So Excited.... First Ever Greenhouse!

I'm getting my first ever greenhouse for my birthday next month! It will have to be small, as our upper limit will be around £250, but after careful thought I think it will be polycarbonate. The neighbours all around have toddler boys, and I'm going to need something that will (hopefully) endure repeated accidental football assaults without hitting them or me in the wallet.

I don't have the faintest idea yet what to start with, but I have grown tomatoes previously on a window ledge so am hoping to try them next year.

Any ideas, tips or suggestions would be very gratefully received. I am ridiculously excited!

 

I had my first ever greenhouse this year it's an 8 x 6(wish I'd ordered a 10x6 lol) I've grown tomatoes and cucumbers and a variety of chilli's. The best advice I was given was to grow directly into the soil rather than using grow bags or pots

 

Nice one

You'll need to open the doors/vents when the sun is out at this time of year

 

I've just been watering my plants and my two thermometers are showing it's 32c already and it's only 08:00 am

 

Thank you! Advice gratefully received.

I was considering 6x4 or 6x6. 6x8 would be my preference but is likely cost prohibitive. It's great to hear what you have enjoyed growing in your greenhouse Spacemunkey.

Never thought about growing directly into soil.... that will be very useful to know when prepping the base for it.

Beginner's question: would I keep the doors and vents open all night too? I have a dreadful slug and snail problem here.

32c? Perhaps I could offer tropical holidays to my greenhouse as a nice little earner!

 

I leave my vents and door open at night and I've had no problems with slugs or snails. I think this is due to the extreme temperatures we are experiencing at the moment

 

This is how I built my greenhouse, I done a concrete foundation for two courses of breeze blocks. The foundations are slightly wider than the blocks which allowed me to dig the soil within the foundations to plant stuff

 

I was going to say that with a budget of £250 you will be looking at the second hand market, but its seems you can buy New polycab 8x6 greenhouses for under £250 on Ebay etc though no idea what the quality is like ?
8x6FT Clear Polycarbonate Garden Greenhouse Aluminium With Slide Door Grow Plant | eBay

Think I would try and find someone who has one of them and how they stand up to the weather.
The thin polycab sheets are known for blowing out as they can be very flexible.
Are you in a sheltered location, if there is such a thing in the west of Scotland ?

Consider also that the more common , better make (?) of greenhouses normally charge a £160 premium for polycarb glazing.

Perhaps a secondhand stronger model might be a better option, though finding one with polycarb might be a challenge.

Agree that you should go for as large as you can get, plus the 8x6 is the most popular size and therefore usually best value.

Two top vents in a 8x6 is best and auto openers really worth every penny, a bottom louver with auto opener also very good.

Growing in the soil boarder, always a debatable point, you have to replace / refresh the soil every few years as pest and diseases can build up; six of one /half a dozen of the other

What to grow, anything you like ! toms ,cucs, aub, peppers, early and late salad, and then all manner of hobby flowers... just tune in to Beechgrove every week for more ideas

 

So cool! Looking great... may more follow.

 

Try for one of these. Palramapplications.com look at polycarbonate units

The 6x4 would fit your budget and I can guarantee these are not like the twinwall jobs where panels can blow out. I had to take mine apart to add louvers and had a tough time doing it. You can hit it with a rake and it won't break. I've had 1 for 5 years, one for 4 and the last is only a few monthes old. All have the same quality and stand up. I added accessories after the fact because I purchased them as my piggy bank allowed.

Whatever you choose, you will have lots of fun

 

Get the biggest you can afford. Whatever size you decide on it won't be big enough. I would agree with the advice above about planting directly into the greenhouse soil. When I had one (don't have one now as we've moved) Mr Redwing made a level concrete base for it to rest on and kept the whole centre clear. You could use bricks. Then we made a brick path down the centre. For awhile I had some staging but decided ground level was better.

I don't know how durable the polycarbonate ones are. I would worry that it could blow away.

 

@Redwing the polycarbonate greenhouses need to be anchored so they won't shift with strong winds. I didn't realize that glass ones don't need any mèans of securing to the ground. Interesting

 

Think you misread things all greenhouses need to be secured down

Glass might be heavier, but a good gust of wind can still easily move it.

If using long sheets of polycarb etc I find it better to install a support piece every 2ft just under the sheet so it cannot bow heavily and pop out during a storm.

Irmemac - if you have a suitable wall, also consider a lean to greenhouse; they are taller and offer a much easier space to work and grow things in for the same footprint; my toms are against the warm wall and already 8ft tall !