Thoughts Please...

Currently I only have one of those small cheap "blow away" plastic greenhouses in the garden which I have had to stake to the ground for obvious reasons. This year it hasn't been big enough for my demands of prolific seed sowing lol and the kitchen and bedroom windows have been used, much to the annoyance of my good lady wife lol, so I'm looking at something bigger for the garden.

I would love a 'proper' greenhouse, but funds won't stretch that far unless we get lucky on Freecycle (anyone heard of this, it's brilliant). Now I have just seen a luxury version of the "blow away" type in B & M bargains for £50 instead £100+, it's about 7ft tall, 8ft wide, walk in design, hexagonal shape, has shelving and a more heavy duty plastic cover. Would it be worth while getting this and set about strengthing it and anchoring it to the ground properly? or should I just save up to hopefully one day be able to buy something more substantial. The hexagonal thing looks the part but I'm not daft and am worried it will take flight in the next strong wind.

Thoughts?

 

I've seen those mini polytunnels in Wyevales - is that what you mean? They look awfully tempting, although you'd probably have to make sure they were firmly anchored, as you say. Considering the half-price offer, I'd say go for it!

 

Sorry Bilbo, but you don't give enogh information for other members to point you in the right direction.

You could spend as much on bying materials to anchor down the hexagonal set up as you would in buying a more expensive tunnel.

Believe me I do understand the desire to get a big or bigger tunnel, but you do need to step back and look at the whole picture, rather than just the desire to get a big tunnel or greenhouse. Great to see such enthusiasm and please don't think I am trying to rain on your parade.

A haxagonal structure is going to waste a lot of space and also be awkward to fit shelves or staging. It was also be tricky trying to replace the cover, unless you buy a ready made one direct from the people you bought the original one from. How much internal space are you goingto lose by the angle of the sides?

Have a think about what budget you have to work to. Then consider space available and where you are going to put the bigger tunnel. Havea good look at the site and make sure it is in the best possible position for the benefit of whatever you plan to grow. What part of your garden is the most protected but still gives the tunnel maximum sunlight.

The cheapest to buy may very well not be the best option for you when you consider the above points.

Have a look at the thread that JWK posted a link for. SteveR took a basic cheap tunnel and made something much more substantial out of it, by hard work and ingenuity, thinking outside the box. An excellent job that is functional. It will probably last a few years because of what he has done.

I suggest you also consider how long the tunnel you buy is going to last. If it falls apart after one season, it may not be such a good idea. Meanwhile I suggest you make best use of existing set up, by careful planning of your sowing. Lots of members here have said quite recently that they would love a big tunnel or greenhouse, but for various reasons cannot build one. Such as budget, space, time.

So please have a think and let us know the answer to the questions I posted above. Other members may then be in a much better position to offer help and advice.

Hope you can get what you are after, good luck with it.

Chopper.

 

Not sure how much you can afford but these aren't TOO expensive........Aluminium Greenhouses for Sale

 

Thanks for the replies guys; regards to my location I have what I would consider a reasonably sized back garden and it is quite well sheltered from most wind directions; most areas of the back also receive sun from morning to early afternoon and then again from tea time to dusk (at this time of the year).

80% of the seed I grow each year is to provide veg as we have quite a large veg patch and we also sell some at car boot sales and the like to raise funds for the garden (a nice cycle). The rest of the seed I grow is ornamental, whether it be unusual tree seed, perennials or tropical annuals. I just found this year that I run out of space, not by a lot, but I could have dome with more space.

I don't intend to grow anything under glass/plastic through the summer at this point but would value the protection of something bigger to keep some stuff frost free in the winter.

Chopper; thanks for your reply, it makes a lot of sense, I'm never one to rush in to things though no matter how tempting they may look and I think things over for a while; however your point about the shape of the one I mention is a valid one and kind of puts me off the idea of that one now. Perhaps given my budget for the near future I should just buy one or two more of the small ones like I have and get a new cover for the one I have; that would only knock me back about £30 and I would triple my space.

I have been gardening since I was 7, so that's 30 years this year and I have always wanted to own a proper greenhouse, that will always be an ambition and one day I hope to achieve it.

Thanks again..

 

Hello,

I had a very limited budget. I have bought one of those £49.50 ' walk in ' plastic Greenhouses. They have holes all around the bottom that you actually put the pegs in ( pegs supplied with greenhouse) you also get ' Guide ropes' to help anchor it down further. I live at the bottom on a Hop fields and the wind can really be strong at times. It has been brilliant. You get shelving too . It is only a wee bit smaller that a normal Greenhouse . Hope this helps a little bit