🪴The Greenhouse Corner 🪴

[TheRealHousewife]

Hello Fellow Gardeners

Im in the process of getting a much longed for greenhouse to grow home produce and flowers. As a complete novice (apart from some veg crops grown in the garden) I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread to share knowledge, ideas & successes with like minded gardeners.

I've started seedlings off for cauliflower, cucumber, red peppers, chilli, zinnia,
cosmos, delphinium, lupin, dahlia, tomato, lettuce, carrots & brussel sprouts.
I get ridiculously excited when they start to sprout and I'll admit I treat them
like my babies. Currently they are lounging on various windowsills around my
home. I’ve already had a mishap when I dropped a seedling tray that had 4 (yet to sprout) seed varieties in. I scooped it all up and put it back in the tray, fingers crossed they take 😬

Im also going to plant spuds and I’m going to try my hand at courgettes but
waiting on seeds.

Anyone want to join me? What are you growing? Any advice for a total novice?

First year with a greenhouse so gone a bit mad 😂 dahlias, courgettes, tomatoes, chillis, green zinnias, lavender, salvia x 3 types, atriplex, dianthus, aster chinensis, brachyscome, tithonia, erigeron, calendula, stocks, 2 colours of cosmos, blue penstemon, cleome, astrantia, echinops, verbena (tall and short), heliotrope, trailing nasturtium, orange rudbeckia, sweet peas (3 colours), helenium, and some perovskia.

Only advice (clearly not an expert one year in) is to get more pots and compost than you think you might need 😂 also how ridiculously hot it gets in there when it’s barely 20 degrees outside so I’ve bought green netting for shade. And I suppose I found the quickest way to water (for me) is just to invert the rose on a standard gallon watering can, makes it easy to get into corners and all the shelf levels. Oh and be prepared for frequent nosy company if you have robins nesting nearby 😂

Hi @SockFluffInTheBath thank you for replying 😊. You’ve got a marvellous selection of plants going, it’s going to get right exciting once they start to develop and bloom. Have you done your lavender from seed or cuttings? I’m wanting to cultivate more lavender as the ones I have are getting a bit too woody. I’m wanting to get nasturtium going too as I heard they help keeps pests at bay. Sorry for being thick 😬… how do you invert the rose on the watering can? I sometimes take mine off so I have a full flow itswim.

Ive been reading around running a greenhouse and I had read about how hot it gets so in a panic I got in touch with the manufacturer and asked if they could put automatic vents in… they come as standard, phew. OH has also bought a sprinkling kit and timer for when we are not around. I need to think of some kind of window shade covering too. Is your green netting just as it sounds, green netting. Are the holes small?

Id love a visiting Robin 😍. We do have lots of birds around but as I have a dog I don’t think they will venture too close. Talking of visitors do you have any pests get in such as ants/slugs etc. I’m considering sealing around the floor to reduce the risk.

Most of my seeds are doing great so far apart from tomato & chilli so might do some more. I agree about needing more pots/compost than you think. Do you have a favourite store/website to buy yours or just pick up when out and about. I repurpose food tubs too. Tonight I’ve got two clear yoghurt pots that’ll be handy. I hate waste and try to be environmentally aware.

Honestly we are so excited about the greenhouse and can hardly wait until the month end when it’s being delivered … but we will have too 😬 Sorry for rambling …

Ramble away, I love mine and was obsessive in the build up! When I placed the order they told me 5 months 😱 but it came in 2!

Ive just been using b&q compost as your local garden centre is run by a ‘proper’ gardener who only sells peat based. I’ve found it a bit tricky to be honest, the top dries out fast but the bottom will get very wet if you’re not careful. I’ve avoided vermiculite and perlite for eco reasons but might have to find an alternative next year. I also reuse food tubs, it’s such a good way to reuse plastics, and the clear ones make great propagating lids. I’ve bought lots of pots in Lidl this year, they’ve had done great deals on. I’m slowly accumulating small terracotta pots as well but they’re much more expensive (and I’m clumsy) so I’m being very careful with the plastic ones to get as many uses as possible.

I lost an entire tray of cleome to a very fat snail last week 😱 so he’s now holidaying in the field next door and I’ve taken to fully closing the door at night. Mine is sealed round the bottom but laid on slabs so I get tiny creepy crawlers mooching about. I had white thrips on my asters this last week so they got soaked and left out to harden off quite ungraciously 😁

Ive got one auto-opening window (only an 8x6 but thinking I should have got 2) so I’m hoping the netting helps. I got mine from Amazon as I couldn’t find any in town, it’s just fine mesh and I think it was about £20. Plastic again, but lots of years in it if I’m careful, and no better or worse than paint. The sprinkler system sounds really useful, definitely a good idea. I’m looking for small waterbutts for mine to collect the run off from the roof but they’re a silly price compared to the full sized ones.

