Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi all,
I'm a newbie and I have a hundred and one questions to ask.

In a week or so, I'm getting a new 10x8 aluminium greenhouse (green and pretty because I'm a Libran and everything has to look nice). It will be replacing a very run down 6x8 dutch style greenhouse which was here when we arrived and I have had to redesign half of the garden to make space for my new arrival. I have had to work hard for it too. My husband pointed out that it would cost a fortune for us to get someone to remove the old patio, lay paving slabs for the base etc etc. So, when he was away on business, I took to the old patio with a pickaxe, removed most of that and carried the slabs through the garage to the front of the house, and then removed most of the patio that I found underneath. It was only when the pickaxe bounced off the concrete underneath that, sending sparks out that I had to admit defeat and call in the real men.

But every cloud has a silver lining. My efforts had four benefits; firstly my eldest son became much less lippy; secondly the builders who were constructing an extension next door offered me a job (hey, I'm not joking!); thirdly, my wonderful mother-in-law gave me an envelope containing cash so I could get in some men to finish the job before I killed myself and fourthly.......my husband finally understood! Its like footie...only useful.

Anyway, to my question. I haven't yet ordered staging for the greenhouse - on account of needing my bank account to recover. I'm going to do just one side for a start - double tiered staging but do I go for slats or the solid aluminium trays on top, which you can fill with sand or use capilliary matting? Or is this just the type of question a Libran would ask...............?
Jools

Hi Jools and welcome to the Vine. Congratulations on all your hard work with the patio - I'm not surprised the builders offered you a job You'll get loads of help and advice on here and everyone's so friendly. I can't advise you on staging as I'm still waiting to get my greenhouse but if you have a look at this thread, Nick (one of our experts) gives instructions on how to make your own. It looks really good and will certainly be cheaper to make than buying one.
"Portable" Greenhouse benches

Welcome to the vine Jools

Staging is a matter of personal preference. I like slats because they increase light and airflow to the other levels. You can also mix and match pots and seedtrays which is good if you grow a little of everything as I do.

Hi Jools and welcome to the vine. What a lot of hard work you've done but it will be well worth the effort when you have your brand new greenhouse up and running.
I have metal staging in my greenhouse and am very pleased with it. As you so rightly say, you can use it for capillary matting. In the winter i put sheets of polysterine on it to help hold the heat as the metal can get very cold. Other that that i'm more than happy with it.
Good luck and let us know what you decide.

I made the mistake of squeezing too much in to start with, I can be a bit of a kid in the candy shop, wanting everything I see. Anyway, after the first year realised I'd made it far too congested and sold some to my big bruv who had just invested in a much bigger greenhouse (the lucky s*d). In short, my advice is not to go mad and get the minimum first as you can always add more at a later date.

Hi Jools and welcome to the vine! Certainly sounds like you are a girl after my own heart with getting all that work done! Congrats on the new greenhouse and on all the hard work that you've put in, I hope it is as productive for you as all the effort you've put in!

We too have a 10' by 8' greenhouse, loads of lovely space in there isnt there! As for staging, Nick's home made plans in another post are great, thats what we are going to make for ours as £ is a big motivator, but if you can afford it some lovely slatted aluminium for the summer would be great! Only drawback is they do get colder than wood does in the winter and are a little more prone to condensation, but in the last analysis its definitely down to personal choice!

I too am a Libran, and have to have things arranged in order, drives hubby mad as he is a messy git, but we get by without arguing, mainly cos I tell him how its going to be and he just agrees! lol!

__________________
Blessings
Suzanne (aka Mrs Dobby)

'Garden naked - get some colour in your cheeks'!

The Dobby's Pumpkin Patch - a blogspot work in progress!
Last updated 10th August 2008 - updates!

i got both. i bought 3ft high stuff which is really too tall for my greenhouse. i got slatts on 2 levels and shelves on one

Hello Jools and welcome to the Vine! What alot of work - well done you!

I've got metal staging in my new greenhouse, just down one side to start off with. But it has a sort of wriggly tin top which is a real nuisance for standing plants on, so think I am supposed to cover it with sand or something.
Thanks Bramble for the tip about covering it in winter - I was wondering whether it would get rather cold.

