Greenhouse Layout (ie floor space)?

[Caro]

Hi everyone,

The founds for my first ever (newbie) greenhouse are about to be built. I thought slabs round the edge for the (manufactured) base to sit on, and a path of slabs up the middle. However, as a complete novice, I have no idea how wide the path should be and how much space I should leave for growing borders, so that I could plant direct into the soil.

The greenhouse is 8 ft wide x 10ft long (I read the advice that said by as big as you can - first year may be a bit embarrasing with 3 straggly toms in huge greenhouse, but we'll see!). So please help. How wide would you suggest the borders be? Should they run almost the full length of the greenhouse or should I move them in a bit from front and back?

As a final thing, I assumed I would cover the border(s) with a thick layer of gravel when not in use?

All suggestions gratefully received.

Many thanks

Caro

[Capsid]

You should be thinking of how small the path can be. The path only needs to be as big as you need to get to the plants to plant them, water them and pick the fruit. The rest you can maximise for veg growing.

No need to cover with gravel as your beds can be in use nearly all the time; in the winter you can grow winter salads. Why would you want to cover with gravel?

[nick the grief]

You should be thinking of how small the path can be. The path only needs to be as big as you need to get to the plants to plant them, water them and pick the fruit. The rest you can maximise for veg growing.

No need to cover with gravel as your beds can be in use nearly all the time; in the winter you can grow winter salads. Why would you want to cover with gravel?

My big house is 12x8 and I have about 2' for the path and then 2x3' wide benches on the sides. You can have open borders to grow in but after a time you are best to dig them out and replace and they get depleted if you are growing toms in them all the time and it's hard to practice rotation in a small space like that. Also as they aren't subject to the effects of winter rains you can get a build up of salts from unused fertilisers which can be a problem but you'd get away with 4 or 5 years no problems.

Alternatively you could dig out about 3" of soil and put some membrane down, top off with gravel and grow in tubs ... not growbags please they get too hot at the roots and don't let the compost breath properly. Then any excess wil drain away through the gravel.

You don't need to stand it on slabs mine are on Concrete blocks ( OK there's a step in one of them) but my original house I dug out a spade width and depth and filled it with concrete making sure it was level and bolted the base to this 8"x10"x36ft of concrete will weight it down quite well and if you get some eye bolts and drill the base but the bolts in and put the eye bit into the sof concrete you can tighten them up when it's gone off.

[Caro]

Mark, Nick, thanks for your replies. I guess I'm scared to have the borders too big in case they get away from me! I should probably just suck it up and get stuck in there. If you can be bothered to reply again, suggestions as to good veggies to grow in the greenhouse borders would be much appreciated. For example, I worry that courgette plants would be too big etc.

Many thanks

Caro

[veg crazy]

HI I have got a 4x6 greenhouse and for the last 2 years I have grown tomatoes and courgettes in tubs in there, last year I had 3 courgette plants in there it did get a little crowded but so long as I could get in to water it was fine, however this year my very kind mother in law has given me her 6x8 greenhouse at first we were going to get rid of our little one and replace with big one then decided to reduce our grass area and have both I have also managed to get electric to it so I can now grow all year round. I plan on having toms, cucumbers (hopefully as never yet managed to grow one they usually only last a couple of weeks before I manage to kill them) courgettes 3 types and ghurkins I did originally plan these for the little veg patch but now got bigger greenhouse they can go in there and leave room in patch of leeks and cabbages.

[Two_Sheds]

suggestions as to good veggies to grow in the greenhouse borders would be much appreciated.

You should grow things that you can't grow outside in Scotland.
I guess that would be tomatoes, chillies, aubergines?

[Capsid]

Melons, peppers, cucumbers? You should also be using it to grow the seedlings as they will establish better ready for planting outside.

[SarzWix]

You can use it for early and late salad stuff too, mine usually has a growbag with salad leaves growing in early spring, and in autumn. They don't need any extra heat, I just start the seedlings indoors, plant them out and leave them to it
GYO magazine has an Undercover section and tells you what you can be doing/growing in your greenhouse or tunnel every month.

[divvy]

I have a 6 x4 greenhouse that is completely paved . I grow everything in troughs and pots . This year I have troughs 2 1/2 ft x 1 ft of cucumber , peas , snowpeas , strawberries , chard , tomato cherry , tomato standard , french beans , chillies , salad leaves , spinich, and 2 corgettes . There is still just enough room to put one foot in to harvest or water . You can see i believe in making the most of every inch.

[Dynamite]

I have a 8x6. Shall I ram it as full as poss. I have 3 cucumbers, 1 pepper, a chilli or two and about 12 tomatoes. All in MFB’s.

Two thirds of one long end is shelving.

What does anyone else do?

Kind Regards.............Rob

[veggiechicken]

Have a look at the photos in https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...9-a_98352.html for ideas.
I have a 10 x 6 with a 2' path down the middle, and 2' beds each side and across the far end.
A shelf at eaves level on one side and removable staging underneath.

[mrbadexample]

Shall I ram it as full as poss.

No. In a small greenhouse overcrowding can create conditions ideally suited to botrytis, a creeping grey mould that will spread from plant to plant. It likes humid, still air. I'd have no more than 6 tomatoes, and maybe the chillies / pepper and 1 cucumber.

Tomatoes grow fine outside.

[Dynamite]

No. In a small greenhouse overcrowding can create conditions ideally suited to botrytis, a creeping grey mould that will spread from plant to plant. It likes humid, still air. I'd have no more than 6 tomatoes, and maybe the chillies / pepper and 1 cucumber.

Tomatoes grow fine outside.

Aaaaaarggghhh nooooooo

Kind Regards.............Rob

[Lardman]

After many years fighting with botrytis I finally came to the conclusion it is better to grow fewer plants well than more plants badly.

Personally Id do 2 cukes at the far end and train the up the gable and into the ridge towards the door, 5 tomatoes down one side and 5 planting stations for the peppers down the other under the staging. Everything else - find a needy neighbour.