The lavender are my cheats, they were the world’s tiniest plug plants! Everything else from seed or cutting though- I forgot 2 sets of penstemon cuttings as well and the mother loads of pelargonium cuttings 😁 we’re doing a patch for PILs as well so it will all get used. I just spin the rose on the watering can do it’s upside down so the water comes out upwards, makes it easier to get right in on lower shelves without taking everything out.

Now I’m rambling, sorry 😂 I do love it though, definitely my happy place.

Oh and the robins, they’re just lovely and very tame. It sounds like the nest is empty now but the older birds are still around. They follow us round the garden waiting for us to dig 😁

Same here @SockFluffInTheBath originally quoted 8-12 weeks and by the time it’s arrived it will be 5 😮.

Actually I had 1/2 dozen bags of peat free compost delivered a couple of weeks ago as I wanted to refresh pots and beds. I’ve got to say it was the worst I’ve ever had. Very straw like and when dry it looks really odd and unattractive. It must have been a bad batch. The manure I ordered looked more compost like 😅

I’ll pop in Lidl on my next road trip, I love a bargain! I’ll also look on Amazon for netting. Thank you for the tips!

Ours is 8x6 too. Not to big but big enough to be useful. I’m also very clumsy and as I suffer with my back/feet/joints in general I’m looking into getting some thick matting to stand on (just a strip between side benches) and will reduce breakages 😬 I’ve got an old chair somewhere which I hope will fit in between the benches. For when I have my cuppa ☕️.

Plugs are a good idea as they aren’t as expensive as plants yet still got a head start on a seed 👍

I’ve read Vaseline or Vicks around rims help stop snails. Also cat little around bases. I don’t know if any of these suggestions work as not tried them myself as yet.

Robins are territorial so it makes sense the mummy (or daddy) remains. How lovely for you 😍. Do you put it meal worms out or anything?

I love my greenhouse, apart from growing seedlings and cuttings, it’s a great place to be on a chilly day.
In the summer it has tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies. In the winter I have my cuttings and tender pot plants in there. I also have a beautiful carnation plant that I grew as a cutting from a flower in a bouquet my DS gave me. They root easily.
I have a high stool to sit on, it is great for the long task of potting on.
Enjoy your greenhouse.

You’ll find your life taken over thinking about logistics. Between seasons is the difficult time - I’ve got seedlings eager to be potted up and taking over all available space, but the overwintering tender plants haven’t yet gone outside. Same in the autumn - greenhouse still full of cropping tomatoes etc and all the tender plants clamouring to come back in

I love my greenhouse, it's full to bursting at the moment. Recently I was offered another and I was very tempted.

I don't have room for a greenhouse but am using my kitchen window sills which is working well. I planted out the following yesterday which I started from seed in March:
Fennel, chives, nasturtiums. Zinnia, poppies, malva, stocks, tobacco flowers, white cosmos, Cornflowers, red sunflower, verbena.
I'm still growing morning glory and pink and white cosmos in the kitchen

Good morning

Lovely and sunny here today which makes a nice change as it’s been really cold. Last night I spent ages looking at what I might need for shading as I’ve read too much direct sun can be harmful, especially to seedlings and young plants. I settled on some green netting. I also need to get a greenhouse thermometer … does anyone have any recommendations pls?

@Beebumble2 I was reading that there is stuff you can do year round in a green house. Is it right that If I plant potatoes and brussel sprouts at the right time, August I think, I could have them for Christmas Dinner 😬? That would be awesome! How lovely to have a living plant from a bouquet 💐 You seem very accomplished to be able to do that!

@MereDintofPandiculation I have been thinking of the logistics too. I was thinking I’d start small and not have too much going at once but then I realised it doesn’t work like that as the growing bug kinda takes over 😬

I need more pots/trays to be able to pot on my seedlings i have in trays. I’ve started saving yoghurt pots etc to repurpose and intend to buy some more too. I’m trying to not spend too much 😄

What do you think of companion planting as part of pest control? I’ve read it’s a good idea to plant nasturtium and marigold. Do any of you do this?

Anyone happy to share pics of their greenhouse and what you’ve got growing in it currently?

@Nigelladamascena If you have the space, time and energy, why not 😬 Double of everything or more variety win/win.

@CoralBells That’s quite a selection you’ve got going there. I absolutely agree that to home grow a greenhouse isn’t necessary. I’ve not heard of tobacco flowers? I’ll look that one up.

The proper name is Nicotiana

Always get a greenhouse bigger than you think you need.

Apart from tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, cucumbers and padrons started off on a windowsill I've grown all my other plants in it.

I'm doing less tomatoes this year as I'm trying out the other plants in it.

