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Greenhouse Tips

HayleyG123HayleyG123 Posts: 14
in The potting shed
So, after much deliberation I have ordered a greenhouse, a Rhino 8x10. Now wondering what useful things I will need? It has integral shelves and I have ordered seed racks too as they look useful.
So wondering what other useful things I may need to order or put aside from indoors, eg toilet rolls for sowing sweet peas etc.
What have you found useful? - hoping to avoid expensive pitfalls.
Greenhouse will be on slabs if that affects anything.

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 9,881
    Don't forget to put a chair in there so you can sit down and have a cup of tea (or whatever else tickles your fancy) when putting in some of that vital contemplation. :D
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • andybfc5andybfc5 Posts: 6
    That's great advice Bob. For some of us that would lead to divorce though  :D. I'm in there too much as it is. 
  • PosyPosy Isle of Wight.Posts: 2,203
    You need power, electricity, for light and heating, and ready access to water. My greenhouse has a gutter feeding a waterbutt which I find invaluable.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 3,166
    Small plastic trays from the SM to stand your toilet roll tubes in. Mushroom ones are good, (deep & no holes), while ones with holes make mini seed trays.
    Yogurt/dessert pots make free pots for potting on (make holes first), clear ones make tiny cloches and you can even get square ones for square pots!
    A couple of plastic milk bottles are useful for controlled watering of small pots and if you are really desperate you can cut them up to make plant labels - good for big ones for the veg plot.
    You will need some kind of shading, either Coolglass or netting and clips to secure it.
    A spray bottle for misting or keeping seedlings moist !(and applying Coolglass!). I have found re-using kitchen cleaner spray bottles gives a much better and easier spray than small sprayers supposedly made for the purpose! Wash well first though.

  • UpNorthUpNorth South Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 374
    Water butts.  

    Potting shed nearby

    As much shelving as possible.  No room for a chair whatever the size!  

    Shade provision.  I use a netting hung down off shelves, providing shade for pots on floor behind it.

    Thermometer showing highs and lows.

    Time.    You will be watering every day.

    Enjoy!

  • HayleyG123HayleyG123 Posts: 14
    Thanks All! Great advice. Shading is going to be the biggest challenge. I can order the blinds that fit the greenhouse but they are £350 just for the roof or £600+ for the roof and sides - just one side!!
    So, am thinking, either netting, attached with clips to the top that I can roll down, though I would be nervous of birds getting caught in it, and it may be a challenge to reach them to put up and down.
    Also wondering about putting up a sail or large umbrella....but obviously it would need to be LARGE, or be moved about with the sun.
    One side of the greenhouse will face West and although there is a large tree there the garden does get very very hot!

  • purplerallimpurplerallim LincolnshirePosts: 3,296
    If you are planning to grow cucumbers clematis netting is a good idea hung from side to side across the greenhouse about 6" away from the glass it can take the weight of lots of cues.
    A box to hold string, cutters, clips, pens, dibbers etc. 
    Most importantly water system built into it as it goes up, retrofitting is a pain, if you have the water near enough.🙂

  • HayleyG123HayleyG123 Posts: 14
    purplerallim said:
    If you are planning to grow cucumbers clematis netting is a good idea hung from side to side across the greenhouse about 6" away from the glass it can take the weight of lots of cues.
    A box to hold string, cutters, clips, pens, dibbers etc. 
    Most importantly water system built into it as it goes up, retrofitting is a pain, if you have the water near enough.🙂

    Thank you. More good ideas!
    It will have a gutter and drainpipe, I just need to work out what size water butt will fit it.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim LincolnshirePosts: 3,296
    Water butt is great, but not if you plan to go away anytime between May to September . Then a timer with trickle feed watering is a must, a water butt of a regular size with a timer won't last a week.
  • PosyPosy Isle of Wight.Posts: 2,203
    I can't afford posh blinds, either, so I use some stuff called Nixol. It's  like whitewash but it goes clear when wet. You paint the outside of the glass in Spring and wash it off with water and a drop of Fairy liquid in Autumn. It isn't  very attractive  but it does the job perfectly and costs next to nothing.

    I used to use netting but found I was forever putting it up and taking it down. If I went out for the day I'd be worrying my plants were being cooked or hadn't enough light. I met a chap with computer controlled blinds in his enormous glasshouse. That's what I shall have when I win the lottery.
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