Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello,

I'd love to get a greenhouse for my new plot but can't afford to spend too much money on it (free would be ideal but I'm a bit worried about trying to dismantle and re-assemble a second hand one even if i could find one..) I saw an ad for Norfolk greenhouses in gardeners world mag and they look a bit too good to be true.. (norfolk-greenhouses.co.uk if anyone wants to look) does anyone have any experience with one? Are they sturdy enough? how are they to assemble? Is the ventilation adequate? they seem to only have the door and a sliding window to the rear.. I've never had a greenhouse before so this is all unknown territory to me.. I'd be wanting it for a combination of propagation and growing greenhouse crops such as peppers + aubergines if that makes any difference and can in theory get to the plot most days if need be

thanks in advance for all your advice

Becca

Ive just ordered the 8x6 ultimate, so waiting for it to arrive as for ventilation if you goto the accessories page on their website they have solar air vents that you can buy for it at £29 each, Ive ordered 2.

Cheers Chris

I have no direct experience but think they were discussed in this thread...

Getting a new greenhouse---what do you think?

Hope that helps

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

thanks for the thread seems to be a mixed opinion, norfolk greenhouses are like marmite, you either love em or hate em.. :S following a link i found a nice looking one in homebase but i'm a bit loathe to spend too much on an allotment one as I'd feel a bit mean taking it with me if i had to move.. I have a month or so to make my decision anyway, still got 3/4 of an allotment of bramble stalks and nettle roots to dig up just getting excited about that point where I get to plant and grow stuff rather than digging it out

I love my Norfolk, but it's a STANDARD one, with plastic on a roll covering, which you bury like a polytunnel cover. The ULTIMATE sort need a proper base to be fixed down on, or they blow away... They really do - I've seen one after high winds, most of it was on someoe else's plot..!

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Sarah

http://wixypixies.blogspot.com/

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

When my ultimate arrives I plan to fasten it to a wood base made from 2x6 and put brackets on the wood then deck the inside with flags which will hold the wood down by sitting on the brackets.

Sounds sensible Also, check that your panels are really securely fixed in, as they allegedly pop out a bit too easily if the frame flexes in the wind...!

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Sarah

http://wixypixies.blogspot.com/

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

I looked at these but thought they were a little flimsy when compared to a traditional aluminium one, keep your eyes open on ebay, freeads, freecycle etc.

Reassembling one isn't that hard especially if you take an indelible marker and lable up each joint before you take it apart.

Good luck.

I've got one - the 8 x 6 with rigid plasticky panes. If you are getting one I hope you like jigsaw puzzles - putting it together was a bit of a nightmare (especially as son put several of the bits upside down and they wouldn't bolt to the other bits). It's very light and really does need to be bolted down. The sliding door is fine, but I've had nothing but problems with the window vent at the back - I've got it wired in now. Having said that, for the price they are good value and at least if the glazing blows out (as a couple of my panels did early last year) it doesn't shatter like glass would. When I was looking to buy I actually coveted the octagonal one but they don't seem to sell it any more - after putting together the ordinary 8 x 6 I can understand why.

The Norfolk's instructions are mostly diagrams ... and not good ones at that. The written instructions, sparse as they are, seem to be translated from Chinese via German into English, ie clear as mud.
You also need to watch out for small print ... we put all the bolts in as instructed, then got down to the bit where it tells you that half the bolts need to go in the OTHER way !
Good luck!

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I came, I saw, I planted