Greenhouse panels

djohn2002uk

balustrada wrote: »

The fact that you personally prefer to use glass is fair enough but your apparent assertion that plants grown in polycarbonate greenhouses suffer with stunted growth is seriously misleading.

I sugest you do a bit more reading because what sussexbaker says is not what he prefers, but a fact.
Why do you think proffesional growers use glass? Is it because they love throwing money away?

Davesnave

djohn2002uk wrote: »

Why do you think proffesional growers use glass? Is it because they love throwing money away?

I don't know, you tell me. Many of the proffesional (sic) growers I pass on the motorway use polytunnels.

The fact is, most of us posting here are not professionals, so we don't need perfect conditions in order to meet some random criteria laid down by Mr Tesco.

It is misleading to suggest that horticultural plastic/ polythene will give hugely inferior results. I've grown under both, and I prefer glass, but until I can afford a 42' x 24' greenhouse I know which I'll be using!

balustrada

djohn2002uk wrote: »

I sugest you do a bit more reading because what sussexbaker says is not what he prefers, but a fact.
Why do you think proffesional growers use glass? Is it because they love throwing money away?

I grow succulents and carnivorous plants, which are sun-lovers, under polycarbonate. If I had any evidence that the reduced light transmission of polycarbonate stunted the growth of plants I would not use it.

peter_the_piper

All our seeds (when we germinate them) are done under glass as the better light keeps the seedlings shorter and tougher. They are then pricked out into another glasshouse which has bubble lining to keep the heat loss down. Later on we use polytunnels when it it less important to have heat. Bad/dull weather has more effect on the growth of growing plants than the difference in types of glass, in fact one of our tunnels has a blue cover which suits certain bedding types better. Come April and its out with the glass shading anyway (assuming sunny).

savemoney

I know a couple of guys at allotment lost some panels. I am off to put a 2nd hand GH up soon and was thinking of using windbreak fencing fastened to some long posts probably concreted it to cut some wind down from North to North West facing.

djohn2002uk

Davesnave wrote: »

I don't know, you tell me. Many of the proffesional (sic) growers I pass on the motorway use polytunnels.
That's because glass and polythene are used for different reasons. But I thought you would have known that.
The fact is, most of us posting here are not professionals, so we don't need perfect conditions in order to meet some random criteria laid down by Mr Tesco.
That answers nothing as to whether sussexbaker was correct or not in his reply.

It is misleading to suggest that horticultural plastic/ polythene will give hugely inferior results. I've grown under both, and I prefer glass, but until I can afford a 42' x 24' greenhouse I know which I'll be using!
Wrong. I sugest the same as I did to balustrada, go read up just a little about it and as for sussexbaker using misleading statements, nothing is more misleading than your use of the word "hugely" which I cannot find anywhere in sussexbakers reply.

zzzzzzzzzzzz

Davesnave

Originally Posted by Davesnave and quoted by djohn2002uk
I don't know, you tell me. Many of the proffesional (sic) growers I pass on the motorway use polytunnels.
That's because glass and polythene are used for different reasons. But I thought you would have known that.
The fact is, most of us posting here are not professionals, so we don't need perfect conditions in order to meet some random criteria laid down by Mr Tesco.
That answers nothing as to whether sussexbaker was correct or not in his reply.

It is misleading to suggest that horticultural plastic/ polythene will give hugely inferior results. I've grown under both, and I prefer glass, but until I can afford a 42' x 24' greenhouse I know which I'll be using!
Wrong. I sugest the same as I did to balustrada, go read up just a little about it and as for sussexbaker using misleading statements, nothing is more misleading than your use of the word "hugely" which I cannot find anywhere in sussexbakers reply.

I wasn't implying sussexbaker's post was wrong, although if you want to start nit picking, he/she said that lack of light would make plants 'leggy,' and then somewhat contradicted this by saying plastic would reduce light levels and make them 'stunted.' We are all careless with words sometimes.

But I stand by 'hugely' because I really don't notice hugely different results growing under plastic, compared with when I used to grow under glass.

I'm sure there are measurable differences, and nothing I've said questions that. I just don't think these are of overarching importance to the average MSE gardener. This is especially true when out all day through our working lives, when leaving tiny seedlings in the full glare of sunshine in a greenhouse can have most unfortunate results!

It's also worth bearing in mind that only part of the use for greenhouse structures is in raising seedlings.

As others have indicated there's a range of considerations when choosing between glass and plastic. I repeat, I prefer glass, but my polytunnel, despite its 'inferiority,' produces far more than a glasshouse of similar cost and I can live with the down-sides, such as they are.

peter_the_piper

Davesnave wrote: »

It is misleading to suggest that horticultural plastic/ polythene will give hugely inferior results. I've grown under both, and I prefer glass, but until I can afford a 42' x 24' greenhouse I know which I'll be using!

Just make sure its one with 2x2 sheets, those 66 x 28" panels are damn heavy, when you have to put them in the roof, and a box is not cheap.

Davesnave

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Just make sure its one with 2x2 sheets, those 66 x 28" panels are damn heavy, when you have to put them in the roof, and a box is not cheap.

My old greenhouse was all Dutch lights, which were just OK for handling.

Current 25' conservatory will be the next greenhouse, when I've demolished it. It's a one-off, but sheets aren't wide, though they are 5' long, toughened glass.

Not a job I'm looking forward to.

no1catman

Just an update:


Done it all yesterday. The 2' x 2' panes made it more manageable to start off with. Some clips were worse than others to put in place! So secured the stay first, next the two bottom panes, then the two top ones - secured by the 'S' hooks, and finally the still whole 4' x 2' toughened glass.


Please it's all done, now if I could only get the door to slide instead of drag!!