First greenhouse

I think air flow is a must....got a Automatic Vent on mine, opens at about 20.c and is fully open
when the temperature reaches about 28.c

Mine got to 42.c inside (about 24.c outside) my main problem is that we have two cats
and I can only leave the door open a very tiny amount as one of them sits on the seed
trays and squashes the seedlings :(

 

I know this is running back a good few posts but you can get hydraulic struts that automatically open the windows. Not sure how much they are but (i'm 99% sure) they can be fitted to any greenhouse. I changed them in my grans greenhouse last year which is wooden and at least 30 years old, so will ask her where she got them from/price.

Check out episode 1 of Beechgrove garden on iplayer. There's a scottish bloke who gets rather enthusiastic about his new green greenhouse, and gives plenty of helpful tips about how to keep plants there at different times of the year.
One tip I've heard is to keep a waterbutt in there as it serves as a heat-sink, keeping the housing a lot cooler in the day, and warmer in the night. Especially useful in the winter months.

 

This my first year with a greenhouse...

I have an automatic top vent, but my vents at the back are manual...

I've been hoping the door up some mornings at 6.30 when I leave for work, then shutting them up when I finally get home at 8.30pm.... Everything seems ok so far, the temps are regularly 10 degree's over night and 22 degrees during the day..

My green house does sit at the top of the garden, with shed to one side, 6ft fencing to the back and other side. So is partially in the shadow during the day... Even though I have a south facing garden.

So far the plug plants, and seedlings that I've transferred into the greenhouse have all done well, I've only got one disappointment and that's with my sweet pea's, out of the 62 seeds I started, only 6 have come up so far, I sowed them several weeks ago... So not sure whether to give up on them and dump them!

Oh, I put several of my containers in there, not really expecting anything to survive through the winter with the exception of my Palm and two cordylines but so been very surprised that a lot have survived and starting to regrow and some coming back into flower... Well chuffed with that.

 

I've always recommended Bayliss Autovents http://www.baylissautovents.co.uk/?...W0etfEIH4XKUMtmr0QRB1m19-aOFDu3J6nxoCoKzw_wcB who're one of those UK companies I wish to see go on forever, make and sell their own products, still family owned/run, excellent advice on phone, sell spare parts, and what they produce are well made and reliable. (had almost 50 years experience of their products as my Father bought one of their first openers brought out in the 60's)

I put mine in heated propagators (which are placed in the most useless, shady, locations I have, then whip them out and move to somewhere cooler and more sunny, same as with most stuff that's going in the 4 of them (bought a 5th off ebay a couple of minues ago!) at the moment, each 50W thermostatically controlled propagator takes 60 cells from 24x cell tray inserts and most stuff germinates in a few days and gets moved on. It's now their busiest time of year.

 

I've got room in my propagator, so I move some over to night, see how they go thanks for that...

 

Even with my Auto Vents the Slugs love the greenhouse just been in mine
at 10.45pm and found 2 baby slugs eating the Dahlia plants, even with
the Blue Stuff scattered around

 

Congratulations on your new greenhouse. Mine is just two years old and I love it. Enjoy growing.

 

Hi AmyMac, just a post to say that you're not alone in learning about your new Greenhouse, I've got some similar issues in my own first Greenhouse season. Good luck with them! I've posted some pics relating to my difficulties

 

Good luck on your first greenhouse!