Greenhouse advice needed

[Bibliobeck]

We've just returned tired and sunburned (yes even at this time of year) from dismantling a greenhouse that my hubby is going to tag onto my existing one. After a surprisingly successful first year of fruit and veg growing we're both of the opinion that we need to give over more space to growing our own stuff (well I to the growing and cooking of and he to the eating of )

Anyway this will give us a 8'x22' greenhouse with a divider at some point. I'm very excited about this and planning away, but my main question is this - currently we have a path in the middle and either side is dug into a soil base for planting toms etc, however we don't know whether to keep anything like this or move over to a solid base with gritting & heated cable running underneath? I will definitely be doing this for some of the greenhouse anyway, but should I go the whole hog and put this throughout the greenhouse or should I leave some soiled areas? I'm so confused!

Is there anything I'm going to want to plant in the future that will need to go straight into the soil? I have nothing like this at the moment, as all the plants are lifted at the end of the growing season and I've grown most of my stuff this year, very successfully, in a variety of containers. All advice as usual gratefully received!

[nick the grief]

Hi Bibliobeck,

Well done on the extension - you can sever have enough greenhouse space

I assume its a 12x8 & a 10x8 your bolting together is it? i which case if you leave the door on the middle bit you can heat one part & have the other bit as a cool (won't be cold cos some heat will leak thru) house.

As to flooring,on of mine I'm converting to all concrete bar for 1 bed this is the small house, then I can either grow some of my cacti in the bed or just put some Toms in there each year not made my mind up yet. The big house has a path up the middle & the end has slabs on it (sort of Tee shaped if you see what I mean) & then I've got a permanat propagator bench in the end (8 x 2 with about 4" of sand & a 160w soil warming cable in it) the sides are soil & I have no intention of concreting them over as the soil will absorbe some of the moisture from the air & help reduce the humidity this time of year. Also if any of my Chrysanths get taller than the 6ft 5" sides I can dig a hole & drop the pot in (trust me they can do as well !!)

The only thing to remember with greenhouse borders is that you either have to rotate the crops or change the soil every 3 or 4 years to cut down the chance of pest & disease build up. Growing in the greenhouse borders will also be easier if you wnat a few days away as the roots will hame more access to moisture.

Hope this helps.

Try looking at Sue Sticklands book or eventhe one by Berard salt which although aimed at polytunnels has the same basic requirements

[Bibliobeck]

Thanks for this Nick - I hadn't thought about stuff like the soil retaining water, but as I know from experience this year, I can only trust myself to water stuff properly so the soil stays!
Yes, we're joining the 10' and 12' together - I like the idea of having different temps too - also hadn't thought about that until you said, but having read postings on here about different temps for toms and aubergines, it makes sense.