Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi

May i just say firstly what a wonderful and extremely useful forum this is and i looking forward to playing a part here.

I have recently taken advantage of Focus offer of an 8x6ft greenhouse and with it being my fisrt i really want to do things right. I live in South Yorkshire now and so our winters are colder and we get some hard frosts so I think i should be insulating it with bubblewrap (i have been reading other threads here). Can anyone tell me where it is best and cheapest purchased from?
I have been given a twin parafin heater which i will be using too, i will get some pictures up soon


Many Thanks
DaveC

Ok so does anyone actually line their greenhouses with bubblewrap here?.
I originally saw it on GardenersWorld

Hello,
My mum has her grenhouse lined with bubblewrap. I think she got it from ebay!
Hope this helps,
Catherine

Quick suggestion - check your local Freecycle group - someone might have some....you should be able to post a Wanted request.....

Another suggestion would be try some of the Furniture retailers the amount of bubble wrap that gets put round furniture is amazing......

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AKA - BigMatt over at Chillis Galore......

On a similar note, is it worth bubblewrapping an unheated greenhouse?

Thankyou all for your advice.

@Womble I have been given a parafin heater with 2 burners to try. As this is my first greenhouse and winter I am going to give it a try.

You might have been, but I haven't got a heater!

To answer as many of the posts as possible.

Yes I line all my greenhouses both heated and cold with bubblewrap but

1. Don't bother with the stuff used for parcels it won't last as it's not UV treated and will fall apart in no time.
2. Also, it is only two ply where as proper BW is bubbles sandwiched between 2 sheets of plastic ( and it is UV proofed).
3. Also the small bubbles blocks too much light and doesn't insulate as well as the big

I leave my bubble wrap up all year round and it help with a bit of shading in the summer ... if we ever have another one

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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/

Finally finished erecting my greenhouse today, unfortunatly the door doesnt slide as it should and i need to sort something out with it. But my question is this..my greenhouse is on a concrete base with a wooden frame between the concrete frame and the greenhouse frame. I have lined the floor with thick black plastic with the intension of covering it with shingle as the concrete slopes slightly to the back of the greenhouse which would carry any water away.


Is shingle a good idea? Are there any alternatives? Or do I not need to use anything now?

Thanks Dave

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Hi Dave, I put up a greenhouse for the first time this year. I didn't want to use a heater just yet so I bought some bubblewrap off the roll from a local nursery. My greenhouse is only 6'x6' so the bubblewrap didn't cost much and I'd like to replace it each year anyway as more hygenic. The insulation is great. I have shingle as a floor base, but am going to replace it as I drop compost into it and it is hard to keep clean (also I found some slugs buried in it the other morning! ) As for the door, I found some WD-40 worked a treat? Now I've just to pray that the winter winds don't blow it down...sleepless nights ahead

Howdy

I've got a 7'4 square billy oh greenhouse. I have problems with panels blowing out. No amount of w clips keep the polycarbonate panels in. Last week they ended up in next doors garden and I'm getting slightly embarrassing of having to keep going round and asking for them back.

Any body got any tips for keeping the panels in?

Failing that should I switch to glass?

I almost bought a billy Oh, glad I didn't now, the panels would be blowing out every other day here.

What I have heard of russell, is to use silicon sealant to hold them in.

Thanks Womble

I wouldn't buy one again given the choice. When you say use sealent do you mean on the whole panel or just the W clips?

I haven't done it, but I know there are some threads on here about it. Its worth searching for them. I believe that it is the whole panel.

I don't know how the panel is held in, but is there any way to put a thin piece of wood behind the edges and drill through into the frame?

I've started putting BW on my greenhouse-it's made from pallets and heavy duty poly, not sure about using a heater yet tho.
So Nick the Grief-where do you get your sort of BW from then?

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www.seeds-sowing-and-surprises.blogspot.com

Hi DA,

I get my BW from NA Kays, they will sell it by the metre but I get a roll as I've two to line and iuse the large bubble sort - it cuts out less light - I leave it up all year round as well as it helps shade a bit in the summer by taking the glare out of the sun - you still need shading over some plants though and more importantly - it's a real pain in the 'arris to take it down

Love the GH btw I had a look the other night and one modification to the cold frame, Paint it inside with a good bright white gloss paint it will stop stuff getting drawn

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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/

cheers for that Nick!

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www.seeds-sowing-and-surprises.blogspot.com

I've used outdoor grade clear silicone sealant to keep my panels in as I have polycarbonate too. It also helps to stop water getting in the channels as when the algae grows inside these, there's no way of getting it out, unless you fancy pressure washing!

Hi Adreastea

How have you done it? Used W clips and then run silicone up part of the side of the panel. Damn thing keeps blowing out. Still using the washing line and some panel of wood to holds it in at the mo.

On my greenhouse, the polycarbonate sheets slot into the munting bars. I put sealant over ALL the joins where the sheets fit into the bars. I thought this would also help to stop any rain drips and draughts! I didn't get any W or other clips supplied so I made do with this method. I didn't smooth over the sealant but left it in quite a thick, generous layer. You can also use it to stick the sheets in, put on finials or stick other bits together if you so wish! If you decide to try it- hope it works

duck tape at top and bottom too...tho if it gets too windy nothing will keep them there...here speaks a man of experience

i agree with nick ,i leave mine up , apart from the apex ,its a pain taking it down and it offers shade

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