Grow Your Own Magazine

Well hello to all GYO members. I have only just joined and am still finding my way around the site. Not being a computer wizard i think it may take some time!! and i daren't ask the children to help as they will no doubt find it hilarious that i have not only joined a gardening website but don't know how to use it either. So if any of you lovely people have any tips for me, i would be most grateful.
My hubby and i are just learning the art of veggie growing, composting and the like. We have 2 greenhouses, one is sited on a wooden deck and the other is on the ground. For the one that is on the ground, would it be best to put a floor down, i.e. paving slabs or similar, or just leave the floor as soil?
We are also wanting to get some chickens, we did keep chickens years ago but no longer have the ark/run. John (hubby) is more than capable of building a new house but it would be useful to have a plan to follow, so if anyone out there has a plan for a chicken ark that they could share with, we would be most grateful. Thanks to all.

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Sandra

Hi Sandra (and John!) and welcome. Cant answer your questions I'm afraid - I dont keep hens and only 'inherited' a rundown greenhouse a few weeks ago so I'm on a steep learning curve myself there - but thought I'd drop by and say welcome anyhoo

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Hi S&J hope you're finding your way around? The site is packed with useful info and is split into specific forums. So you might find more posters respond if you ask your chicken ark question on the 'rule the roost' forum. Also there is a search facility where you can see what has been posted quite away in the past - well a couple of years anyway!

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

Welcome John and Sandra. I have a greenhouse on the soil - I grow directly into it. Some people like to use growbags and have a solid base for their greenhouse. It's your choice really. I don't trust my watering techniques enough to make sure I don't dry out or drown a grow bag!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

Hello and welcome to the vine Sandra.

Good luck with your new hobby. I think the poultry ark plans should be on their way to you shortly.

On the greenhouse front, flooring is covered in a few threads on the vine, it is largely personal preference and down to whether you want to grow in beds in the greenhouse or just in pots. There was no soil depth where we put our greenhouse so we put down weed control fabric and then a couple of inches of gravel, with paving slab path down the centre. It works fine for me as I prefer to grow in pots in there so that things can be moved about if they get crowded.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

hi and welcome to the vine i dont keep chickens and i think the answers to your greenhouse have been covered above, the vine is easy to navigate and you always get an answer and its good fun too so enjoy....

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The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

Hi Shirley
Thanks for sending 'ark' plans, much appreicated. will let you know how we get on!! as for the grreenhouse, i think we'll play it by ear.

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Sandra

hiya
can't belivee how many replies i've had in such a short space of time. Good luck with your growing projects, i think the only thing i would say is 'don't be too ambitious to start with'.

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Sandra

hi manda
thanks for the tips.

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Sandra

Hello - and welcome to you both!
We look forward to hearing how your plans develop!

Hi, welcome from me too.

If you use the search box at the top right of the page and enter Hen House Plans or something similar you should get a range of hits with plans and ideas from people.

Terry

And welcome from me too! Lots of good ideas from a whole host of individuals on this site. So just keep asking the questions!

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Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

Hello and welcome. You'll find this site very friendly as well as informative - please keep viewing and posting.

Hi Sandra & welcome to you both. I wish I had a greenhouse to decide about flooring! I only have a tiny plastic zip up one. As you already have one with a base why not try growing directly into the ground in borders in the other with a paving slab path up the middle then you've got the best of both worlds. Good luck with your growing & the chickens & don't worry about using the computer, I was hopeless at first but you learn as you go along on here & the members, admin & moderators are always happy to help.

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

Hello and welcome to the vine Sandra & Jones, begin with small project at a time and your skill will grow from there. Learning by doing are really rewarding plus you can always cross check things here. Enjoy your stay with the vine...

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I grow, I pick, I eat ...

Hi Sue A
Don't worry about only having a small zip up greenhouse, you'll be amazed whast you can grow in it. I bought one for my Mum a few years ago, as she hasn't room for anything bigger, and she got all her seedlings going in it and produced some fantastic tomatoes AND carrots, and it was brilliant for pretecting tender things in the winter months. So don't despair!!

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Sandra

Hi S&J welcome to the vine.
Why ask the kids? Just dig in and you'll find it hilarious your selves.

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I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
W. C. Fields