I'd say hello.

[Davdandy]

Hello Basketcase and a big wave back.

[sweetiepea]

Hi Dave and welcome.
I have a 6x8 polycard greenhouse, which I love to bits (sad isn't it!), and personally I couldn't fault it. I've used glass houses and found that plants were often scorched on very bright hot days, and it lost heat quickly when the sun went down. With my polycard however, I've had no scorching and I find the house retains heats for much longer. I bought mine because I had a young child, and to be honest it has taken a few bangs from the football, but with no ill effect. My site is on the side of a mountain so I know all about gales. I was concerned about the strength of clips so invested in two extra packs (about £3.00 each) - just in case! I also wedged a long bamboo cane into the frame across one of the long back panels that takes the brunt of the wind. That was five years ago, and to date it still standing and all in one piece. Lottieval is absolutely right, whatever size you buy, will quickly become too small. Hope this helps! Good luck with whatever you buy, and good growing.

[carolmk]

helo dave, about your greenhouse. the polycarbonate will last about 10 years, we have just changed our panels last year, they are surprisenly robust, as we get high winds here the only thing your`ll have to watch is the special tape that goes on the outside if its not on proplery it will leak !!