Greenhouse questions?

[DWSmith]

I've never had a greenhouse so I have a couple of questions.

What's a good, usable starter size to get? I'm sure some will say the bigger the better but what would be the minimum size that would still be big enough to get good use from?

What are some pros and cons of glass and plastic?

It can get fairly windy here so I'm concerned about anchoring.

I have a concrete patio attached to the back of the house with a basement door and outside electrical outlets. The patio is on the south side of the house. Would this be a good location?

Should I do without a greenhouse and just use cold frames instead? I can start seedlings indoors.

[Bigmallly]

I would never say the bigger the better but the bigger the better as you will regret it if you get a small one. Buying greenhouses is a personal choice depending on your circumstances and there are plenty of threads on the vine relating to them. Here is just one of them:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...elp_90216.html

[Cadalot]

I get a lot of use out of my Space Saving Greenhouse in the back garden as I don't have the room for anything larger and I have a 1.2m x 1.8m 4 x 6 foot on one allotment and I have another 6 x 4 to go up on the second allotment next year. I also have a smashing cold frame made from old windows.

[Jay-ell]

I just put up a 10x8 greenhouse because I didn't have space for the 12x8. When I first put it up and it was empty I thought WOW LOADS OF SPACE I'll never fill it all. I put up a bit of temporary staging (the tubular steed click together stuff) and as things moved into their final positions the staging came down to make room for containers and pots.

Now that its packed with cucamelon, melow, water melon, toms, aubergine, chillies, sweet peppers, sweet potato and banana plants (and a baby passion fruit plant, not to mention the lemon, ime and orange plus the pomegranate ) I have space for 2 foot of staging I think that I could have done with the extra 2 foot (to be honest I could have done with the extra 20 foot)

So I'd say look for the biggest one you can afford and fit in the space which fits your criteria (I wanted high eves for climbers and twin walled polycarbonate as I already have an allotment full of smashed glass and don't want to add to it). If you get a smaller one "Just To Start Off In" you could try getting a 6x4 blowaway type for a year. What else if the space used for an what are the priorities for the space? Could you use a leanto in the space?

[DWSmith]

If you get a smaller one "Just To Start Off In" you could try getting a 6x4 blowaway type for a year. What else if the space used for an what are the priorities for the space? Could you use a leanto in the space?

I thought about putting one on the poured concrete patio on the south side of the house. I'd have plenty of room for something 10' x 12' or a little larger. I also have electrical outlets very close by and a water spigot. It would be very near the door to the basement. Overall, quite convenient.

When you mentioned a leanto what does one look like? Do you have a link?

[Jay-ell]

A lean to uses an existing Wass as one of its wall so sits along the side of the house - google lean to greenhouse and you'll see what I mean

[DWSmith]

Cool! Thanks for that idea.

[jonny the plant pot]

I've got 3 and if they would let me I'd have 4 so just obtained permission to build a coldfram wich will be 10 x 4 ish so that's 4 then .
It all depends on what you want to grow as greenhouses are very time consuming my largest greenhouse is 12 x 6 and get around 12 tomatoes in with lots of airflow but with having a few I can afford to .either way they are great and would give the rest of my plot up if I could just have my greenhouses.

[Baldy]

I've got 3 and if they would let me I'd have 4 so just obtained permission to build a coldfram wich will be 10 x 4 ish so that's 4 then .
It all depends on what you want to grow as greenhouses are very time consuming my largest greenhouse is 12 x 6 and get around 12 tomatoes in with lots of airflow but with having a few I can afford to .either way they are great and would give the rest of my plot up if I could just have my greenhouses.

That reminds me - we'll have to tighten up our plot rules - hopefully no one notices that they can completely cover their plot in plastic / polycarbonate at the moment ...