Swap greenhouse for a polytunnel?

[OverWyreGrower]

Our greenhouse is slowly dying... it's very, very old (was here when we moved into the house) and is rotting past repair

We can't afford to replace like for like (I wish) and have been talking about what we'll get when the greenhouse finally goes (or if we take it down). We'll lose the grapevine that's there, as it's too large and settled to move we think (at least +20yrs old)

Mr OWG is thinking about a large polytunnel and a smaller greenhouse (as cost will be a factor) but we're not really sure about the pro's and con's of plastic v glass...

All help appreciated!!

Attached is a picture of the greenhouse we're eventually getting rid of.

[nick the grief]

Ahh the old Tunnel vs Gh debate. It's not that simple really OWG it's like comparing Apples and Pears they do a similar job but they're not the same from what I know of Tunnels (Piglet or Rat are probably the best to answer).

Bernard salts book is brilliant (just been re-reading it prior to putting my order in) Gardening under Plastic. and he explains things better than I can.

As to your current one - Are you sure it's beyond repair? You can get stuff now that you paint on to the wood that soaks in and is like an expoxy type stuff that will harden the wood. Failing that I would seriously think about replacing the timber frame with pressure treated timber and re-build it a section at a time. If it's just the bottom rail thats gone why not cut it off and put it on a dwarf wall - You only need glass to ground if your growing in the beds but if you've got a tunnel you can grow in this so a halve brick (brieze block) wall would be fine - it will cut your heating down for a start and you can always use under the benches to force stuff like Chicory, Rhubarb, Asparagus or even grow mushrooms!

If it's defo duff then save the glass and use it to build some nice brick frames and then you can use these for early crops on hot beds.

If you must replace it then I would go for the tunnel for the same money you'll get a much bigger one than a greenhouse and with bost things in life ...

Bigger is Better

[OverWyreGrower]

The wood in it is like sponge, if you lean against the doorway (for example) the wood presses in and contracts.

We've also got sections where the wood has crumbled away to almost nothing

It was like that when we bought the house, but we were so excited at the idea of such a large greenhouse, that we didn't really think about the fact it was rotten

I had thought about getting it rebuilt, but I suspect the cost would be about the same as buying a new one of the sme size (i.e. ridiculous!)

Hum, looks like I'll be buying a copy of Bernard Salts book!

[nick the grief]

HI OWG,

If it's sponge use the wood hardening stuff to stop the rot and then a filler to make good ... lot cheaper.

As to re-building - you could do it a section at a time to spread the costs but I bet you'd do it or a lot less than the cost of a new one of that size as the biggest bill would be the Glass.

I know someone who managed to get some dutch lights for 50p each and then he built his grrenhouse for a couple of hundred quid.

Have a look at this

Ronseal Wet Rot Wood Hardener 500ml - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

[sewer rat]

Before you do anything, I would seek the advice of either a professional joiner / carpenter who has a good local reputation, or a timber preservation company.
As Nick says, you get a lot more tunnel for your money, but you cannot really compare glass vs plastic - completely different animals.
If I was in your position, I would do my utmost to save the glasshouse - but if that's a non starter, let us know and we'll see if we can help out on the tunnel front.

[JennieAtkinson]

I would reiterate what NTG and SR have said. Bernard Salt's book is absolutely GREAT. I still keep reading it, five years after getting the tunnel. It is one of the most informative books I have.

And yes, the tunnel and greenhouse are very different in terms of growing. I got the tunnel first. Last year was my first with the greenhouse and a bit of a disaster. I have spent the winter reading up on g/house growing so hopefully this year wont be as bad, but it has made me realise how important the greenhouse is in terms of my growing plot. I would echo SR - do your best to keep the greenhouse if you can.

[Two_Sheds]

What a lovely greenhouse. Preserve it if you can, it's gorgeous. I've never heard of that Rot Painting Stuff from Screwfix...let us know if it does the job, sounds great stuff.

[kentvegplot]

When we moved house, I left behind a greenhouse and I asked for a tunnel for my birthday, as it was a lot cheaper than a new ghouse.

Over the winter I discovered the main drawback - difficulty in insulating a tunnel to create a frost-free environment for my plants. We ended up creating a little mini-greenhouse within a section of the tunnel by hanging large sheets of bubble (the big stuff) from the hoops and main beam. It worked fine.

At the end of last year, we acquired a greenhouse (FIL was going to throw it on a skip!) and it has been much easier to manage the cold weather in an insulated glass house.

Having the tunnel last summer meant I could grow lots of tomatoes, peppers etc which I wouldn't have had room for in the (small) greenhouse, and various other veg got started earlier than they could have done outside (I may live in Kent, but we're in a frost pocket)

So, if you can, keep the greenhouse, but if a tunnel is the best alternative you might have to think of alternative ways to protect the tender plants over the winter.

[bridget mc laughlin]

I would go for the polytunnul any day , it works out cheaper in the long run

[pam]

You could split the difference and try a polycarbonate greenhouse from Norfolk greenhouses they are not especially pretty but very cheap.
Pam

[clare3411]

I am in a similar boat!

Have had a greenhouse in the past, which my lovely boys smashed to smitherins with their football. Like a twit I went and gave the frame and the remaining glass away. Ever since I have hankered after either a poly-tunnel or a new greenhouse as I have acquired an allotment over the past week and am now in a quandry. Poly tunnel, glass greenhouse or polycarbonate greenhouse.

Have researched and researced (A teacher by profession and an avid bargain hunter). Pam on the previous reply has the best one for price I can find. There are some interesting ones on the home page of grow your own too the one I though was the most reasonable for glass was the Waltons garden buildings.

Norfolk greenhouses offer a 12 x 8 ish in their standard range for £130 BUT it is covering in poly tunnel plastic not sheets of poly carbonate. Their Ultimate range is £275 for the same size but is twin insulated sheets like glass(thats what they say on the website). I am forced to consider the price option as I have just ordered a new shed for the site too. So I will probably go for a basic small one for now. Hope this helps, I am still hovering over what size to buy and not buying glass because of my children. I do have a friend with a glass one in Leicester for £75 8 x 6 if anyone is interested!

[petal]

do not get a norfolk greenhouse - they are like facing the Krypton factor when you have to put them together - i got an 'ultimate' one and it was destroyed in the storm last weekend - a real waste of money. i too have kids and would not consider glass - I have decided to save up for a nice roomy polytunnel with irrigation system. I will put a trellis in front of it to disguise it with a david austen rose growing up the trellis.