[DadBear]

Does anyone have any experiences of using those plastic sheet covered greenhouses.. i've got a small plot in my back garden and am considering buying one for tomatoes rtc. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks, DB!

[muntjac]

if ya handy with tools matew .get some roofing battens £5 a pack of 5 from builders last time i went . n some dpm sheet and make your own wiegh idown with a couple sand bags from b&q n u will get a better result than with the didyy  things .nieghbour has one and it keeps ending up in my garden .last year she had to take it out the way as the tomatos was lifting it of the ground growing through the roof

[DadBear]

Thats what was worryin me.. the blooming thing blowin away or the plants growin out of it .... hmmmm. trouble is I'm dodo at DIY.... off to town in a bit, will go and conduct some field trials I think....

[flatcap]

we had plastic greenhouse the poles bent in strong winds and the cover ripped trying to get it over framework   paid £50 off ebay and didnt get to grow anything in it  :shock:

[leeky]

bargain  :shock:

poly tunnel with scaffolding poles and blue water pipe seems the way to go!

 
http://www.overthegardengate.net/UserPages/pp_view.asp?FName=polytunnel&Page=3

[DadBear]

think you may be right.. bought one of the collapsible jobs this afternoon, it looked very nice, and when i began building it, it seemed quite sturdy... DRAMAS.. three poles missing... so special journey back to Stratford to moan loudly in the shop...... : :evil:

[Bigbadfrankie]

Just get a real one

[noshed]

You can get little 4-tier ones in Woolies now for about £15. They are handy if you tie them down well and bear in mind they develop temperatures similar to that of a small volcano when the sun comes out.

[DadBear]

You can get little 4-tier ones in Woolies now for about £15. They are handy if you tie them down well and bear in mind they develop temperatures similar to that of a small volcano when the sun comes out.

Thanx for that matey.. think will try a couple of those fer me tomatoes!!

[CJ]

I bought a wooden mini greenhouse from one of the local garden centres -you have to put it together (which took me two goes - and an extra pair of hands to help hold it all in place ) but it is very stable and has three wooden adjustable shelves.   It is supposed to last for several years, but not sure if this is true, as this is my first year but it has proved invaluable.

[amc]

I've used a little 4 tier one for 3 years now to germinate/harden off before the plants go up the allotment. After that I take the top 3 shelves out and have 3 or 4 tom plants and peppers growing in it with the door zip thing fully rolled up and open when it gets hot. Yes they can blow away but I put bricks in mine & tie it down. For 15 quid they are good, the plastic hasn't yet gone brittle and it stores flat over winter so if it does want you want buy one... I still dream of a proper polytunnel tho!

[fluffypebble]

I have had both the little 4 tier one and the walk in greenhouse.

The little one is doing fine, nice and sturdy.  The big one collapsed and split within 2 weeks.  I am going to get a couple more little ones - safer with the dogs about.

[DadBear]

I've used a little 4 tier one for 3 years now to germinate/harden off before the plants go up the allotment. After that I take the top 3 shelves out and have 3 or 4 tom plants and peppers growing in it with the door zip thing fully rolled up and open when it gets hot. Yes they can blow away but I put bricks in mine & tie it down. For 15 quid they are good, the plastic hasn't yet gone brittle and it stores flat over winter so if it does want you want buy one... I still dream of a proper polytunnel tho!

Well i bought one for 40 quid from poundstretscher and put it uo at the top of the garden.. so far so good !

Am thinking of making a little polytunnel from scaffolding poles and water pipe.. about the size of a large greenhouse.. will do it in the winter though!!

Will let you all know how the new greenhouse goes.. i have high hopes, although the only thing that worries me is tht it might get too hot.....

[cozzcov]

i have one of the small 4 tier 'greenhouses'.  Used it last year for the first time and it was rubbish, the tomatoes were all leggy and not a single fruit.  But, I put it down to user error not the greenhouse - I guess I should have opened the front flap a bit more often than I did, at least it wouldn't get so hot and the flowers would've been pollinated! This year I have moved it the a sheltered corner and have some good seeds sprouting.  As my little backyard is south facing I will go back to growing my tomatoes out doors in the yard in growbags and pots.  Never had a bad crop this way yet.

I also put bricks on the bottom tier to weigh it down and its never flown anywhere yet, fingers crossed.