PS I'm a Virgo and I also like to have everything in order!

Thanks for all the info everyone. I thought about getting metal staging because I thought it would be easier to clean and also it matches the actual greenhouse but I hadn't thought about it being cold or causing condensation. But I like the idea of putting polestyrine on top in winter. Now, I just don't know what to do, but I probably won't be ordering any until after Christmas anyway. I'm only going to get enough to go down one side as I'm not sure what I'm going to be doing with all theat lovely space yet.
Jools

Hi Jools,

This is the one that Mrs D was talking about. All my staging is like this & it has the advantage that it just folds away when you don't want it. Aluminium staging is OK but this will last as It's made from Roofing Laths which is pressure treated anyway & you can always stain it if you want to.

If your local timber merchant is anything like ours you should be able to buy all the wood & make 3 8ft long benches for all of your Greenhouse for about £50 tops. You wont get many Aluminium ones for that.

"Portable" Greenhouse benches

Hope it helps

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

I would only get staging for one side of the greenhouse anyway - you need somewhere to grow all those tomato plants and they do get very tall!! If you have collapsible staging and somewhere to store it, I suppose you could use it for seeds early on, and move some of it out when the toms, cucumbers, chillies need to go in bigger pots.

Hi,
I'm pretty much a newbie too, and I'm also a Libran - guess what I gor for my birthday?? It's soo lovely; Green 8 x 6. I'm wishing the winter away so I can get started. One of my questions is - What crops can be grown with a heater? My wonderful hubby arrranged for an electric one with a frost control thingy on it. Does this mean I can start spuds early etc etc? I don't have any staging yet so very interested in all the replies on thread. Think I'll go for collapsible one as planning on growing cue's, toms and sweet peppers. Thanks everso for any advice.

the worlds your oyster with a heated greenhouse Weavie. Yes you can grow early spuds and other veggies as well (especially the ones that you can gtow as mini veg (protovoy cabbage etc) as you can plant them in pots & grow them that way. Plus you can start your seeds off as well.

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

That's fanstastic. Now that everything's in place, ie: new greenhouse and new raised beds, waiting for Spring is like waiting for a new baby. Any names of any typeof veggies that I can start off in pots would be very useful. Also I have in mind to start off seeds early in the g/h and then put them under fleece cloches in thier final planting place for a while. Would this be a good thing or would it leed to bolting?
Cheers everso.

Oh Weavie, I'm so jealous. My greenhouse doesn't arrive until Wednesday and then it won't be up until next week. Then I have to save up for the electricity to be put in and the staging. Still it will all be done before the real work starts.

I grew sweetcorn and beans in my old greenhouse before I planted them out but I saw one gardeners' world programme where they planted beetroot in tubs in the greenhouse so I'd like to try that.

Julie

Hi Jools,
Def want to try sweetcorn. Did you ever start beetroot off in the gh? I've read so much I've confused myself as to whether it works. I'm especially excited about early spuds in bags. I haven't bought any staging yet as saving up. Homebase have 10% off day early Dec so I might get some -just for one side. Want to grow plum toms for sauces. Want to grow sooo much! Put strawberry plants in to over winter and they're beginning to flower as it's so mild. Took them back out again and now greenhouse is bare! Have japanese onion sets. garlic and oregon sugar peas under fleece. December is going to be a long month.
It's great that you'll have everything in place soon. will you be growing cue's pepper & aubergines etc?

Hi Weavie
I'll be growing cucumbers and toms. I have always had success with those in the past but I am going to be trying different types of toms (including yellow ones) and I want to try to freeze them to use in Spag bol etc. Will also be trying aubergines (just had one fruit last year - but very tasty!) and peppers (completely useless last year). I'm also getting some strawberry plants for the greenhouse.
I may put my fig tree in a pot in the greenhouse over winter as it hasn't done very well over the last couple of years and this greenhouse is big enough to get it in.
Greenhouse came today but I am saving up for the staging too. I may just use the vast space to dance a jig in when it goes up on Monday.
DH and the kids think I'm losing a screw!

