If you are looking for or are recyling a greenhouse visit this page second hand greenhouses
Greenhouse growing Tips
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Choosing type of greenhouse.
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Fruit and Vegetables to grow or start off in a greenhouse
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How much does a Greenhouse cost.
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Greenhouse gardening tips
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How to heat a greenhouse.
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Vegetables that can be grown in a greenhouse in Winter.
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How do greenhouse plants get pollinated
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Scroll down for, How can I sell and make money from the vegetables I grow in my greenhouse.
How do greenhouse plants get pollinated
Pollination of the plants in my Greenhouse?
Opening the doors of your greenhouse for ventilation will allow bees and other Insects to fly in and do the pollination for you. It will also help pollination of plants like Sweetcorn that are wind pollinated.
If you want to give nature a hand you might want to try these tips to pollinate your greenhouse plants.
How do I pollinate the flowers on my greenhouse tomatoes. A little tap on the tomato plant will encourage pollination. You can also just gently shake the Tomatoes plant or flower truss
How can I assist pollination of my greenhouse Courgettes. Courgettes the pollen can be transfered with a cotton bud or you can cut off the male flower, remove petals and stick the bit into the female flower. Sounds a bit sexual but I guess thats exactly what it is.
Best way to pollinate the Sweetcorn flowers on my greenhouse ? Sweetcorn has male and female flowers, male flowers at the top looking a bit like grass seed heads, the fine hairy tassles lower down the plant are the female flowers. You can encourage the male pollen to fall onto these tassles by tapping the plants when the pollen is forming.
How do I pollinate the flowers on my Sweet Peppers growing in a greenhouse ? Greenhouse sweet peppers can be polluted by gently putting your finger inside the flowers and gently moving it about the flowers.
There is is nothing wrong with giving nature a helping hand, but opening the doors of your greenhouse allowing bees and other Insects to fly in and do the pollination for you and letting the breeze pollinate plants like Sweetcorn is best. Please share your own methods of greenhouse plants pollination with us.
Chosing a greenhouse
A Greenhouse will probably be one of the most expensive things you buy for your garden, but if used properly will pay for itself many times over and more importantly give you many years of enjoyment.
Types of Greenhouse There are many different sizes and shapes of greenhouse at all sorts of prices from "free to collector" to commercial greenhouses costing thousands , from polythene poly tunnels to alluminion or timber construction, from lean-to greenhouse to apex greenhouse.
A lean-to greenhouse
is built leaning against another building, usually your house. Good if you have limited space and the temperature is more stable because the house wall prevents large temperature fluctuations , but it does cut down the light entering the greenhouse, although this is probably negated if the long bit is facing south.
An apex greenhouse
is freestanding and has an apex roof which lets in light from both sides and permits growing on both sides providing more room.
The larger the greenhouse, the less it will cost per square foot of growing space, so ... so it is best to buy the largest greenhouse you can afford and have space for. Once you get hooked and taste the difference, you will have no difficulty in filling it!
Plastic or glass ? Plastic is cheaper, easier to fit, is not brittle and won't break when the kids wack it with a football, But, glass lets more light in than plastic, but it easily broken and if people who are liable to trip or fall are going to be the main user, plastic is the best bet. On the other hand the more light that gets into your greenhouse the better it is. Tough decision !
One more decision which material. Alluminium is light weight, corrosion free, and requires no maintenance. It is also cheaper than wood but does not look as nice, and it also heats up and cools down much faster. Wooden greenhouses need to be treated every few years to protect them from rot.
Pass on your own greenhouse gardening tips
Greenhouse accessories. Guttering to collect rainwater and store in a water butt.. Waist high staging and plenty of shelving with slatted surfaces for planting seed trays and potting up and doing other work in your greenhouse. The slatted surfaces are important as they let spilt soil and water fall through.and allow air to circulate more freely. Finally and very important ventilation a window in the roof of the greenhouse .
How much does a greenhouse cost
What should I pay for a greenhouse ?, well there are a lot of companies selling greenhouses, so drive a hard bargain. If an opening vent isn't included in the price, ask for it to be included, or go somewhere else. As a general rule expect to pay around £400 for a good 6ft x 8ft alluminion greenhouse with a sliding door and vent, £300 for a 6ft x 6ft greenhouse and around £280 for 4ft x 6ft greenhouses.
Because alluminion doesn't deteriorate if you can wait untill one becomes available in your area you could consider buying 2nd hand. Or if you can dismantle, collect and put a greenhouse together, it takes a good long day and you might need another pair of hands and replace some broken glass you might get it free, or even get paid to take it away.
Its a nightmare job especially putting the glass clips in, but you will probably end up with the racking and greenhouse heater as well. A few second hand greenhouses are listed here
Tip If you are siting the greenhouse backing on to a raised area or building, fit the door into the frame first. I forgot and had to dismantle the greenhouse frame..
A 8ft x 6ft timber framed greenhouse will cost about £900 make sure it comes with a minimum 10 Years Anti Rot Guarantee and includes Integral wooden staging.
Fruit and Vegetables to grow or start off in a greenhouse
Early planting in your greenhouse is a good way to make the most of fruit and vegetables you intend to eat. They should be ready just as prices are still high in the shops.
