Walk in plastic greenhouse heating

Creaky I meant to fit in the 4 tier inside the big one with the cover so to increase the plastic layers.

 

And that's the comparison I'll be doing.

 

Yes, a greenhouse in a greenhouse. I had some success with using cloches in the greenhouse to see if it would help protect my more tender (i.e. hot pepper) seedlings.

Good reminder.

 

Thanks @JWK
I had dug up some zonal pelargoniums I had in the garden in 2014, cut them back and planted them into a trough, then kept them in the walk-in growhouse over winter. They were doing very well in there, watered sparingly only if needed...but after a seriously strong windy night (gusts up to 100mph), everything ended up on the floor in one big mixed up heap. I did manage to get them all back into the trough again with fresh compost and sat the trough on the floor this time instead of on a shelf. They all grew on again nicely in spring and I planted them back out in the garden.
It was the first time I'd tried overwintering them to see if I could keep them alive
I had also sown some seed that autumn (late Sept 2014) - lupins, sweet william, alyssum and one big pot of a few poppy seeds (Papaver commutatum "Ladybird").
I'd never grown anything from seed until last year, so was just experimenting really. Everything survived the winter in my walk-in growhouse with a fleece cover under the plastic cover but no heat.
They all flowered very well last summer, with the poppies being interesting as I got the normal red with black spots but also a few pink ones and one double flower (in my avatar).
The poppies were an experiment to see how they'd do after an autumn sowing. I'd sown the seed into one big pot then planted them out as one clump because I believe they resent root disturbance. They were still flowering well into November last year !
The lupins are growing on strongly again now so are ready to plant out again (I lifted them and put them into pots because I was having work done in the garden). Some of the sweet william are growing new shoots too (aren't they a biennial ? I thought they'd die off over winter after flowering last year ). Definitely the same plants as the new shoots are growing out of the old stems.
The alyssum had been lifted and put into trays because I wanted to try collecting seed. They have actually survived outside, still in the trays, over winter and are also beginning to grow again

 

Sorry I misunderstood. I've just dismantle the small greenhouse. I will put it back tomorrow.

 

Hi CJ,
I can't comment really on greenhouses etc, not having one ( you should see the state of my bedroom and living room Lol ), but as regards to Sweet Williams ( Dianthus Barbatus ), they are actually a short lived perennial that will probably live fir around five years or so.
If you cut them back after flowering ( the same as Wallflowers for example ), then they will grow back stronger and bushier the next year.

I think a lot of the fallacies about plants being either " annual ", " biennial " or " perennial" is due to growers/suppliers wanting us to buy fresh each year.
A lot of plants that are used for Summer bedding eg Petunia, Lobelia, Pelargonium are actually perennials, it's just that they are frost - tender like Fuchsias.

 

That's interesting to know @Anthony Rogers , thank you.
I only planted a few of the sweet william in a planter which sits outside my front door. It's very well sheltered from the worst of the weather and is in a south facing position. I was waiting for better weather before I pulled them up and chucked them into my compost heap...but I noticed the new growth and left them where they are.
I keep meaning to get outside to start on my garden but I've been finding things a bit difficult since losing my Mum recently, but I need to get a grip and just get on with it.
I have another 30 sweet william plants, still in 7cm square pots, which didn't get planted due to the work I had done and the rotten weather we had last summer
Does anyone know if they will tolerate slightly acidic soil ? If so, I could plant some in my front garden.

 

In the greenhouse, a fan,lamp/heating mat are needed. Humidity also important in planting.
And a thermostat/humidistat simplify all.
Inkbird being the sponsor here in the forum, we are supplier of humidity/temperature control. If anyone need us,please feel free to contact me directly.