Greenhouses

mardatha

We are sort of thinking about getting a greenhouse or one of those sheds with big long windows. Is a lot of money (using our money saved for a wee holiday) so I am unsure. Will you tell me what advantages there are in having a greenhouse, what I could do in it ? I have real problems up here getting stuff to survive because we're high and open.... but can you actually grow stuff to fruition in a GH ?
Is a big spend and a no holiday.. and I just don't know what to do ! The husband is no help, he says anything that comes into his head :rolleyes: which isnt much, to be honest

brownhandbag

We have just got a greenhouse and it is fab! You will end up spending all your time in there ATM it is full of toms/peppers and cues but i intend to grow salad stuff and tender herbs all year long. we are also high up 600ft and open. We tried one of the auto vent openers which is great but we are too windy for it.

What i have learned so far is as big as possible min of 10 x 8 ft. (We are gonna get a little one to heat next year) Ali is better than wood for maintenance. I have gravelled the whole of the base as I am not gonna grow weeds in there. Also you will need the greenhouse base (usually an extra) and we set the four corners into concrete with a bag of the ready mixed stuff you just add water too. You need to have vents and i think the slatted ones are best for open sites.
A greenhouse is a big investment and you could see what your neighbours have?

skelly01

I also live fairly high up in Scotland. I got my greenhouse last year from someone who was getting rid of it. It maybe worth putting an ad in the papershop or something saying you are looking for one and are willing to remove etc. I did that and mine cost me nothing other than the odd pane of glass to replace. I made my base out of old railway sleepers.
As for growing at the moment I have toms, squash,melons,cucumbers,courgettes,sweetcorn,peppers and marrows. the sweetcorn and squash are going outside shortly. Everything does great.
What we need to watch up here (Scotland) is the cold nights just last week we had ground frost here and I am in the central belt. So whatever you do invest in a heater to keep the worst of the cold away or the plants will suffer.

Davesnave

You could also consider a polytunnel. My cousin has one in coastal Sutherland, which is hardly the Mediterranean!

You get more growing area for your money with a tunnel, but the cover needs replacing every 5 years or so.

ixwood

I'd go on holiday and keep an eye out for a freecycle/ebay bargain.

There's no way I could justify a greenhouse. It's only a few things like tomatoes and cumcumbers that you use it for really in summer. And getting a greenhouse to fill with tomatoes makes very expensive tomatoes!

What do you want to grow in it?

Maybe a small/cheap greenhouse will meet your needs instead? Or you could use your windowsills instead.

mardatha

This is it eh... its a lot of money ! The tomatoes are fine on the the bedroom windowsills. I will have a think, there's no hurry. TY all.

westcoastscot

Hi,
i'm in scotland too - my garden is way behind most people's - probably about a month behind I guess - and now we dont have the croft it really is backyard gardening. I've just bought, and am awaiting delivery, a shed with a greenhouse window in it - the sloping one that is the length of the shed? no room for both shed and greenhouse - i'm hoping it will help extend the early part of the season for me - I lost a lot of easter-sown stuff and had to start again in the open garden
Pauline :-)

mardatha

This is what we were looking at today ! And we're a month behind Edinburgh gardens here. Tell me how you get on with this -- I think maybe a greenhouse wont last long here and this might be better.