Waterlogged greenhouse!

I've recently moved into a new house which has a greenhouse at the bottom of the garden constructed of glass and wood. I'm a complete newbie to gardening in general let alone greenhouses so need some help!

Inside the greenhouse the ground seems very waterlogged if not boggy! There's a layer of wet mud around a foot or so deep then a plastic sheet then more very wet soil/mud. There is a large crack to a ceiling pane which I'll be fixing this week, which seems to be the source, though soil surrounding the greenhouse is quite damp anyway (clay I think). There's a few dead plants and I think weeds in the mud.

Please could you advise me on how I should get the greenhouse up and running again as I'm keen to get using it as soon as I can! Please bear in mind I'm a complete beginner!!

Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum, Bravas.

I find it quite surprising that the soils is waterlogged for such a depht, even if it rains for days...Mud as you describe it I have only seen it near thermal waters, or ponds.

Is the soil around the greenhouse the same?

 

Hi Bravas and welcome ..
It's unlikely that one cracked pane has caused a waterlogged greenhouse .As already said how is the surrounding soil in comparison? Maybe the polyothene has caused the ground to hold the moisture...can I ask where in the country you are ...

Dave

 

The previous owners may have put the polythene in to create a humid environment for cucumbers, I would remove it if you do not want to do the same, and replace the soil as it may be harbouring all sorts of nasties.

 

Thanks for the replies! I'm in northallterton, north Yorkshire. The ground around the greenhouse is fairly wet also, especially between the back of the greenhouse and next door's fence. I ideally want to fix that ground and use it for a raised bed come spring.

So should I remove the sheet and dig out the ground replacing with compost and fertiliser? Stupid question probably but what do I do with the old soil/mud?!

Many thanks for your help and I appreciate the patience!

 

Have you checked to see if you have a leaky water supply to the greenhouse, or even your neighbour my be causing the problem.

 

There's no water supply to the greenhouse. My neighbor has a large brick structure directly behind the fence, a garage I think.

I dug a hole around 3-4 feet deep directly beside the greenhouse tonight and the ground is the same all the way down, it doesn't get any wetter. When I roll a handful of soil it makes a sausage, it will form a ring with great care but usually crumbles and breaks before that.

Inside the greenhouse the soil is covered in patches of moss, a few weeds (I think) and some dead looking plants. It looks like it hasn't been touched in years. The plastic sheet almost crumbles to the touch. Beneath it the ground is very very compacted and looks like wet play dough!

Thanks for the replies! If I remove the sheet and a foot or so of the soil do I replace it with compost and horticultural grit or something like that? I'm looking to use the greenhouse at the moment for veg etc. and possibly start off some plants for next year.

 

There may be a problem with a clay layer below surface level.
I had something similar - each time it rained I had standing water in the back garden.
I dug a sump hole through the clay - about 5 - and filled the hole with rubble/stones'. In 25 years I have not had a repeat.
My son had a similar problem in his new house. We repeated the exercise and solved his problem also.
Good luck with it.