very windy site: greenhouse or PT ?

[Alison Adams]

I would like some undercover space, not huge about 8x10 probably. We are next to open fields and nothing protects our site from the prevailing westerlies coming off the Pennines, so any structure will need to be very solid.
I am inclined towards a PT with ground anchors and possibly a windproof fabric screen to the windward side of the PT.
Are there any PTs designed for windy sites or is it a case of putting in extra stabilising bars etc ? Will strong wind cause the cover to stretch ?
I am tending away from a greenhouse as I can picture sheets of glass being flung around ours and neighbours gardens, but perhaps greenhouses are more robust than that ?!
Are there any general guidelines about how to choose the right thing ?
Any help appreciated,
Alison

[Gardening Extras]

Hi Alison

You might do well to have a look at a Keder Greenhouse they are sort of a hybrid between a poly tunnel and a greenhouse and much, much stronger than both. I know that they are particularly suited to windy conditions, so might be just what you need.

Iain

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Garden Supplies

[BilboWaggins]

Thanks Ian, we are in a similar site to Alison and also considering a greenhouse at present (although we get the wind BEFORE it gets to the Pennines )

Advice I have been given so far includes
a) ensure g/h is on a really sound & solid base
b) site g/h so that door is an opposite end to the direction the prevailing wind comes from.

[Alison Adams]

Iain, I have seen those advertised and they do look fab. I get a bit worried though when the website doesnt state the prices - you know its gonna be expensive if they make you phone and ask - so they can try to talk you into it while they've got you !
I will ask anyway but as its only for small scale growing keder might be out of our league...

[Gardening Extras]

Alison: - I know what your concerns over price are, and i totally understand.

The prices are dearer than poly, but cheaper than a comparable glass greenhouse - they really are good though.

Bilbo: - You are right about positioning your greenhouse with the door facing away from the prevailing wind, although often harder than it first appears.

As a side note the main wind is not what generally starts to damage off - it is strong gusts, these 'shock' the structure and cause a small amount of damage, then the main wind get stuck in.

You would be wise to protect any structure by trying to diffuse the wind and disrupt its strength before it can reach your greenhouse.

[lez]

I saw in a past magazine a couple who garden in the isle of skye. wind, they can tell you a thing or to and the greenhouse the had I'm sure looked like a make called rhino. anyway I know that the make of greenhouse called rhino from greenhouse direct is built stronger and and though a bit more expensive well worth the layout in the long run. they come with all sorts of extras as standard. I am not a saleman but I have my own and am well pleased. you could alo consider a dome and the wind would blow over and around if you sited the door away from prevailing winds. I think if you are in to windy a site a pl would not stay the distance and the slightest tear or scratch and the wind will find it and break your hearts. anyway good luck with what ever you choose.

[Galileo]

Rhino and Robinson's Greenhouses seem to be marketed as a good bit stronger than standard Greenhouses.

They use more Aluminimum which brings the cost up but increases strength. Also glass held in with strips rather than clips increases strength a lot. You also need a good foundation and strong bolts to bolt the base down.These Greenhouses are more expensive than standard ones but as the saying goes....... "Im not rich enough to buy cheap".....

I saved up for a couple of years to get a Rhino and I am now glad I did.

[annacruachan]

We have a 6 x 8 GH which was in a sheltered position where we lived on the mainland. Then we moved to our small island where the westerly gusts shoot diagonally across the garden. Two winters ago the GH was moved six inches across its base and we lost 15 panes of glass!
It is now covered with a white tarpaulin - doing double duty as protection from the sun in summer - which is held down by sandbags all along its length, the main guy ropes having two sandbags. This has survived last winter's force 10 gales and a multitude of equally horrible gusts from the many force 9s we get here.
I thought this might be helpful to those who need something a bit cheaper than the rhino.

[Snadger]

What you need is an underground greenhouse! Here's one design but there's loads!

[singleseeder]

What you need is an underground greenhouse! Here's one design but there's loads!

No good for me Snadger, I have a 5ft hole in the garden (empty pond) which has recently had 4ft of water in it. Clay soil

[Snadger]

No good for me Snadger, I have a 5ft hole in the garden (empty pond) which has recently had 4ft of water in it. Clay soil

It isn't an empty pond then, it's a pond!

[singleseeder]

It isn't an empty pond then, it's a pond!

Too true!! I dragged the liner and carpet out ready to fill and make it into useable garden and then the heavens opened on us all a few weeks ago. It still has about a foot of water in there.

I wonder if the hole that opened up in that street last week is full of water yet?

[JenFeet]

Hi there.

Just to put my experience in. We're on the side of a hill in Caithess and are battered (absolutley battered) by the wind - very strong westerlies (quite regularly) and a pretty much constant south-south westerly. We first built our 7 hoop polytunnel in the middle of our field but this blew down in a hoolie one night - it had extra stabilisers and crop bars for rigidity and was trenched in very very deeply...

We eventually re-built it as a 5 hoop tunnel - as 2 hoops were bent and buckled and couldn't be used again - we also (obviously) had to buy a new cover. It's now situated behind our garage to try to protect from the wind a little but we are extremely exposed to the wind and constantly.

We got back from holiday at the weekend and our garden shed had been blown over and away into the fence about 6 foot away. The shed was full of petrol garden equipment, kids bikes and toys, heavy gardening items yet the wind picked it up and threw it against the fence - landing on the roof and destroying the shed beyond repair and many of the things in it. We also had a climbing frame from the garden blown approx 40 foot OVER a 4 foot fence and landed upside down. This had foot long anchor pins in each leg yet was lifted out of the ground and blown away!

Yet - the polytunnel survived absolutley intact! Woo hoo! Having the building behind it offered enough of a buffer to make such a huge difference from before.

Sorry for rambling on but I would say the positioning of your tunnel on a windy site is the most crucial aspect to consider.

Thanks
Jennie