I need to get myself organised if I want a good growing year. The big greenhouse has been a dumping ground. Time to get it cleaned up as this is very much the heart of my annual growing here at the smallholding. Old plants out, all the rubbish gone.
Ready to top up the bed and start sowing seeds (I've started seed sowing this week as well)
But I filmed a short bit about seed swaps (which should be out this week) and couldn't believe how green it was - time for a good clean. My old site brush comes in handy still, rubbed all the windows down and gave them a hose off. Not saying it's spotless but it's certainly better and I've no doubt the plants will be thankful.
So the glass is in, the windows clean(er), I just need to add some muck to the bed in there and it'll be ready to go.
My next plan is to move the 8ftx6ft greenhouse over as the base has rotted out. I'd like to do a brick base and raise it up a bit so I don't have to be stooped all the time. If I do that it'll leave space in the middle for either a third greenhouse (which I have) or to knock up a lean-to in between to act as my garden bench with a workbench and staging under a bit of clear cover.
Which would you do - a third greenhouse (good for seed saving and more under cover plants) or a new undercover work area about 9ft by 8ft in size? Or not use the smaller 8x6 greenhouses at all and find a bigger wider one with better air flow?
We kept our 8 by 6 greenhouse as a big cold frame with the door open and the end glass out when we built a bigger one next to it. I do grow extra tomatoes in one side though. I found the air flow in the smaller greenhouse was not very good. Is your 8 x 6 already raised? Will raising it more will leave a gap at the bottom of the door? Our big greenhouse is on a block base which seems to keep it warmer. A covered area would be useful too.
ReplyDeleteI keep ondering about doing this and just grow an early crop of strawberries in it, keep the birds and other creatures out then as well.
DeleteI'm a bit spoiled. We have a glass shop downtown where I can walk in with two dimensions and walk out 10 minutes later with a cut pane of glass. I pay a bit of a premium but don't have to store sheets of glass and prevent them from accidentally getting broken.
ReplyDeleteI guess for me, I would probably go with a covered middle area. I have a lot more things that would benefit from being out of the rain than I need for actual greenhouse space. However, it is hot enough here during the summer that we don't grow veggies in our greenhouse. We mostly rescue orchids or house plants needing a time in the heat.
I can get glass cut in Malvern, but it's never very cheap these days. Asi have the one greenhouse for spares I like to cut it myself if I can save a few quid. I might invest in a better glass cutter though, especially with what I ended up doing this weekend just gone!
DeleteI too would go with a covered work area, which would give you some storage, rather than using your greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think somewhere to keep all my pots and other bits would be really handy. I's only going to be about 7ft wide, but would allow for a workbench and some crates to store stuff in maybe.
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