Greenhouse base?

[country-girl]

I am fairly new to growing veg,infact i have lots to learn.
I would like some advice please?
I am buying a greenhouse but i am not sure of what base to put down. I know different people use thier greenhouses and grow straight in the soil and have a walk way in the middle(if thats what they are called? Im sorry but im rubbish with technical terms,i did mention it was all new to me!) or some folk have complete concrete or paved bases.
I am stuck! Any suggestions would be great. I just want to make sure i make the right decision.
Thanks.

[sarraceniac]

It's a matter of choice country-girl, and what is convenient for you. I have 2 greenhouses, one has just got a path down the centre made of reconstituted stone slabs and the other is a warmed in winter greenhouse for my exotics and neo-tropicals. That one, mainly to help with insulation has a floor of breeze blocks. The warm loving plants are better in pots in winter anyway and it is easier to just move them out in summer, if I want to, and back in in winter. One thing to remember if you want to plant straight into the soil in a greenhouse is that you have to sterilise the soil regularly to avoid the build up of pests and diseases and incorporate food in the form of fertilisiers, manure and, unless you are organic, chemicals. It is not more work just different from being able to swap pots around, which even in the cold g.house I prefer but some people don't. You could try for a year with just a path then pave if you think pots and staging would be better. You pays yer money...........

[country-girl]

It's a matter of choice country-girl, and what is convenient for you. I have 2 greenhouses, one has just got a path down the centre made of reconstituted stone slabs and the other is a warmed in winter greenhouse for my exotics and neo-tropicals. That one, mainly to help with insulation has a floor of breeze blocks. The warm loving plants are better in pots in winter anyway and it is easier to just move them out in summer, if I want to, and back in in winter. One thing to remember if you want to plant straight into the soil in a greenhouse is that you have to sterilise the soil regularly to avoid the build up of pests and diseases and incorporate food in the form of fertilisiers, manure and, unless you are organic, chemicals. It is not more work just different from being able to swap pots around, which even in the cold g.house I prefer but some people don't. You could try for a year with just a path then pave if you think pots and staging would be better. You pays yer money...........

Thanks sarraceniac, i will give it some thought.

I have just noticed vegtable newbie!s thread on a similar subject. Sorry about that.

[chris]

I'm also about to buy one too (have just dug up an old thread asking similar questions) - there's also the choice of what's called "eco base" - if you search this forum you'll find a thread.. I posted a price for an 8x6 base in there too.

After reading this, I'm now back to decideding to go for a base, or directly into the ground again !

[Galileo]

Pots dry can dry out very quickly on a hot day in Summer indeed Pots can need watering up to twice a day in hot Summer weather.

Plants in the ground need a lot less watering. Even if you change the border soil every few years its still a lot less work than the massive amount of watering you will do with pots year in and year out.

Galileo

[chris]

Thanks Galileo.. I hadn't thought of that. I do plan on investing in an automatic watering system though, pretty much because I'm always quite busy, and can't rely on the mrs to do it,as she has a brain like a sieve !

[sarraceniac]

It is so long since we had a hot summer that I'd forgotten it too. Plus I've got sprinklers as well.

[country-girl]

Thanks chrismarks. I found the eco base post. It is something to consider but a the moment i have quite a few slabs i could use. It is just difficult when you are so new to it,to decide what would be right for me.
The automatic watering system/sprinkler idea isnt something i had thought about. Has anyone any links to threads or info you could give me on these?

[sweetiepea]

Your choice should also depend on how much you intend to grow 'inside'. There's no point dedicating all (or most) of your floor space to beds when perhaps what you need is say a bed on one side, a path, and staging for raising seedlings and other plants on the other. If you're unsure at this stage, why not leave the a soil floor, cover with a hard wearing weed control fabric, and cover again with removable flooring, such as concrete slabs, decking squares etc. If you decide to grow in the ground then you simply remove the floor covering. Personally, I kept the soil floor and just covered with a weed control fabric and haven't looked back. I haven't grown directly in the ground in the greenhouse yet, but I still can if I wish too. To be honest I find it hard to give up the space because I start off almost everything in the greenhouse, and every inch of surface space is valuable. But that's just me.

[country-girl]

Sweetiepea i think ive just made up my mind with your help,thank you.
I think thats the solution to my problem. Its a great idea.

[chris]

I had not thought of that either!

How do you fix the GH to the lawn/soil though? Deep stakes?

[country-girl]

I had not thought of that either!

How do you fix the GH to the lawn/soil though? Deep stakes?

Now there's another thing! As much as i am enjoying learning...i will be glad when i can contribute more to the forum than asking questions!

[sarraceniac]

I had not thought of that either!

How do you fix the GH to the lawn/soil though? Deep stakes?

Both mine came with some metal hooks to actually hook over the frame and bang into the ground. The sheer weight of a greenhouse holds them down too. Mind you my mate that put them both in (a pro hard landscaper) set the hooks in concrete. He's belt and braces.

[afrench108]

I brought 2 norfolk greenhouses last summer (poly sheeting for the kids..) both 6x6 and fitted them together, leaving the door/back panel out so i have a 12x6 massive gh.. i laid it on 2decking boards so has a solid area to fix it to, and sits 1 foot off the ground. i filled the inside with pea shingle/gravel, drains well, easy to weed and manage and everything i grow sits on it nice and level. You can also move things around easily when you fancy a change... My toms/peppers/cuc grow in large pots full of grow bag compost which works well with waterng issues..hope this helps

[country-girl]

i filled the inside with pea shingle/gravel, drains well, easy to weed and manage and everything i grow sits on it nice and level. You can also move things around easily when you fancy a change... My toms/peppers/cuc grow in large pots full of grow bag compost which works well with waterng issues..hope this helps.

A great help thanks. All i need now is for my greenhouse to arrive. Hopefully Saturday. Thats when the fun will start! Constructing a greenhouse should be easy yeah?!? Poor hubby wont be looking forward to it. You should hear the *bleeps* when we try and put the caravan awning up together!