[Butterhead]

Hi,
We've just moved into our new house last December and I'm looking into getting a new greenhouse for beside the house. It's a fairly exposed coastal area, so hopefully a greenhouse will stand a bit of storm in the winter.

What size of greenhouse would you recommend? I'm thinking of shelving one side of it for seedlings and potting, and leaving the other side for growing things like tomatoes etc in a raised bed.

Butterhead

[Baldy]

I think most people who have a GH wish it was bigger... I certainly do - mine's a bog standard 6x4 that I inherited when I moved in. If I had the cash then I've got room for 10x6 .
So I would say the biggest one that you can afford and fit in to the available space.

Pip pip,
Balders

[ARPoet]

As big as you can afford for the space you have available.  I have a 6 x 8 glass and 6 x 6 poly carb and both are bursting with plants awaiting a milder spell.

[jaydig]

I agree absolutely with everyone else, get the biggest you can afford and have room for. Mine is 10 x 6, and at this time of the year it is absolutely heaving, I could do with one twice the size.

The one thing I did pay extra for, and have never regretted, is toughened glass. I know it adds considerably to the cost, but we have grandchildren, and I'd never forgive myself if one of them had an accident and went through the glass. Not to mention that I can be an awkward so and so at times!

[miggs]

Just like everyone has said, just buy the biggest one you can afford. A couple of house's ago I had an 8x6 and always wished it was bigger.

[Butterhead]

I have 2 young kids, so the toughened glass sounds like a good idea.

Thinking about size and cost, would a reasonably sized polytunnel be able to withstand the wind and weather over time as good as a glasshouse in a stormy place? I don't have much shelter where I am.

[cadalot]

Generally Greenhouses are more robust than polytunnels and I got in contact with my greenhouse supplier and bought some additional sway bracing so that I had two braces on the long runs rather than one and slanted them opposite each other so that one works in tension and the other in compression when the wind blows from each direction.

[Growster...]

We graduated from an 8' x 6' to a 10' x 6' several years ago, and it's probably the best size for us.

The times we wish it were bigger are about now, so we use a cheaper plastic zip-up one, stuck on the side of the greenhouse for hardening off plants like geraniums or keeping fucsias out of the cold, This stays up only for a couple of months or so, then gets taken down and shoved in the roof for the rest of the year!

This next couple of weeks are the big pinch point, as the toms need potting on to their real big pots, so it's juggle juggle for space...

[Goosegirl]

I also live in a very exposed coastal area amongst flat farmland and the only thing between me and the sea are my hawthorn hedges and a big sycamore tree! About ten years ago I saved up for a 12'x10' Robinson's greenhouse with standard safety glass and a good solid frame plus a bench and a small shelf above, and it is partially protected by one of my hawthorn hedges. Given the battering winds here, it was worth the expense. Another point to make is to site it so the entrance faces away from your prevailing wind. Here it comes from the south-west so my door faces eastwards. Have a look at their brochure and see if they have any offers on at the moment. 

[snowdrops]

Have a look at rhino greenhouses, I bought a 8x10 a few years ago & im still thrilled with it,not cheap mind,but comes with toughened glass as standard. One of the highest eaves heights,level access & 3 opening lights on each side as standard & I think the 2 louvre were as standard,so lots of ventilation. I think it was from greenhouses direct.

Yep it was

http://www.greenhousesdirect.co.uk/Greenhouses/Rhino/Premium%208ft/8x10//

Mine was green but that sale price shown is cheaper than I payed 6-8 years ago

[mumofstig]

If you look in John's diaries, he's had a lot of trouble with the greenhouse on his exposed site

http://allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/1890/no-spring-no-greenhouse-either/ 

So choose very carefully!

[Nikkithefoot]

I had 2 greenhouses for about 15 years, one 14x8 and one 8x8. Lost both in the Valentines Day storm last year. I have replaced with a 20x10 polytunnel which is much cheaper than greenhouses, and feel it is stronger and weirdly warmer.

Whatever you go for think of the biggest size you might need and go one larger if you can afford it and have the space. You can never have enough protected growing room early in the season, and later it means lots more room for tomatoes, peppers, melons, cucumbers, aubergines etc

[Butterhead]

Like the look of the Rhino ones and how strong they are. We get some rough storms here over the winter and I don't want to be constantly worrying about it. Will have to start saving though!

[snowdrops]

Like the look of the Rhino ones and how strong they are. We get some rough storms here over the winter and I don't want to be constantly worrying about it. Will have to start saving though!

I did say they aren't cheap, I can't tell you how pleased I am with mine. I've also spotted that a few celebrity gardeners have them too . Mine is in memory of my Dad,who gave me some money before he died so gives me immense pleasure & I know he would approve of it so that makes it even better in my eyes. It will be being dismantled soon I hope if & when we sell the house, don't care if it dwarfs our next garden, there will be no compromise on it & hubby knows without even asking

Here's a couple of photos of it last year


I like the green because it blends in well,although I saw they now do other colours that would tempt me if I was choosing again

[Butterhead]

The green does look nice. Adds a big cost to the standard aluminium though, about 500 I think. Would it be mad to consider getting the aluminium one and painting it with a paint for metal before putting in the glass?