Complete beginner

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BuxtonJim

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Complete beginner
« on: March 08, 2011, 11:50 »
Hello
I'm a complete beginner.
We've got hold of a cheap small polycarb greenhouse and have prepared the ground. I'm debating whether to cover the ground with enough paving slabs to stand the house on and just use growbags inside and staging or whether to leave some earth exposed.
The ground is poor where it will stand but can be improved of course. It's only 8x6 so not a lot of options I suppose but I could sure use some advice please.
Thanks

Jim

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stompy

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Re: Complete beginner
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2011, 12:25 »
Hi and welcome,

I only have a small 8x6 greenhouse myself but you will be amazed at what you can grow in it.
I grow in the ground as the plants can get much more from the ground than a growbag.
I grow 10 to 12 tomato plants, and 8 to 10 chillies or peppers then on the bench i grow 4 mellon plants in large 16" or 18" pots in a long tray.

My beds run around the green house from left to right, on the left they start at the door end and go all the way round too the right side stopping 2 window pains 4ft before they get back to the other end, sort of a U shape but with one side of the U being shorter.

The beds are 2ft wide alowing 2ft of path in the middle, the toms go towards the back of the bed and grow up cane and the chillies and peppers go in front of the toms at the front of the bed.
Then i feed and water them as needed.

Hope this helps


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BuxtonJim

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Re: Complete beginner
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2011, 12:46 »
Thank you Stompy, this really helps.

The climate here is harsh and my allotment is over a 1000 feet. On the +side it has an open aspect though. I guess I was unsure exactly what the g/h is for. Is it for getting things going to make best use of the short growing season or is it to produce stuff that would otherwise be impossible. Maybe the two aren't mutually incompatible?
Thanks again :)

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stompy

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Re: Complete beginner
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2011, 12:56 »
I tend to sow and pot on at home in the spare room, then move the plants into the green house around the end of April to the middle of May.
We don't tend to get any frosts after mid May.
Then you can sow and pot on all the other things in the greenhouse after that if you wish.

Not sure if you know this site too well yet, but there is alot more activity on the Grow your own section, still post your greenhouse questions here, but there is alot more info in that part

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Kristen

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Re: Complete beginner
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2011, 19:06 »
I grow in the greenhouse border as I get more cropping height from floor-to-ceiling (and, indeed, I have lowered the border)

I change the soil every Autumn.  "Soil" is a loose term! its 50% compost heap and 50% rotted manure.  The compost and Manure is fairly "rough" when it goes in, but the Tomatoes / Melons / peppers / Aubergines / Sweetcorn etc. don't seem to mind.  At the end of the season its nice and fine, and then goes onto the beds.

Digging the soil out was hard work, and I wish I had done it before building the greenhouse and before the sun had then baked the soil rock hard ... but the Compost / Manure is light as a feather by comparison, so not too arduous.

If you don't fancy changing the soil each year the you might want to look at getting Grafted Tomato etc. plants which are supposedly more disease resistant that ones just bred to be disease resistant.

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BuxtonJim

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Re: Complete beginner
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2011, 20:29 »
Thank you Stompy and Kristen.
I really value your advice.
Jim



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