Blowaways

[Florence Fennel]

I had 3 blowaways blow away at the end of the year, even though they were weighted with sand bags on the bottom shelf. They are usually positioned against the house wall, can you recommend a method to secure them please?

[FionaH]

Bolt them to a wall?

[Two_Sheds]

Bolt them to a wall?

We've done that with the school one, but it's in a sheltered courtyard

This one was tied to a downpipe, and pulled it down with it

[King Carrot]

One of mine after a gale (in July!) last year. It should have blown away but I tie the frame to concrete blocks and lay more blocks all around the skirt. It just went in the next weakest place. Managed to save it and the crop of beans and squashes and I plan to use it again in some form this year.







Most of the hoops and poles just snapped on one side at the windward end - mainly around the welds which were 2 years old by then!

I fixed it up by banging round iron into the ground by each leg and then cable tying to the leg right up and on to the hoop and then 3 x 15ft lenghts of round iron tied to the sides and roof to support the ailing frame! I also fixed 6 inch bits across the top to connect the top of the hoops to the 15 ft roof support.

[Kristen]

I had 3 blowaways blow away at the end of the year, even though they were weighted with sand bags on the bottom shelf. They are usually positioned against the house wall, can you recommend a method to secure them please?

Seems like answering the wrong question! but could you not have a "proper" greenhouse? i.e. something more substantial on a solid base.

[Dottie]

I have mine strapped to the side of the shed, plus rope over the top several times. The large bits of plastic at the base is also placed under flagstones, so no space is wasted. It's up at the allotment, which is an extremely windy location. So far it's lasted a 3 or 4 years, so it's not going anywhere, but it does need a new piece of plastic, as the little squares have all disintergrated. Thinking of taking off all the ties at some point and just putting a new strong plastic sheet over, then replace the old cover, as it has all the correct corners and doorway cut out. But it does require more than 1 person to get it nice and tight, as there is a lot of strapping in and stuff to do. Large hooks were positioned on the shed, so everything was done to last and it's still not going anywhere.

[Florence Fennel]

We've done that with the school one, but it's in a sheltered courtyard

This one was tied to a downpipe, and pulled it down with it

I remember that happening TS!

[Florence Fennel]

Seems like answering the wrong question! but could you not have a "proper" greenhouse? i.e. something more substantial on a solid base.

Quite simply can't afford it Kristen, I have the space, but it would have to be levelled (quite costly). We are also an inner city area, with one or two unsavoury characters close by!

[miker2d2]

i used some largeish pegs like you would use for a tent and then cabletied the legs to them, didn't budge all winter

[Kristen]

Quite simply can't afford it Kristen, I have the space, but it would have to be levelled (quite costly). We are also an inner city area, with one or two unsavoury characters close by!

I'm sure I'm only stating the obvious (and Yobs chucking Stones would be enough to put me off) but one might come up on freecycle?, and people seem to find them by spotting unused ones and asking if they can have them

Seems like 3 blowaways blowing-away each year is the same as the mortgage ) on a greenhouse

[Florence Fennel]

Three blowaways = 2 @ 11.99, (bought 2 years ago) one given to me last year, so didn't really break the bank when they blew away! A greenhouse could only be situated on the side of the house where the ground slopes and is out of sight of the front and back door, so it's a no go I'm afraid. I think I might tape around the joins before I put the covers on and fasten them to the wall somehow (they're on a concrete path). The wind actually split them before it carried them off! Just glad I hadn't already erected some in this wind. Thanks for your help everyone.

[Torquemada250]

I fastened mine (only the small 4 level grow frame) to my shed wall using the "U" shaped pipe clips for copper pipe. You have to screw through the cover but at least it's still there - as opposed to my 3m x 6m polytunnel which collapsed due to weld failure in the Christmas snow. To be fair I collapsed it once I saw the weld failure and am now about to rebuild it.

[Comfreyfan]

Mine is against the housewall. OH screwed 'eyes' into the wall and then tied the cover to it - framework was tied to the cover and it stayed put until the cover disintegrated!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Florence,

When I had blowaways I secured one of them with ring clips screwed to the wall of the house and can honestly say it never moved. The down side is you will need 10mm holes in the cover I did this with a hot 6" nail so that the edges were sound and not prone to ripping.

If you want to see what I mean go to B.E.S Ltd, Plumbing and Gas supplies type ring clips into the search engine and look at part no's 6512 & 6502. They are not expensive and are very strong.


Hope this helps Colin