Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: mushroom on January 08, 2008, 19:21
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hi folks,
I'm looking to buy a greenhouse, and I have only a limited amount of space. I don't want to get a greenhouse so small that there will be mega crowding.
The greenhouse is for tomatoes and peppers (hot and cool). Ideally, in an average year with average weather I want to be self-sufficient in tomatoes once the fruiting season starts. This means self-sufficient for 2 people. We eat lots of tomatoes, it's a staple ingredient. My question is: would a 6x4 ft greenhouse suffice or should I be looking at 8x6 or bigger :?:
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You'll struggle with a 6x4. I would say that 8x6 is an absolute minimum, they're usually that little bit taller too, which means you'll get an extra truss or two on each tomato plant.
My own plot's only about 30x90ft, and although I already have a 10x8 lean-to it's not really enough, and I'm looking for a cheap ten-footer to go with it.
Once you get one, you'll wonder how on earth you managed without it.
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You'll struggle with a 6x4. I would say that 8x6 is an absolute minimum, they're usually that little bit taller too, which means you'll get an extra truss or two on each tomato plant.
My own plot's only about 30x90ft, and although I already have a 10x8 lean-to it's not really enough, and I'm looking for a cheap ten-footer to go with it.
Once you get one, you'll wonder how on earth you managed without it.
cheers Rob, my plot is similar size to yours, 90x25-ish. Already have an 8x6ft shed on the plot. An 8x6 greenhouse would "go" with the shed :wink:
Have a look at http://tinyurl.com/yvyo46
What do you think?
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Just the job. Mind, you might get a second-hand one for less than half that.
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Greenhouse. Rule No1: Always buy the biggest you can afford and accommodate. 8)
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we only had room for a 6x4 but its a lean to so a lot more head height for tomatoes and the reflective heat in the bricks helps regulate the temp at ngiht!!!
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Greenhouse. Rule No1: Always buy the biggest you can afford and accommodate. 8)
If your gonna have one have a big un.
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Greenhouse. Rule No1: Always buy the biggest you can afford and accommodate. 8)
If your gonna have one have a big un.
:roll:
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Hi Mushroom - I'm expecting my new greenhouse on Thursday; its a 6x10 with high eaves. I spent hours, days, weeks trying to decide which size! I nearly went for a 6x8 but those words kept rattling around my little head 'buy the biggest, buy the biggest, buy the biggest' so I did. Any bigger wouldn't fit in the garden - well not without rehoming the hens! Good luck with your decision.
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just be happy with what you can get - it'll make a big difference - regardless of size
you just need to organise the space well :wink:
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chilli's, peppers , melons, aubergines, cumbers, tatties for Christmas, etc etc etc. go for as big as you can.
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thanks for the tips, people. Looking to get 8x6 or 8x8 8)
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metres :wink:
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As big as you can afford, and high eaves if you can manage - I'm a little over 6ft and need the headroom.
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...just lean-into...
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Right, now there's materials to consider. Did a bit more reading, found that a greenhouse derives a lot of its stability from its weight, and that polycarbonate is much more flimsy than toughened glass in this respect. This will be my first ever greenhouse, so sorry for all the questions :oops: Horticultural glass shatters like normal glass, i want to go for toughened. What do you think?
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toughened is very much more expensive
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toughened is very much more expensive
is it??! arrrgh!
how have you fared in these storms WG? I hear its been very bad where you are.
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Could you speak up a bit please! The wind is still really howling & I am in a sheltered glen.
Thanks for asking - all okay so far.
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toughened is very much more expensive
Not always - in the price list here (http://tinyurl.com/2andjx) the polycarbonate option is roughly 200 quid more than toughened glass.
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Horticultural glass shatters like normal glass, i want to go for toughened.
I naturally assumed you were comparing prices of glass having rejected polycarbonate on grounds of its low weight.
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ahh sorry for the confusion. Yes toughened is dearer by about 100 quid. But i'm accident-prone :oops:
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I know you're in Southend, but if you ever get up this way, these are the people to go and talk to.
http://www.berkshirebuildings.ltd.uk
In fact people do come from all over the country to see them. It's where we got ours.
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I know you're in Southend, but if you ever get up this way, these are the people to go and talk to.
http://www.berkshirebuildings.ltd.uk
In fact people do come from all over the country to see them. It's where we got ours.
cheers Scribbler, looks good, large choice!. Hmm theres no prices on the website. Which one did you get? Did you get them to build it or did you do it yourself? Did you get a base? How much did you pay for it all?
I'm looking to get either 8x6 or 8x8, with a base, probably built, 5 or 600 quid
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cheers Scribbler, looks good, large choice!. Hmm theres no prices on the website. Which one did you get? Did you get them to build it or did you do it yourself? Did you get a base? How much did you pay for it all?
I'm looking to get either 8x6 or 8x8, with a base, probably built, 5 or 600 quid
We coincidentally had money given to us from both sets of parents with the express purpose of buying a greenhouse, so we went for expensive extras. It was an Elite High Eave 6 x 8, and we managed to put this up ourselves despite the rather vague instructions.
The base is in fact a rectangular aluminium frame which bolts together, featuring pieces of 90° aluminium which go down into holes in the ground, which you then fill with concrete. Bare earth means you can then pave where necessary/required.
The expensive extras we went for were:
Green powder coating on the aluminium frame
Special strips to hold the glass in instead of clips
Toughened glass
Automatic vents
Staging along one side and along the end
A louvre vent in the back for better air circluation
If you lose the powder coating, the fixing strips, the automatic vents, the staging and louvre, it would cost a lot less than ours. Total bill was a couple of grand. Automatic vents are a bolt on goodie that can be bought afterwards.
I really recommend that although you can do so much research online - with help from this forum - your best bet is to sit down with someone and tell them how big a greenhouse you want and what your budget is. Then they can probably give you what you want.
Elite is a good manufacturer, but there are others who compete strongly on price, with different pricing structures etc.
(http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z38/dcoxell/DSC02968.jpg)
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Hi Mushroom - I'm expecting my new greenhouse on Thursday; its a 6x10 with high eaves. I spent hours, days, weeks trying to decide which size! I nearly went for a 6x8 but those words kept rattling around my little head 'buy the biggest, buy the biggest, buy the biggest' so I did. Any bigger wouldn't fit in the garden - well not without rehoming the hens! Good luck with your decision.
I've decided on 8x6 (or 6x8! ) - it will go here (http://allotment.reiteration.net/20080105/where-greenhouse-will-go.jpg) - that way i still get to keep my grass patch for bbq in the summer. The shed to the right of it is also 8x6
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Thank you Scribbler for your full description and answer.
Total bill was a couple of grand.
[fx] falls off stool [/fx]
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Oh common , Mushy, most of us have a working green house and we don't shop in ELITE and don't live in Henley-So-Expensive, like Scribbler, the 'gentry'. :lol:
My sister-in-law bought a lean to 2 years ago for 750, with air vent etc. and it works a treat. :wink:
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Mine cost just over £100, but that was before the days of Freecycle!
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we got an 8ft x 12ft one out of the paper for £100,buyer to remove
lucky enough i had to go into hospital on that day so me mate went for it :D
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Oh common , Mushy, most of us have a working green house and we don't shop in ELITE and don't live in Henley-So-Expensive, like Scribbler, the 'gentry'. :lol:
I'm going to tell Aunty on you!!!
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Sorry, please don't! :(
We were looking to buy a house there... about 9 years ago.... :lol: :lol: