Greenhouse advice please?

[iknowimcoming]

Never had a greenhouse before! We are looking at getting a 'naice' wooden one as it will be seen clearly from the house, but I have questions re the base. Been looking online and most specify they need a concrete base but dh says he wants it to only have a surround to stand it on so you can plant stuff in the ground inside the greenhouse iyswim. Can anyone advise on this and any other aspects we should consider with getting a greenhouse please? Tia!

We have a metal one, and just concreted the four corners in, think there were spikes (?) that needed to be sunk. Also in ours we have paving slabs through the middle, still leaving each side for planting.
One of my best ever investments a greenhouse !

Yes - mine has a brick surround that it sits on. I do have a paved path up the centre.
I like the roots of my tomatoes to spread through the base of the pots into the soil.
I use a membrane to reduce weeds.
It works well and looks good.
Only potential downside is that you will need to measure the bricks really accurately.

We have an Alton cedar greenhouse. It sits on paving slabs as a base, which could be laid only as an edging.
We got the one with double sliding doors, which allows us to take the wheelbarrow in.

My metal greenhouse stands on a concrete edged base I had installed. I gave the greenhouse measurements to the builders and requested a certain width for the inside.

The greenhouse is bolted into the concrete. Apart from a path it's all earth inside.

I do recommend automatic vents though.

I'd suggest going upmarket on the metal ones - wood will need maintenance.

Main thing to be aware of is that it will be too small. Mine is 14ft x 10 ft and is definitely too small.

Make sure there's a nearby water supply - a water collecting water from the greenhouse roof will do you for most of the year but won't be enough in high summer. Automatic vents, and some vent you can open yourself. Think about where you want your potting area, and where to keep spare pots, fertiliser etc. And a comfy chair. It is immensely relaxing sitting comfortably minutely inspecting plants for pests, especially when it's a little too chilly to sit outside.

The base of the greenhouse should be on concrete or slabs, but not the actual inside or you will lose the benefit of the soil which obtains water from the ground and increases the need for watering and feeding.

I also agree about metal rather than wood; mine is 11 years old, and we had it moved from the house to the allotment 18 month ago and even though he put wood all around the base, I still need to do some maintenance on the base this winter and strengthen it as the door post is now rotting.

I do agree about choosing aluminium over wood. Wood (cedar) requires regular maintenance to keep it in good condition, and they can sag after a number of years. There are some very nice aluminium models that are powder coated in green, and do look very nice, much easier to maintain.

Thanks so much everyone - we're converted to metal rather than wood (particularly with them being half the price!)

I don’t plant into the earth because you have the hassle of fertilising it, then digging it out and replacing it regularly to prevent parasites and disease. I plant in big pots and the greenhouse is covered in gravel to aid drainage.