Another question on greenhouses

V_Chic_Chick

We're considering getting a greenhouse. No one in our household is likely to kick a ball through the glass but the kids next door have a nasty habit of kicking their footballs over our fence, particularly in summer.

The greenhouse would be ~20ft away from their garden (we have long, thin gardens, and that is as far away as it can go).

Should we go for glass or plastic? I know that plastic is safer with kids around, but it is going to be about another £100 if we got that instead of glass. And TBH I'd prefer glass as I think it looks nicer. However, we do want to maintain good neighbourly relations, and whilst we don't want to take the kids' pocket money for the next year if they break it, we don't feel we should have to pay for any damage they've done to our property, even if it isn't deliberate (and they are nice kids).

Opinions please?

Edited to add: the footballs don't normally end up in the area where we would site the greenhouse (they normally squish the bushes, frighten the frogs or get catapulted into my veggie patch) but I seem to remember that they have done on one occasion.

alanobrien

I would go for twin wall Polycarbonate not just for safety's sake but for durability and ease of replacement. It can be cut with a pair of scissors and can flex quite some distance without breaking meaning it will take some impact. You can get clear type which looks more like glass but i prefer the diffused type as it prevents plant scortch in the height of summer. Yes, it can be more expensive with greenhouse suppliers that provide it as an option but some like Gardman provide it as standard.

Bottom line though is if you want glass go for glass, the neighbours will have to tell their offspring to be more careful or pay the consequences in the form of replacement glass and possibly even plants that may get damaged. You should not have to make decisions based on the lack of control some parents have over their children.

Jnelhams

You could always of course errect some plastic nets along the side of the greenhouse where the balls are most likely to come from, this if you get the type of netting you use to stop birds should do the trick with out effecting the light in the greenhouse.

OddjobKIA

Id go for glass its easier to clean easier to repair if it does happen to break but is also stonger than some plastic ones. Also it heats better than plastic.

20 foot is quite far enough, unless they are using a very hard leather football I dont think you have to worry to much. Try growing runner beans alonsid etrhe green house as the supports will give some protection to the greenhouse.