Need a greenhouse? Plastic can be fantastic

IN a steeply sloping garden it can be tricky finding a flat spot for a greenhouse.

I was determined not to miss the approaching growing season without somewhere to grow seedlings, salads and bring on cuttings, so I’ve gone down the temporary route and installed a plastic greenhouse on the patio.

I’ve used these before and had great results although this time it took me several attempts, a lot of squinting at the instructions in the pouring rain and a bit of help before this one went up.

For anyone keen to dip their toe into greenhouse growing, plastic greenhouses are an excellent introduction. They are relatively cheap and will sit on grass or slabs.

Throughout spring they provide a protected environment for seedlings and in summer they heat up nicely, making them perfect for tomatoes.

They also come in a range of sizes so no matter how tiny your plot there’s one that will fit the space, even if that means opting for a grow house that covers just the plants.

If you want to use a plastic greenhouse, remember, they are quite flimsy, so find a sheltered spot and anchor your greenhouse securely.

Secondly, they don’t have vents so you will need to monitor temperature and humidity very carefully.

Opening the door every day is the best way to prevent overheating on hot days and fungal infections during wet spells.

The third point to remember is plastic is easy to pierce and a misplaced tomato cane could easily tear a hole.

And don’t even think of using any form of heating. At best you’ll melt the thing, at worst you’ll cause a mighty blaze.

Otherwise, your plastic greenhouse will perform pretty well and make your garden much more productive.

You’ll be able to bring on early strawberries, raise perennials, produce an endless succession of salad leaves and nurture cuttings of your favourite shrubs.

Annuals grown in modules under cover will flower much earlier than those sown directly into the soil and you’ll have somewhere to potter on cold, wet days when it is too miserable to go outdoors.

There are of course times when you’ve just got to push ahead, whatever the weather, which is why, a few days ago, I found myself digging up day lilies in a blizzard.

I want to get these, and the large clump of crocosmia that grows alongside them, out of the front border before they put on any growth.

And there’s a large Sarcococca and some gorgeous purple hellebores waiting to go into their spot.

The day lilies came out quite easily, but the crocosmias proved tougher to shift and after just narrowly avoiding taking a tumble down the hillside, like an Olympic freestyle skier, I’ve put the job on hold until we have a day without snow.