So Excited.... First Ever Greenhouse!

Thanks everyone! Tons of great advice coming my way, all of it new to me, so thank you !
I am waiting to hear back from someone on Gumtree who is selling an 8x6 Palram Harmony green polycarbonate greenhouse brand new in boxes for £250.

I would have loved a lean to, but have no suitable wall. I hadn't realised about leaving the inside as soil and planting directly, so that is a great idea. It will have to go beside a 5 foot privet hedge halfway down the back garden as that is the sunniest spot. It is east facing.

Ricky101 - thanks for the great advice and link. I had a look, but I would prefer crystal clear polycarbonate. Awesome price for that size though! Great list of items to grow... everything except aubergines sound fun.

JWK - hope you are getting a lot of pleasure from your new greenhouse. Good advice about a fly screen.

Canadian Lori - thank you for the link, and advice. I have been checking out the specs on the Palram website this evening.

Whee!

 

Spacemunkey - love your greenhouse, it's the perfect size. Can I have it?!

 

It took me about a day to put mine together. The instructions are excellent and the best way to start is to lay out all of the larger parts in numerical order. I also kept a magnetic bowl at my side to hold the nuts and bolts. I grow super hot peppers in there.
I put mine on 2x4 treated wood and left a few gaps for feeding electrical and water lines and surround them with mesh to discourage any little creatures. In the winter, I simply fill in the spaces with a sponge. This on is the Harmoney 6x8. And as you can see, it can stand a lot of weight. The first pic shows a very wet snow as deep as 8 inches in spots.

 

That's exactly the greenhouse I am hoping to hear about today. Thanks for all the great tips about building it. It's great to see your photos, as it looks exactly the right size for me, and is easier to visualise than just marking out on the ground. I'm surprised by how much weight of snow it is holding.

Thanks for going to the trouble. I hope the inside of my greenhouse will look as good as yours does, with your growing plants!

 

Keep us posted/pics on how you go on.

You have various option for a base, as already mentioned, brick built, wooden or as many use the makers usually offer a bolt on metal base which is much simpler to use.
All three add the height of the greenhouse, useful if you are tall.

If you are siting it (length ways ?) close to a large hedge then any soil within a few feet of the hedge will be very dry and starved, so not ideal for your greenhouse boarder soil, unless you dig down 2ft and put a strong layer of polythene down to contain the roots before erecting the greenhouse.
You would have to do that carefully to avoid damaging the hedge, though generally they are tough as old boots.

 

Well, I got my greenhouse! £250 for a Palram Harmony 6x8 brand new in boxes with manufacturer's seal still intact. Well worth the 80 mile round trip to collect it!

I'm not allowed to open it until my birthday at the end of next month, so I think it will be into August before it is built. I think it might go at right angles to the hedge, so it gets the sun on both 8' sides. The plan at present is to put down slabs, but place it so that one side is just soil. Ricky, I would like to have it raised, but I think it will have to be flush with the slabs. I am reaching the end of my finances! I think I will use birthday money from family to buy the metal base, and hopefully an automatic opening arm.

Better tear myself away from here and start packing for the holiday tomorrow....! Thanks for all the fantastic advice so far.... soon be sick of my questions!

 

I am sooo excited for you. These guys are rugged. And you can buy accessories as you go along. I wish I could fly over and help. It is too much fun.

And you can buy replacement additional stuff from them directly.

BIG caution. The tool. I believe it is part #001, always keep it in your pocket. It will try to hide, just like your favourite pliers. It is your BFF. If you ever need to tighten or add anything, you will be so glad to have it handy. I lost one and ordered 3 more so I have them at hand.

Oh, and the door can take a little time but it's a good one. None of this sliding style, it opens like a regular door.

Oh, I'm too excited!!!!!

 

Forgot to mention. It's light. You can reposition it. I moved two of my smaller ones at least 3 times before I settled on the perfect spot.

And get that magnetic parts bowl. Those nuts and bolts seem to learn to fly

 

Lori, thank you so much! Your advice is great, and I love that we have the same greenhouse! I'm really pleased to hear about the repositioning, as I would like to see how much of the garden is eaten up by the greenhouse in various configurations. It's been hard to pack this evening as my head is full of plans! Now off to have a look at some of those accessories you've mentioned.... Christmas is coming

 

Yes of course just send a stamped addressed envelope and I'll send it straight away lol
:rasp:

 

Take the assembly instructions with you. You will like reading that more than any other material.

When I first had mine, it was directly on my deck and then I realized I had no access points for wires or hoses so decided to put it on the 2x4's. My grandson and I picked it up and put it on the wood. Then I shifted the wood and it back over to it's old spot. The little ones were put on wood immediately having learned my lesson from the Harmony and I bought one, had it centered on the side deck, then when I got the second little one, simply pushed them both around until I found the correct spacing. I thought, then I needed to shift them about 12 inches to their current location.

You do need to shoulder/tighten them back into square after doing this but it only takes minutes.

I keep all of the manuals, sales receipts and literature that relates to my greenhouses and accessories in a 3 ring binder for easy access. (actually I have a binder for every area - kitchen lg appliance, kitchen sm appliance, garage, greenhouse, toys, tv's etc - really helps keep things handy)

I couldn't afford the automatic opener right away but at this time of year, you're pretty well going to have it open all the time anyway.

I'll be thinking about you @Irmemac , you have the opportunity to study your manual and get a super visual before jumping in and we're all going to be looking forward to pictures !

 

Thank you, that is very kind. I only have a second class stamp - hope that's OK

Lori - wish i had thought to bring rhe manual! Currently heading down the A1 and didn't think of that. Will have to content myself with doodling floor plans instead! Great point about cables, hoses etc. I hadn't even considered things like that!

Not sure if i will get onto the forum much over the next 8 days, so if I disappear I am not ignoring anyone!

 

You can download a pdf from their site I use grid paper to make scale drawings and lay out my plans/plant locations. And I'm always moving pots of plants about, or deciding to change where plants will be "next time round". It's all too much fun.

Have a super vacation. Doodle safely

 

Thank you! Brilliant idea

 

Well? We're excited too.... show and tell time