DIY Mini Greenhouse

Hi all,

Relatively new member here who started off with a propagator, which lead to a cold frame, which has lead to a mini greenhouse.... downward spiral I feel!

I made a DIY greenhouse using an old display cabinet which I’m rather proud off but I font know if it’s ‘working’.

There is no back to this lean too style greenhouse, so it’s not trapping enough heat in, its in the wrong location, currently against shed facing north but running west-east or I’m being impatient...

Would be grateful for some suggestion especially with regards to if it’s needs a back or if the shed is sufficient?

Thanks everyone!

 

Hello Darren,

I'm impressed - looks good - and will have saved you a few quid over buying a new greenhouse.

Greenhouses - really there for shelter from wind/bugs/bad weather - not so much to maintain an increased temperature - that's what hot houses are for - so what you have will do the job.

Perhaps some plastic (bin bags) and some drawing pins - if the open back bothers you - but I would have thought that against a shed would be fine. Black bin bags will draw in the heat - but you will still need ventilation.

Remember that not all seeds are planted at the same time and that they do not all develop at the same rate. Some will grow like billy-o, whilst others at a more leisurely rate. I have found that perennials are more difficult to start and take a longer time to grow - I suppose because they don't have to go through an entire growing cycle in one year.

Be patient - your seedlings will grow - and once they start - you'll be surprised how quickly.

 

Hi all, long time no post but the bug has well and truly caught!

I now have a lean to greenhouse which is attached to my shed however the shed roof pitch is slightly lower than the ridge of the greenhouse. This means the water runs off into the greenhouse when it rains. I tried to seal it using gutter sealant but I fear that because the gap is slightly to wide it won’t work.
I have considered raising the roof so that is overruns the greenhouse but not sure how..

Any smart ideas?


Thanks

 

Hi JWK,

thanks for the quick response and that’s brilliant!

one last question, does the roof felt then over hang the greenhouse ridge or should this gap then get filled with a mastic?

thanks

 

Hi all,

thanks again for the previous response and this has done the trick!

what essential equipment is recommended for a beginner greenhouse grower?

At the moment I have just some staging, I am getting a thermometer too.

Are heat mats better than heated propogator?

Thanks

 

Evening all,

Wasn’t sure to revive an old thread or start new… what temperature should the greenhouse be kept at as a minimum? I have read 5 degrees and also 10 degrees?

Seed starting purposes most packets say to sow from 15 degrees, surely I don’t heat the whole greenhouse to 15 deg. this is where heat mats/heated propagators come into it? Would heated propagator or heat mats with propagator sat on top be better?

Thanks!

 

Hi JWK,

Apologies no intention for overwinter but more general terms for next year say feb/mar/apr time when starting to sow seeds.

Mainly veg seeds for allotment with toms and aubergines for keeping in the greenhouse.

 

I think a south facing windowsill in the house has worked well for me as a place to germinate seeds. I just have a polytunnel rather than a well kept greenhouse so as well as being cold in winter it is sometimes visited by slugs, snails or birds that might make a snack out of very young seedlings. I've moved an old table in front of the window when I needed more space but I think some people use shelves in front of a suitable house window and that could work out much cheaper than having a heated greenhouse.

Happy gardening!

 

I start many seeds off in the garage on a heated tray, with LED growlights.
The seeds are sown in either pots or seedtrays and these are covered with plastic lids.
Vegetable seeds, peas, beans, carrots, beetroot etc and hardy annuals get started off in the cold greenhouse in modules.
Some people use the airing cupboard to get seeds germinated and then move to a well lit windowsill. If you can set up an aluminium reflector (foil stuck to a suitable bit of cardboard) behind the seeds you can significantly increase the light levels. On cold nights you might consider moving the more tender seeds off the windowsill and then putting them back next morning.

 

Off topic, I was glad to see this thread to resurface, and was half expecting to see Darren to have been lately busy building something like this



Great DIY @Darren2993 , and just give in to the bug

Regarding getting some flexibility to seed sowing, I can warmly recommend grow lights in the house. Nowadays they are cheap-ish, unobtrusive enough to be in the living room, and really do make a difference with seed that are best to be started early in the year when natural light is not yet enough.