Greenhouse shelves - how useful would a gravel area be?

clairebarrattg

Have just got some 6in and 10in deep shelves for the greenhouse. Aluminium, I can have them shelf side or tray side up. For the waifs and strays would collecting them on gravel help? Or some kind of matting? 
There's a hideous collection of cacti that need to be lovingly presented or binned. Could they live up high all year round in a sand mix? 

Fairygirl

Hi @clairebarrattg - by 'waifs and strays', did you mean small pots of seeds/cuttings etc? If so, gravel is certainly helpful for collecting excess water that runs through, although you would still have to be careful  about the amount of water used etc. The matting is also widely used for new plants and seeds as it makes watering easier, by doing it from below. 
I'd think the cacti would also be fine - it's something many people do with them. I know what you mean about them though- they can be fascinating, but also very ugly!
Alpines are another group of plants that can often work well in a gravel tray in greenhouses. Most are very, very hardy, but there are some which need overwintering under cover, so you'd need to do some research. Succulents are another. 

Pete.8

Just a thought - do bear in mind that gravel is heavy, so ensure you have enough support to take the weight.