[alexb]

Hi All,

This is my first greenhouse and would like to know the best layouts inside the GH to grow the max yields? 
I do not want to waste space inside it if something can grow there and would love to optimise the every sqaure inch. Is this possible?

Thank you and all pics and comments very welcome!

Alexb

[New shoot]

Hi Alex

I have a 6 foot by 8 foot greenhouse, with benches down one side and clear the other side.  It has a paving slab floor and I grow everything in containers.  On the clear side, I use cheap builders buckets with drainage holes drilled in the base for tomatoes.  Peppers and chillies sit on the bench. Over spring, I use the benching as a nursery for veg seedlings.

Won't be long until you find your new greenhouse full of stuff I bet    I'm terrible for being over optimistic about how much will fit as the attached will clearly demonstrate.   In my defence, I did get a decent amount of crops out of there last year despite a pretty awful year for growing 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=97733.0

[alexb]

Hi..very impressive!, how many types of food did you get out of their in total?  I have the same size greenhouse plus a small 8mx1m area to grow outdoor also.  Got anymore pics?

[Growster...]

Alex, if you can arrange for strings to be hung down from the 'rafters', you can grow your cordon tomatoes up them by just gently twisting/winding each plant round as it gets bigger. (Don't do this with bush tomatoes though)!

This way, you'll get enough height to go to at least six trusses, and maybe more, and you won't have to worry about canes either! I reckon to get at least 12 plants zig-zag along a 10' fully glazed wall, like New Shoot describes.

You can also train cucumbers upwards the same way, but they will prefer the cooler side of the greenhouse.  I also leave the benching in place, and let the cuces grow through the staging slats. Mrs Growster keeps her chilli peppers in pots on the staging all year, so they get a peep at the sun now and then too!We've done this for over twenty years, and it works every time! Don't worry too much about the old saying that toms and cuces shouldn't be in the same greenhouse!

Oh yes, and grow a few marigolds at the base of the toms as they help keep white-fly away.

[alexb]

WOW..loving all the ideas .. thank you for posting.

I find the idea of maxium yiedling in a small area inspirational. I have seen videos for urban farms and growing vertical in tiny areas and the amount of food they can produce over the year!. Our inovation and recycling of "pre/post war" ideas for growing food amazing.

[GrannieAnnie]

Something I did last year as I ended up with too many tomato plants was, I planted 5 garden pearle toms into hanging baskets, and hung those from the cross bars I have in my 10x8 greenhouse.  not sure if an 8x6 would take the weight okay but another thing to look at.

Also I grow my strawberries in there vertically, so they don't take up much space.

[New shoot]

Hi..very impressive!, how many types of food did you get out of their in total?  I have the same size greenhouse plus a small 8mx1m area to grow outdoor also.  Got anymore pics?

Found a couple more, plus there are a few on my diary in Gardeners' diaries of how it looks so far this spring 

Earlier in the summer last year



As regards crops, over the summer got tomatoes, cucumber, aubergines, sweet peppers and chillies.  I usually grow a couple of climbing beans up each tomato, but last year thought the light levels were so poor, I skipped this.  Spring and autumn a few quick salad crops, plus usually bring a few strawberry plants inside early spring for a small crop before the main lot outside come good.  Over winter I tend to overwinter stuff for spring planting - this year chard and caulies.

Autumn 2011 - Scotch bonnet chillies ripening, squash in there to harden skins for storage, spring onions in trough for late catch crop, few strawberry seedlings and can't remember what the rest was 

[JayG]

I've got the same basic layout as New Shoot which gives pretty good flexibility.

I'm still pretty much a beginner when it comes to greenhouse growing so I wouldn't push my luck as far as NS has done with obvious success, and as long as I continue to try to grow cucumbers I know that a spare space will become available sooner or later!   

[alexb]

Thank you GA liking the strawberry vertical production, JayG I am bit like you at this stage looking to adopt new practices and once again new shoot..loving the pics, Brilliant!!

[compostqueen]

Growing sprawling tom varieties is a bit of a no-no in a confined space I've found    Some of the cucumbers are rampant beasts too. Cucino is a well behaved mini cuc, and three plants will keep you in cucumbers all year without hogging space

[alexb]

Hi Compost Queen,

3 cucumber plants is what shall plant, its great to know how much of what to plant to help with all year round production, do you have general rule of thumb based on the above for steady production all year round for other veg?

[Growster...]

Alex, you're in good hands here, and thank you for responding so quickly!

Everyone posting here has huge experience, and to see those pics by others makes me squirm with impatience, as the weather here is so awful!

But there we are, and it will all turn out for the best, so just watch what these chums say here, because they are experts!

[Totty]

I would go for toms down the sides, some peppers in pots here and there and cucumber and/ or a melon. Would grow the melons and cucumbers furthest point from door. Toms like plenty of airflow, cucumbers like it hot and humid so do best grown furthest from door if in same greenhouse.

Totty

[GrannieAnnie]

One thing I would say Alex about chillies/peppers.  Don't try to go mad with them!    My 10x8 greenhouse usually has 32 chillies in it with the strawberries.  Depending on the weather, they don't all get to ripen in time, so I have LOADS of green chillies and peppers in my freezer. And a few red ones! lol

I think the other week, John, the site owner said that he only grows 2-3 chilli plants to keep him going all year, so don't over do the chillies and peppers.  maybe 2 plants of each?

Good luck with it.  We all need luck again this year I think.  All champing at the bit waiting to get sowing and planting!   

[mumofstig]

I only grow a couple of chillis but I do like my peppers, so grow quite a few of those

Good luck with whatever you decide to grow