greenhouse complete!!!!!

[chilli_grower]

Hi all,

I finished my polycarbonate greenhouse today

Pictures attached.

After me and Dad finished the glazing today, I left a digital thermometer in there for half an hour or so.

Then when I checked it, at approx 2pm today, it was 27 degrees in there!!!!

Which leads me to the question:

How on earth do plants remain 'moist' in greenhouses during summer months?

As it will probably get to 45 degrees in there mid summer!

I am in work all day!!!! So can only water plants at 6:45am and 6pm

Cheers

[veggiechicken]

Well done CG and CG's Dad
Don't panic about the watering, you'll learn by experience how much water they need and if you're around every day it won't be a problem. I sometimes have to leave mine for a week at a time. Not ideal for seedlings but plants seem to survive

[Matt94]

Regarding watering the earlier and later the better (so 6am/6pm are perfect times) as watering them when the sun is at its hottest may cause scorch etc.

However if are still worried about leaving them in their all day without watering them, you can always pour water on the floor in the early morning and of course the most obvious way of keeping your GH cool is by having good ventilation (open all windows and doors )

[rustylady]

Looks like you've done a good job there Chilli Grower. Regarding temperature, do make sure that your thermometer is in the shade or you will get a false high reading.

[chilli_grower]

thanks all for the replies.

Yes - no problem watering very early.

rustylady - thanks for the thermometer tip.

I put my lettuce and winter spring onions in there today.

I will order up some staging soon.

THe window is a little fiddly, but it works ok.....

[Ananke]

Looks fab, well done.

[Bren In Pots]

However if are still worried about leaving them in their all day without watering them, you can always pour water on the floor in the early morning and of course the most obvious way of keeping your GH cool is by having good ventilation (open all windows and doors )

Plus in summer you can cover the GH with shading or buy net curtains from the charity shop for a couple of pound.

[chilli_grower]

net curtains are a very good idea.

I suspect come summer, I will need some sort of shading. As the greenhouse gets full sun from 9am - 8pm on a good summers day!!!!

[Nicos]

If you stick some guttering on the sides you'll be able to catch the rainwater in a barrel ( or two) for watering!

Looking good - well done!

[chilli_grower]

Nicos - THe greenhouse does actually have built in guttering on both sides. And yes, my intention is to fit a water barrel at some point.

I also already have a big water butt catching all the rainwater off my garage and wood store.

I also want to rig up a 12 volt lighting system in the greenhouse, and a couple of 12 volt fans.

I am not putting mains out there.

Cheers

[chilli_grower]

A lot of rain fell here today, whilst I was in work.

I just checked the greenhouse and there is a small pool of water inside.

THis appears to be where water is tracking underneath the frame, despite me placing the greenhouse on a thick bed of sealant!!!!

So - I need some more!!!!!

[DuncanM]

I'm assuming this is a kit greenhouse you bought? It looks great!

[chilli_grower]

thanks - yes bought as a kit 'on offer', but I needed loads of clear silicone, and I ordered 200 more glazing clips, and I used most of them!

[Nicos]

Always good to have a few spare panes of glass in reserve too from my experience.

One year we lost 5 panes of glass in the early Spring- and all the glaziers were sold out for 3 weeks. Not good news for my flowering peach I can tell ya!

[FruityLoop]

Chilli Grower - where did you buy it from? It looks great!

I've just ordered one from Robert Dyas - apparently the instructions to put it together aren't very good. How did you find assembling yours? Did it take very long?