Siteing a greenhouse

I might be getting a smallish greenhouse, maybe 6x6 or 6x8. Do i have to have it on slabs or can i fix it straight onto the soil? I think it has a base to it but im not too sure.

 

You need a base of some sort, and it needs to be well anchored so it doesn't turn into a Sail-Plane in strong winds!

Up to you whether you use slabs inside, or not. Bare earth is useful for growing crops - but you will have to change it each year to prevent diseases carrying to the next crop (although for 6x6 or 6x8 that's not a big job). Or you could have a solid floor and use Pots or Growbags for crops. If you just want staging (benches) - e.g. growing Orchids is your big thing, rather than Tomatoes, then I would recommend a solid floor.

Also consider that a base can raise the height of the greenhouse a bit (or even a lot!). That can make the height to the eaves / ridge more generous - depends a bit what you want to grow in it. No need for pot plants, but for Tomatoes and Cucumbers, say, some extra height can get another truss in. Any base will make it harder to get a wheel barrow in and out, so perhaps add a ramp whilst you are at it?

OK, that's the easy bit, next not so easy:

I think 6x6 or 6x8 is way too small. I do realise it depends on space available, and budget, but I think greenhouses that small are very difficult to control the temperature - you just have to throw everything open, and then you are cooling by draughts, rather than convection, and that causes the transpiration from the plants to increase, and they basically have to work harder - and need watering more often.

I like a louvre vent low down (e.g. the back side) and then vents in the roof - so that convection can draw air in at the bottom, and it rises and exits through the vents. Opening the door is an alternative, but that obviously lets air in at all heights.

So I would urge you to consider a larger greenhouse.

I've had a couple of bargains off eBay. It can takes ages, of course, for a suitable one to come up at a price you want to pay! within easy collecting distance. (You can put a search on eBay, whittle it down to very specific criteria that suit you, and then you can "Save" the search and eBay will email you with any matches in the future. That's how I found mine.

Details of my the construction of my two greenhouse (which took over two years because of other things I was busy with!) in My Blog

 

I think im going to stick with some slabs for the base. It did come with a base that it secures to, no broken panes, a fully sliding door, a roof vent, only a couple of seized bolts, moved from next door but ones garden and all for the price of a crate of John Smiths!! It is a 6x6 but ive also got my plastic 6x4 next to it. Its mainly for toms and cucumbers.

 

I leveled off a larger area for it today, ive moved my plastic one to the side and just dug a bit wider. Im getting some slabs to hold it down, looks like i need four and a half slabs each way at 400mm each.Ive sprayed up where there was red paint on it with some silver and it looks a lot better. Im getting a load of new clips for the glass tomorrow so i can then fit the glass this weekend after laying the slabs.Ill post a few pics up of it when its finished, a bit of a timeline from basic frame all the way to fully errected. Cant wait to get it sorted now.

 

Got the slabs down tonight and the rear of the frame is now glazed. Took a couple of hours and was to dark to get anymore pics but here are a few from the other day. Some are of my little veg patch.

 

Very good - esp getting it for only the cost of some beer !

 

Must remember to drop that off soon, been too busy setting up the green house.

 

ahhh good job i reminded you then :wink:

 

Finally got it all together the other night and dug over and sieved the veg patch to get rid of the clay and big lumps. Took a few hours to dig it all out, was about 18 inches deep i dug to. I'd already dug some compost into it but now its all really fine soil and nicely mixed. Only had enough left to fill two of the three beds. Got some more top soil coming in tomorrow to fill the last bed up. Will sieve that in to make it all the same, makes it loads easier to lay seeds. Put my extra spuds in, carrots, onions, red spring onions and raddish's in the ready done beds.
In the green house i layed the slabs in the center right onto the frame to hold it down and filled the edges with rolled coloured glass for drainage. Hopefully it will keep the slugs out.The greenhouse isnt exactly square because when i put the roof glass in it started to go in at a slight angle. A bit of a shove got it more or less in, no leaks anyway. Tried to clean the glass but its beyond help, its not too bad. Got a few more pics for you.

 

Looks good! Well done! I like the look of the green glass. I'm curious why one of your raised beds is double-height?

 

Its ready for when i need to earth up the spuds, got a few more to top up the others if needed.Filled in the last hole too today.

 

Got it! Thanks!