Growing under cover
You don’t have to be a gardener for long before you yearn for a greenhouse. It’s the one thing that will allow you to enjoy your pursuit when the weather outdoors is inclement. Plus, it opens up opportunities, such as sowing the seeds of tender flowers and crops that would otherwise have to be bought as plants later in the season, and offers a protected environment that allows you to grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons regardless of capricious weather. The initial outlay will be mitigated by your ability to save money – plants raised from seeds and cuttings are cheaper than nurserygrown ones, and you’ll be able to grow a wider range than usual. Decorative pot plants can turn your little palace of glass into a conservatory. Even if all you have is a glazed porch or lean-to, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
Glass-to-ground models are best if you want to grow cucumbers, tomatoes and the like in soil borders within them, but those with solid sides of brick or wood can also allow you to raise these crops on ‘staging’ – slatted or gravel-covered benches – which makes the displaying of pot plants much more effective.
KEY POINTS Get as large a greenhouse as you can afford Check second-hand greenhouses in person
Essentials
All greenhouses need solid foundations of brick or flagstones – manufacturers will advise on the nature of the base. Don’t stint on it – a wonky foundation will give you years of heartache. Built well at the outset, a solid base will ensure your structure is well supported and durable.
Greenhouses should always be sited in full light, not under trees. Lean-tos are best on a south- or west-facing wall. North- and east-facing walls will produce tall, lanky plants that are searching for the light. Ventilation is vital – both in the roof and the sides.
Free-standing greenhouses are best orientated so that their length runs east to west, to maximise the light available, but it is not the end of the world if they run north to south.
Install guttering connected to downpipes and water butts to save rainwater, and automatic ventilating arms will prevent temperatures soaring while you are out at work. External or internal blinds may seem like an extravagance but they will prevent your plants from scorching in summer.
Thermostatically controlled electric heaters will extend your growing season, as long as you can countenance the increase in your bill, and if you can lay on a water supply inside the greenhouse you will be glad of the convenience.
KEY POINTS Make sure your greenhouse has a solid foundation Site your greenhouse in full light, away from trees Install guttering, downpipes and water butts to save water Invest in ventilation, blinds heaters and electric propagators, if funds allow Don’t forget powerpoints