Leeks,Celeriac,celery,French beans, cucumbers and melons and Brussels sprouts can be started off in a greenhouses in before being moved outside after they grow to a decent size.
You may need to cover plants in the glasshouses with fleece if extremely frosty nights are forecasted.
In the south pumpkins, squashes and runner beans should have been sown by now Starting sooner could create a space problem as they outgrow the space available in the greenhouse before its warm enough to transfer to the garden outside.
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How can I sell and make money from the vegetables I grow in my greenhouse.
Realistically none of us make a lot of money from the fruit and vegetables we grow ourselfs, But you will save money and be eating produce you know is organic and fresh from your own greenhouse and garden. There are a few ways to sell your greenhouse produce and make a bit of money.
You can sell your home grown stuff at car boots and make some spare cash from your greenhouse produce. If you get your timing right i/e Winter veg when its in short supply and expensive, Runner bean plants, Cabbage plants, Bedding plants and Hanging baskets in early spring, make sure the frosts are over if you are selling greenhouse plants for outside gardening. You will be able to sell at a reasonable price if you get in early.
If you live in a "honest neighborhood" you could try leaving your produce just outside you garden gate. Make sure you empty the cash tin as often as you can.
Local greengrocers, specialist restaurants, and delis may be interested in your greenhouse home grown Herbs,Fruit and Vedge, providing you can promise a regular supply.
Neighbours are a bit difficult, how could you charge you elderly neighbour the full price, i end up giving the fruit and veg to them free. Instead try swapping for services like babysitting or a bit of help in the garden or around the house maybe find neighbours who keep hens for eggs and swap fresh fruit and vegetables for fresh eggs .
If you have any tips that will help folks sell greenhouse and grow your own garden produce please let us know so we can pass them on, especially in this economic climate.
Greenhouse gardening tips
Green house gardening is much the same as gardening in the open, the same knowledge is learnt and applied just altering it a little to garden under glass. Remember a greenhouse doesn't have to be a "hot house", unless you are growing a tropical jungle .Plants actually do best in temperatures slightly lower and with a much higher humidity than in our houses. You can control the temperature in small greenhouse quite easily.
Some good reasons to have a greenhouse, Vegetables for the winter, Taking cuttings of tender plants for next year and protecting frost vulnerable plants from the Winter frosts, Early start for tender plants started from seed. Getting in early with seedlings you may want to sell at a car boot sale. Experimenting with various plants as a hobby, or even to develop new varieties. But most of all the enjoyment of greenhouse gardening. Remember mistakes don't matter tis a learning curve, Enjoy
Food and water If you have a compost heap a mixture of one part compost, one part good topsoil from your garden, and one part sharp sand, and a little lime is the optimal soil for use in a greenhouse - particularly for growing tomatoes. If you don't have a compost heap bags of potting soil from a local supplier are ok, but if you want to grow organically check the contents label. The only time you need to water is when the soil is dry. Over watering will kill your plants.
Siting your Greenhouse Choose a level bit of garden preferably out of the way of young children Your greenhouse should receive the maximum amount of winter sunlight available. Some things to consider.Try to avoid shadows cast by building or trees , deciduous trees will allow winter sun evergreens will not. Have the long side of your greenhouse facing south to catch the maximum amount of light and sun in the spring, autumn and winter.Plan it in with the rest of your landscape gardening, a greenhouse in the middle of a lawn or kids play area might look odd
Workspace Your greenhouse interior should allow enough room for moving around and potting plants. Have benches to suit your height, To low can cause a bad back to high you will have to stretch.Potting benches can be designed to fold down to make more room when not being used They're usually slotted so dirt and water can fall through.
You've got to get in and out carrying pots and compost, so make sure the door opens onto a solid path.
Greenhouse Temperature tips The more sun your greenhouse gets the more heat the greenhouse will produce. The ideal greenhouse temperature is (depending on what plants you want to grow) about 5 C Place a thermometer in the shade near the middle of your greenhouse and check the temperature at different times during sunny and cloudy weather.
If the temperature is Higher and the plants you are growing need a range of about 5 C you will need to ventilate the greenhouse. The minimum temperature readings you record on a hot sunny day with doors and vents open will determine what plants you can grow.
This is a bit technical but worth a read
Two temperatures are key - the air temperature required in the greenhouse and the minimum outside temperature that your heating equipment must overcome. For most plants, a night temperature of 5 degrees C in the greenhouse is adequate. The general rule, however, is not to have a higher temperature than is necessary. If you grow some plants that require a higher temperature than is provided in the greenhouse, use a propagating case or a warmed bench with thermostatically controlled warming cables to warm the air surrounding the plants. This can be done at a fraction of the cost that would be necessary to heat the whole greenhouse to provide the same temperature.
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Greenhouse growing in autumn and Winter
How to keep greenhouse winter heating costs down, cheapest way to heat a greenhouse in winter, how to insulate a greenhouse in winter. Answers on Winter greenhouse heating tips page.
Vegetables that can be planted and grown in a Greenhouse in Winter, what plants will grow through Winter in a greenhouse. Greenhouse plants in Winter
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