New Greenhouse on Order

[craftymarie]

Super excited. Got a Rhino 8 x 12 greenhouse coming to our garden in 2 weeks time

It's going on a soil base (as recommended by the company) which we have prepared ourselves by removing turf and levelling.

The clay soil underneath is full of bricks and rubble and no good for growing in so planning to put some gravel inside with some paving slabs down the middle.

One side will have 2 tiers of staging all the way down although I don't know whether that should go on the north side or south. The other side will likely have lots of cordon tomatoes growing in pots.

Will be grateful for any tips from existing greenhouse owners.

[burnie]

The key thing is watering, I was advised to use the soil as well as pots, so as a compromise where I have concrete anchors(which are quite large) and where the soil was poor due to an old shed sat on the ground for 30 years, I am using the ring culture. I have some bottomless pots and some of those green plastic rings designed to go into grow bags, the idea is to give depth, good drainage and also access to the ground so they shouldn't dry out if I go away for a day or two.

[craftymarie]

Thanks Burnie. I will have a look into ring culture - it sounds good.

I am used to growing lots of things in pots as I first started doing container gardening before I had any space in the garden made to grow in. Now at least I have some raised beds to use. It can get very time consuming with all the watering in pots - especially when growing lots of tomatoes.

This year I will be testing out a few of the Hozelock growbag self watering trays in the greenhouse to see how well they work. I'll also be planting some more tomatoes outdoors into the borders.

[Bigmallly]

Nice one Marie. I would put the cordons on the north side just in case you want to grow something in pots on the staging. The cordons may grow up & over the heaves so you don't want it shading any other plants.

[seasprout]

Get a good quality max/min thermometer.

[craftymarie]

Thanks BM. That sounds like great advice as the cordons can get very big and very bushy lol. I will probably have pots with immature plants on the staging.

Seasprout - thanks yes that's a great bit of equipment to get.

[fishpond]

You will need:-
Automatic vents, collapsible shelves, small plastic dibber and seedling lifter, water spray bottle with ability to go fine, as well as max/min thermometer try to get one that shows relative humidity, power supply for propagators and heaters/fans, water butt for inside the greenhouse, watering can for inside the greenhouse, various trays and pots, bags of compost, staging, somewhere to work, string, scissors for opening seed packets, labels for seeds, label printer, chair, kettle, teabags, coffee for the late nights sowing, mesh for hanging over doors/vents in the summer to stop pests getting in, magnifying glass to look for pests that somehow managed to get in, penknife, pencil, scales & weights? don't know, but I have, and loads of other stuff. Another Greenhouse to put it all in.
Note:- If you run out of ideas for things you will need to buy for your greenhouse---let me know

[bramble]

Congratulations Crafty Marie. I am sure you cant wait and coming atvthe perfect for growing your tomatoes.
For me, the most useful piece of equipment has to be my automatic window vents.
The floor in my greenhouse is paving slabs and I grow my tomatoes in builders buckets.
My chillis go in large pots of the staging.
I have guttering on each side of the greenhouse with a down pipe running into two barrels which have a tap on for saving rain water.
I hope you get as much pleasure from your greenhouse as I have with mine. Couldnt imagine what I would do without it.

[burnie]

You might want one of these too, useless outside in my windy garden,but great in the Rhino

[veggiechicken]

How exciting for you Marie

My GHs have solid floors (slabs) so I've put in U shaped beds around 3 sides. These are filled with old compost and open bottomed pots (MFBs with the bottoms cut off) sit on the compost (ring culture).
Water the compost and feed into the pots.
I've always grown my toms like this.


Just setting this GH up with the first few toms.

Through the winter I grow other veggies in pots and directly in the compost.

[craftymarie]

You will need:-
Automatic vents, collapsible shelves, small plastic dibber and seedling lifter, water spray bottle with ability to go fine, as well as max/min thermometer try to get one that shows relative humidity, power supply for propagators and heaters/fans, water butt for inside the greenhouse, watering can for inside the greenhouse, various trays and pots, bags of compost, staging, somewhere to work, string, scissors for opening seed packets, labels for seeds, label printer, chair, kettle, teabags, coffee for the late nights sowing, mesh for hanging over doors/vents in the summer to stop pests getting in, magnifying glass to look for pests that somehow managed to get in, penknife, pencil, scales & weights? don't know, but I have, and loads of other stuff. Another Greenhouse to put it all in.
Note:- If you run out of ideas for things you will need to buy for your greenhouse---let me know

Wow! Fishpond, you really smashed it with that list! Thank you, that is so helpful. Of course a chair and kettle are absolute essentials laughed at the - another greenhouse to put it all in!

[craftymarie]

Thank you, Bramble. I am certain that once I get the greenhouse I will wonder how I ever managed without it This one comes with guttering so planing to eventually kit it out with a water butt or two. I think that will be very useful.

Great idea, Bernie. I will look out for a reduced price little blowaway probably at the end of the season. I saw some last year at silly rock bottom prices. Great idea to create a warmer little area in the greenhouse. Might be an idea for the spare cold frame I have.

Ooh those raised beds look brilliant VC thanks for the photos. I do like that idea which Bernie also touched on with the open bottom pots. It does look fantastic and a good compromise when the soil underneath is not good.

[Containergardener]

How exciting crafty, I'm sure you'll love every minute of it

[Bren In Pots]

Congrats on you're new GH Marie, your head must be filling up with plans and ideas

I also grow in my borders same as VC so my GH is used all year round.
Find it easier to grow in the borders because when we're of camping I can flood the beds and my plants are fine while we're away.

[Jay22]

Congratulations Marie...envious...moi? Enjoy!!