Hi Jools,
You and me both. I wondered into my near empty gh yesterday just to be in there. How sad is that?
I'm just about to look for some plum tom seeds on the Italian seed co site. It's been reccommended on another thread on the vine. Want toms good for freezing too. Last year had so many (not plums) was able to freeze in 16oz packs (equiv to a can) and stack them up in freezer. We are still enjoying them. I only had one pepper on plant last year (windowsill).
I've asked for a passata machine for Xmas as it skins and de-seeds toms. Also found out about that on vine - it's great reading all this fanstastic advice. You never know, one day I might even be able to give some: We live in hope!

Hi Weavie
The passata machine looks interesting. I thought I would stick mine through the juicer! Probably would waste a lot.

Have you got a bed in your greenhouse (no not that type - I'm really into all this but not THAT into it!). I had one in my last greenhouse but then read that it was best not to have one because the soil gets infected. Now I have laid slabs for the new one and I'm not sure I did the right thing. I'll have to grown everything in pots.

And I have never had heating before so that should be interesting.

I'm also going to grow lots of flowers. I have offered to grow seedlings etc for fund raising for my eldest son's school.....so it's all got to work, hasn't it!

Hi Jools,
No beds, just concrete. I was worried about the soil too!
I will be growing lots of flowers too. What I know about growing them you could write on the back of a postage stamp. I've promised my children that there will be lots of different flowers. No harm in planting a few lettuces in between! Last year we had a competition on whose tomato plant got the first red tom and my 8 year old son won even though he did very litle and my daughter (11) nutured hers. My winter hobby is card making so I've also been fund raising for their school!
I'm really looking forward to propagating plants in the greenhouse (once I've learnt how). We live very near to Wisley RHS and they run some great courses so will be booking on one or two to learn all about fruit trees and soft fruit. I've ordered several trees from Browns so it would be useful to know how to prune them etc. Are you growing any fruit?

Hi Weavie
Yes, I already have a fantastic sweet cherry tree. It is always completely loaded so I keep everyone in cherries - before the birds take them. I also have a blackcurrant bush and a thornless blackberry which also fruit very well. The berries from both bushes were huge last year & I still have a freezer full. I have a plum tree, which used to fruit well but is looking very sorry for itself of late, and a pear tree which fruits well but I can never sort out when I need to pick them and how to store them! I also have a fig in a pot, which is a bit hit and miss and the fruit isn't very big. We have just cut down an apple tree as it was int he way and the fruit was tasteless. Just trying to figure out where I can put another type of apple tree....
I really want to plant raspberries, blueberries and strawberries this year and something to go up a wall - either a grape vine or kiwi fruit. And son no. 2 wants to try to grow a melon in the greenhouse - doubt that we shall succeed but we'll have a go.

Gosh - didn't realise I was so much of a fruit grower!

I'm not too far away from Wisley - in Staines. A friend and I had been thinking about attending a course or two there next year (when both our sets of twins will be at full time school).

Perhaps we can swop some seedlings/cuttings etc in due course.

Are you thinking of having a go at squash?

Hello Jools, Hello Weavie, great to see your enthusiam. Hope your greenhouse does magic for you. I grew some squash this year and very excellent they were. See the pic.

I grew poatatoes in buckets which were wonderful. They were never in the greenhouse. I kept a note of the dates I planted things so I could learn from it for this year.
I posted pics of some of my sucesses at the time, but if you're interested I can repost them. Good luck with all your plans.

Hi Alice & Jools,
Now you're talking my language Alice. I am going to be growing squashes and pumpkins for the first time next year. I'm completely intrigued by them. I read Sarah Ravens book and she is very keen. She shows them growing on willow wigwams and they look terrific. Which one's do you reccommend? Also what was the earliest that you planted your spuds in a bucket?
Jools - I worked in Kingston for years so know of Staines as it's next door. Which courses were you thinking of doing? It would be great if we could do cutting swapping etc. I planted two blueberry bushes in pots this year. Actually they're no more than a twig! Other than that I have a bare canvas as garden has just been landscaped. Did have onions growing but they've flopped! I've just posted a new thread to try and get some advice. I was so proud of myself getting them all planted at the right time etc. I feel like a complete failure. I obviously don't know my onions!