Buying a greenhouse

LittleBeastie89

Apologies if this topic has been covered hundreds of times before but I'm looking for some advice on buying a greenhouse please.

We moved in to our house in September, we were pretty economical in buying furniture and furnishings and the house needed little in the way of redecoration. At the start of sumer we started work on the garden which was largely made up of different sections of decorative stones. Boyfriend loves gardening (for edible plants only obviously!) so, with help from Dad, we've recycled pallets into planters and also have a variety of cheaply purchased or freely gifted plant pots all now growing fruit, veggies and herbs. So far we've kept costs reasonably low but are looking now to prepare for and purchase a greenhouse which is where I'm hoping some wonderful forum users can help. I'd like something that's going to last, quality is important but I'm also still on a budget so low cost options are preferable if possible to still achieve good quality.

Firstly, what is the best way to build a platform for a greenhouse? We wont be growing directly in to the ground I don't think. As I said the garden is mainly decorative stones at the moment. I think paving slabs would be best but I'm not sure if there's a better alternative? I've also read about block paving and using bricks. Often paving slabs come up free or cheap on Gumtree but these can often been uneven or pretty weathered. Any suggestions or recommendations?

Secondly the greenhouse itself. We saw some GBC Group Greenhouses in the local Dobbies that boyfriend loved but they're thousands of pounds whilst B&Q, Homebase etc sell the same size greenhouses for hundreds. Is there a massive difference in quality and is this really important? Also on GBC there are lots of optional upgrades for shelving, blinds, ventilation etc and but I don't know if these are essential, recommended or not really necessary? I had thought about a second hand greenhouse but don't really have any way to transport it so that's not really an option. Any advice on which type of greenhouse, and which accessories and upgrades, I should consider would be massively appreciated.

Thanks in advance. Happy gardening.

Davesnave

The first greenhouse I bought was a 6'x8' lean-to, which all came to bits and fitted into my small car. It cost £70.

The second was a 25' x 10' cedar house which wouldn't fit into a car, so I hired a man with a van. Total cost £150, but it needded new cills, so maybe £300 + the base.

The latest one is 8'x10' and I've not assembled it yet, but I have numbered all the bits so it will be easy to put together. Again, that went into my car no problem. It was free on Freecycle.

I did buy a polytunnel new, but that's 95m2 and you wouldn't want that!
When it comes to greenhouses I would never buy new when there are hundreds of unwanted ones out there, going cheap or free.

As for a base, I'd go cast concrete with a brick plinth if you can lay a row or two of bricks accurately, or concrete edging slabs if you can't. All you need is something level to drill and screw the base to, but if you can raise it a little and gain height, so much the better.

Personally I'd make most space inside a greenhouse a movable feast and I would definitely have some floor area as soil. Growing veg in pots is all very well if other options don't exist, but it's like going to a disco in wellies with many crops; you can do it, but it'll never be great!

gamston

like Davesnave says build a concrete base then add a row of bricks
I just use my one for winter storage of my palms, and starting off plants
I have old kitchen units with worktops running down both sides

DaftyDuck

Wot Dave sez! Well, mainly... If you can wait until Septemberish, there will be some stonking deals on greenhouses. I last bought one about four years ago, as I wanted something large, shiny, and classy to help sell a house; new was good for that, as was the price; £150 for a 16 footer! (Underneath the looks, it was pretty flimsy....)!

Since then, I've amassed three scruffy freecyclers which, if I'm honest, are better, as they are heavier gauge metal, and scruffy suits me. Oh, free, suits me too. If you take them down, a marker pen, insulating tape, wd40, various screwdrivers and pliers and gloves help. Camera too! Photos from every angle before destruction... er... disassembly... mark each bit too.

For a base, I use a trench of cement where possible, levelled slabs spread mainly to the outside (weed supression) and a frame of 6 X6 heavy duty hardwood. Mind you, I know I'm moving mine, so brick isn't so suitable. Wood does have advantage over brick, fixing can be easier, as can levelling.

I would always have access to ground soil where possible. Pots or growbags, and greenhouses mean endless work and more bugs for less return. As you develop, you'll find more and more things yoiu can't groiw in pots.

If you drop freecycle, with its old, solid greenhouses, you will have to pay a great deal to get one with as solid a frame, unless you dedicate the autumn to avoid bargain hunt.

Quality does matter, but NOTHING like as much as careful erecting on a good, solid, square base. A well-erected flimsy one will last a strong storm and could lassdt years. Stick a posh one up lopsided on a carp base, and a zephyr will destroy it.

One last tip, tragically from experience. If you get a free cycle one with noit enough clips, buy a complete set from eBay. I did one side old used, one side new. Storm wind, and the different tension popped one pane. Then the next... Then another...

I can still find glass over there. I now have a box of a few hundred clips ready for my next free one!

Niv

Second hand green house all day long. They are so cheap second hand I bought one to have as a 'spare' for the glass as to cost about as much as going to buy one bit of greenhouse glass from a glazier!


Base wise I would echo what others have said regarding brick edge for the greenhouse to sit on. If budget is tight I would not go for a concrete base, instead I would use pallets as walkways and have the sides earth.


I currently have a cactus garden in my greenhouse and it simply would not work if it wasn't in the ground. Pallets as walkways works really well too as it keeps you off the ground and they are free to replace when they eventually rot. Also it gives you the freedom to move things around easier than if you had concreted it / slabbed it.

LittleBeastie89

Thanks for all the advice guys, very useful and very much appreciated.

elaineruk

If you have an allotment or no anyone who does - ask them - there is usually someone on the allotment who will be expert in sourcing and erecting cheap 2nd hand greenhouses