A touch of glass
A greenhouse is a gardener’s best friend – and now is the ideal time to put one up
IGUESS you could describe me as an unusual teenager. While my friends at school bagged electric guitars, portable TVs and video game consoles for their 16th birthdays, I asked my parents for a small aluminium greenhouse to store my ever-expanding collection of cacti and succulents.
When the big day arrived, I was delighted to find a large, giftwrapped box containing the parts for a 6ft x 4ft structure. The following weekend, my dad and I laid foundations, erected the frame and glazed the structure. Over the next few years, I spent many happy hours tinkering about inside.
As far I’m concerned, a greenhouse is an invaluable bit of gardening kit. They are perfect places for taking cuttings, sowing seeds and nurturing young plants, and provide a sheltered environment for overwintering tender patio plants, growing exotics and raising edibles that are tricky outdoors.
My first greenhouse, along with subsequent ones, also doubled up as a workshop, potting shed and storage unit for compost, pots, tools and other stuff. Install a light and indoor gardening can continue after dark, while a heater makes it a comfortable retreat when the weather is cold.
Early spring is a good time to erect a greenhouse. As our gardens are still largely dormant, there’s a window of opportunity to take on a meaty project before the inevitable rise in activity that requires all our attention. Once in place, the greenhouse will earn its keep during the months ahead.
Greenhouses come in many different shapes, sizes and styles, ranging in price from a few hundred to many thousands of pounds. Bog standard models are cheap but utilitarian. If looks are important, then fancier ones are available at the other end of the price scale, from contemporary structures to ornate Victorian types.
Aluminium is the most commonly found material. It’s lightweight, strong and requires virtually no upkeep – those with coloured frames blend into gardens perfectly. Wooden structures are attractive but the material is expensive, needs regular maintenance and the bulkier frames cast more shade inside.
Most manufacturers offer a range of standard sizes, usually from 4ft x 4ft up to 12ft x 20ft. As a rule, the taller the greenhouse is at the eaves, the lighter it will be inside, allowing a greater range of plants to be grown. Ideally, choose one with at least 6ft-high sides, with a 2ft clearance to the ridge.
Greenhouses are best on flat, even ground. Avoid placing in full shade, frost pockets or under tall trees to prevent damage from falling debris. Ideally, the ridge should run east to west to boost light levels in winter. Ensure there’s enough room around the outside for cleaning and maintenance.
It’s crucial that the base of the greenhouse is anchored firmly to the ground. Smaller ones are fine on a stand of paving slabs or bolted to a 4in-thick bed of concrete. Larger, heavier models might need something more substantial – always check the manufacturer’s recommendation.
In my experience, a simple greenhouse can be erected by two people over the course of a weekend. As an alternative, there are several companies around Britain that offer a greenhouse-installation service, while top-end manufacturers will sometimes include construction within the buying price.
Once the greenhouse has been fitted out with waist-high staging and higher-level shelves, it’s ready for action. This spring, use it for growing tender vegetables in pots, such as aubergines, peppers and courgettes, along with cucumbers and tomatoes that can be planted in growing bags and trained up supports to the roof.
I was overjoyed to get one – as a 16th birthday present