Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: Joe Shmoe on July 19, 2010, 13:17

Title: building a greenhouse
Post by: Joe Shmoe on July 19, 2010, 13:17

Hi folks.

I really want a greenhouse and seeings as I am into DIY, I was considering building one - like these people have :

http://www.noordinaryhomestead.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/greenhouse.jpg


I have no experience with Greenhouses but from what people say, the wind might be a problem - not to the beefy wooden frame, but on the UV sheeting that’s been stretched across the framework and appears to be fixed with batons.

As my garden gets and above average amount of wind and I am concered that the sheeting may rip out, I was thinking of building it using double-layer 4mm Polycarbonate sheets instead.

I would either cut 15mm grooves in the frame and drop the polycarb in, or would just fix the sheets from the inside, and keep them in place with battons.


Would this work and any points which I may not have condsidered ?

Would a Polycarb greenhouse simular to the one in the picture be sufficent for growing Toms and Peppers ?


Many thanks.
joe

Title: Re: building a greenhouse
Post by: grinling on July 28, 2010, 18:14

Looks quite posh. A lady on our lottie used polycarb instead of glass & it has worked a treat. Her lottie is in shade in afternoon so keeps it a bit cooler. Downside is parrafin heaters as it can cause probs.
There is a website which uses 1500 2lt plastic bottles. Works well.

Title: Re: building a greenhouse
Post by: Trillium on July 29, 2010, 02:09

Very nice greenhouse, wouldn't mind one myself  :happy:

Whatever you do, be sure to do all around the bases, inside and out, with a good solid line of quality caulking to keep out ants, earwigs and other nasties that love to feast on greenhouse goodies. They need only the smallest gap and they're in so caulking should help keep them out.

I'd also rig up some hooks inside to drape shade cloth to keep things cooler in sunny weather midsummer.

Title: Re: building a greenhouse
Post by: arugula on July 29, 2010, 19:12

I would consider the fact that you don't want to cut out too much natural light if you are going to grow toms and peppers. There is a lot of wooden framework on that very posh looking example and your 4mm double layer polycarb will eat more light.

:)

Title: Re: building a greenhouse
Post by: Mosslane on August 29, 2010, 21:33

Saw this on one of the bulgarian sites I follow. Made from plastic bottles as in grinling's post. Now thats what I call recycling.