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Gardening

Growhouses

(12 Posts)
onaclearday Fri 20-Mar-20 16:49:45

I am thinking of buying a growhouse to bring on my plug plants. I would also like to grow salad veg. I live alone and wonder if it would be worth while. I am totally inexperienced and would welcome advice

travelsafar Sat 21-Mar-20 09:25:05

I would start of with maybe one of those plastic greenhouses and see how you get on. I did this then after a couple of seasons i bought a proper glass one. I love it and altough it is unheated it still helps with seedlings, tender plants and looking after some plants during the winter. I intend to be pottering in there a lot now we have to self isolate. I take coffee and the radio and spend time inside kon my own and love it.

J52 Sat 21-Mar-20 10:26:58

Before I had a green house, I had a little wooden grow house. I was able to start seedlings and bring them on just fine. I now use it as a cold frame to overwinter and harden plants off.
Go ahead and get one, loads of pleasure to be had.

shysal Sat 21-Mar-20 10:31:07

I have one like this, which does a good job. I have lots of seedlings and plug plants coming along nicely. I find each shelf takes two large plastic cat litter trays to stand the pots or seed trays in, to retain the water. I have replaced the cover a few times, but the frame has lasted several years. Cheapest are on Ebay, quality seems the same whatever you pay.
Good luck if you get one, hope it works well for you.

Missfoodlove Sat 21-Mar-20 10:43:15

Spinach, rocket and kale are all so easy.
Good luck.

Lulu16 Sat 21-Mar-20 10:49:59

I am a keen gardener and have just started planting seeds. I have some of those black plastic containers with a handle that hold six little plant pots. So far I have spicy salad leaves and rocket germinating. I have/or intend to plant lambs lettuce, coriander, parsley and mixed salad leaves. Even a few pots of greenery can be added to salads and soups. On my kitchen window sill I have mustard/cress and basil.
Hope this helps!

onaclearday Sat 21-Mar-20 14:45:38

Thank you all so much. I will now order my growhouse. It will be good to have a new hobby in these difficult times. I look forward to many happy hours pottering about in my garden and to enjoying fresh salad.

craftyone Sun 22-Mar-20 07:28:35

Those polythene ones are also called blow houses, with good reason. I have 2 wooden mini houses, they are stable in the winds but realistically are only light enough on the top shelf.

I am expecting many plugs next week and have started assemmbling a mini lean-to glasshouse. It is very well made and I have bought slabs because it needs to be screwed down. I have ordered a glass back for it because it has a watering system and even the marine ply wall I made would not last long if constantly damp. The glasshouse is not cheap but will last forever

Until it is finished I will have to do the in/out thing and keep a very close eye on the outside night temperature

I hope the plugs get here ok, deliveries are taking a lot longer

Kale might be easy to grow but it will get covered in whitefly

Greyduster Sun 22-Mar-20 07:35:34

I had very good results with one like shysal has, but this garden seems to find wind from every direction and it really needed anchoring or weighting firmly. I gave up with it in the end. If you have a sheltered spot, it should be okay.

Oopsadaisy3 Sun 22-Mar-20 09:05:18

Our small polytunnel was delivered on Thursday, it’s in the garage waiting for it to become safe to unpack it and erect it. We’ve ordered soil and compost , online, ditto seeds, I need to dig out some large pots and seed trays, but the soil won’t be delivered just yet.
We have been watching Charles Downing’s videos on YouTube he does the nodig method so we have been saving cardboard. They are very good and ideal for step by step instructions, we have garden envy!
Can’t wait to get started, let’s hope the winds drop so that the whole kit and caboodle doesn’t blow away over the Ridgeway!

Oopsadaisy3 Sun 22-Mar-20 09:05:50

Sorry iPad changed his name it’s Charles Dowding

shysal Mon 23-Mar-20 19:31:57

Yes, they do catch the wind. Mine is secured to the hedge with a velcro strap.