Does anyone know, are you supposed to grow nasturtium up a cane or let it trail on the ground? It grew up the window in my kitchen.

Good luck everyone with your babies seedlings.

Always make sure your greenhouse can get your house Wi-Fi signal as you can save on the heating in spring by sitting in it. I also use it to prove bread in the summer when I don't put the heating on as my airing cupboard is not warm enough.

TheRealHousewife I was very tempted. I also have an allotment so wouldn't really have the time. I settled with extra shelving in my greenhouse instead.

We’ve grown early potatoes outside in sacks for Christmas dinner. We put then in a sheltered spot. Don’t know about Brussel sprouts.
Growing carnations from a bouquet stem is very easy, take a non flowering sprig from the stem, remove the side leaves, then I pop it in a small container ( yogurt pot size) with a about 3cms of water. Keep the water topped up until roots appear, then pot on.
Nasturtiums come in two varieties there are climbing rambling types and the more compact varieties. I grow mine in hanging baskets.

@CoralBells Thank you. Can you really dry out the leaves and smoke them. Or have I got that mixed up.

@TroysMammy I suppose we got one we could afford and felt we couldn’t go bigger due to space issues. OH said as it was going to be quite near our house and visible to neighbours he wanted an aesthetically pleasing one so we’ve gone for 8x6 timber. Although long term that will mean more maintenance. I do understand your point though.

@Nigelladamascena Is the greenhouse in your garden or the allotment? Must keep you very busy and productive. Lots of home grown produce to enjoy. Are you harvesting anything yet?

@Beebumble2 Could the sacks of growing potatoes be kept in the greenhouse or is that a bad idea? Do they do better outside and sheltered? I’m going to try taking a cutting next time I’m bought carnations. TY for the tip!

I'm not sure. I think it's related to tobacco for smoking but not the same

It might be too humid in the greenhouse and encourage blight. Best to keep them outside. You could always wrap the sacks in Bubble Wrap if there’s a severely low temperature.

Hello, can I join? We moved house last summer and we uncovered an ancient greenhouse in the garden. It seems to be mainly held together by moss, but it does the job. I've tidied it out and put some shelves in, and have started growing mainly bedding plants. I've got:

• Nasturtiums
• Nicotiana
• Different types of sweet pea
• Lobelia
• Echinacea
• Petunias
• Tomatoes
• Geraniums (last year's that I over-wintered)

All from seed except the lobelia and petunias which I bought as teeny plug plants.

I've also got some mini cucumber and cucamelon seeds planted but they haven't come up yet - I think it was too cold for them to germinate so I brought them into the conservatory where it's a bit warmer. Hopefully they'll be up soon.

I put all the seedling trays outside today to start hardening them off - they're destined for pots on the patio and a flower border in the back garden.

I never thought I would be into gardening but it's so relaxing. My mum was always in the greenhouse when I was a kid and the smell of the warm air and tomatoes is instant nostalgia...

The best birthday present I ever had was a greenhouse from DH about 30+ years ago. I replaced it a couple of years ago.
My enthusiasm isn't what it used to be but I do still enjoy it. You can see from the pictures that this year I have negleted it and it's a dump! Usually it's a bit tidier. A lot has already moved out into the porch to harden off.
I start things off in the house. A few seeds in little pots. Then move to conservatory which is frost free and then to unheated greenhouse.
I also have an open covered porch which I use to harden off.
Last year I grew 6 varieties of chilli as well as tomatoes, cucumber and peppers in the greenhouse. They were all, without exception, rubbish.
Nothing I did wrong, just some years are better than others.
This year I'm leaving nothing in there once bedding and veg plants are outside.
I had lots of geraniums over wintered in the house and they are all now in pots and baskets in the porch and greenhouse. I have cosmos, large begonias, petchoa, zinnia, mimulosa, courgettes, leeks, lettuce, runner beans and french beans.
I also discovered last year that spider plants work really well in containers so I potted up about 20 babies ready for tubs and baskets this year.

TheRealHousewife the greenhouse is in my garden as we are not allowed greenhouses at the allotment.

I have been harvesting asparagus and rhubarb at the moment. I will be planting out my French and Runners beans in a week or two.

I am wanting to start a cut flower patch so I have started off lots of flower seedlings/ plants alongside my veg in the greenhouses....
Zinnia Carnations Scabiosa
Cosmos Salvia Celosia

Asters Sweet Peas Linaria
Cerinthe Helichrysum
Calendula Bee Balm Clary Sage
Stocks Bells of Ireland
Verbena Ammi Majus Aquilegia
Antirrhinum Sunflowers Phlox
Lace Flower Nemesia Statice
Achiller. ........I think that's it😀

I have also got Dahlias, Ranunculus and scented Pelargoniums waiting to go outside.

I tried to list plants in 3 columns but that didn't work 😀