Greenhouse project for less than 1200 euro

Dave121

Hi,

Over the past few years I have enjoyed growing my own vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions, salads etc., but after the past year of dismal weather I want to venture into growing veggies in a greenhouse.
I have a budget of 1200 Euro but not sure how best to spend the money.
I have space for a 10X8 greenhouse with a paved base already in place. Apart from the actual greenhouse what do I need to buy, I assume staging at least?

I would like to start growing tomatoes and peppers initially, but any other suggestion of what to grow to gain experience would be welcomed.

Any recommended suppliers of greenhouse would be useful too. I live just outside Limerick

Thanks,
D

beer enigma

Hi,

Should be fine with a budget like that - I used Polydome to get mine, www.glasshouses.ie & found them brill. They do a 10x8 for €1008 inc vat which would leave you €200 for staging.

You can improvise on that rather than buying galvanised stuff if needs - I built mine out of wood as I couldn't afford the benches at the time & a year on they are still going strong.

I'd recomend an automatic window opener (or two depending on how many roof windows) & if you shoudl eventually look at an automatic irrigation system.

If I was you, I'd cut a corner on the staging (or look second hand in buy & sell) & spend the money on the watering - no good having great staging with dried plants.....

B & Q also do greenhouses & apparently pretty good budget stuff, but I've never seen them personally.

chipclub

You can't go far wrong if you take the advice already given by Andip. Automatic vent openers are great things but I wouldn't put too much emphasis on the automatic watering system just yet. In an 10X8 house you can get away with manual watering provided you put the effort in every day. Saying that, I did invest in such a system last year when I went on holiday, and a 60 quid Hozelock system did the job really well.

As for the house itself, I have also heard good things about Polydome but sadly I didn't hear about them until after I had bought from someone else. I bought this thing that boasted about being of the highest contruction standards and designed to cope with the ravages of the Scandanavian winter. Well it may defy the worst that a Danish wind can through at it but one big Irish storm had half the windows out. "Juliana" - I think that was the name. Wouldn't go near one again.

bauderline

What about Polytunnels ? Are they okay for growing tomatoes and corn etc ?

b.

garyh3

You could also look at hydroponics. instead of Growbags. The initial outlay my be high but the results can be 3*+ the yield. There are many web sites to offer advice on how to build systems using tubing and pumps.

regards

Garyh3

Dave121

Thanks.
PolyDome looks ideal. They are only in Birr so I might take a trip up there in a couple of weeks time.
The 10X8 Consort Andip suggested doesn't have picture on the site so I'd like to see the shape before I buy. Also, I can't see where it specifies the type of glazing, not that I would know what is best anyway. I do know however that I don't want anything that will break easily. We have a toddler that will eventually be kicking balls etc in the garden and we also have some large trees that regularly shed small branches during windy weather.

How do these automatic openings work? Do you need to provide electrical power?

D

garyh3

Hi Dave

No there automatic no power Homebase sell them for 24 euro you just attach to the window and the other end (hinge) to the frame and then to adjust the temp opening you just screw the metal bar. They work by expansion (Liquid i think) as the heat increases they expand the hinge arm which is attached to the window and so it opens automatically. Takes about 10 mins to install.

I would recommed for a 10* 8 using 4 windows with auto vents. I have a 8*6 and i have just installed a 2nd vent as 1 was def not enough.

Also recommend using safety glass, and buy the base with the greehouse, Unless you are building a base?

regards

Garyh3

chipclub

One point on the automatic vents. While they are perfect in the summer I find that they do not shut securely and always replace them with the original window latch for the winter.

Regarding bauderline's question on polytunnels, yes they are indeed very good for growing tomatoes and just about anything else you want. If you want to see polytunnel perfection take a trip to the Organic Centre in Leitrim during the summer months. The tomato and bean planting in particular are quite something.

garyh3

Hi chipclub forgot to mention that.

Yep Dave remove them for the winter and I put patrolium jelly on the spring ready for the next spring

Garyh3

Dave121

Thanks for the advice guys. I can't wait to get started. We're having some building works done at the moment so I'm going to have to wait another 3 or 4 weeks but I have a good idea what to go hunting for now.

Any ideas about what a novice should start off growing in the greenhouse. I want to stick to vegetable or fruit plants and was thinking of tomatoes and peppers. Would you consider anything else an easy start?

garyh3

Hi Dave

Just a few Ideas

1st Put some sort of power to the greenhouse (You never know when you might need it)
2nd Buy a propagator (heated better) or a heat mat. Gives the best chance for germination. (You can start your grownig real early)

Plants -

I found that tomatos do really well but dont overdo on plants (I know the temptation is keep all your seedlings but you have to either give to a friend or throw away.)

Qcumbers do take a lot of room but if you have 1 plant you will get between 10-20 Q's of it I did last year

Ghurkins are good but they grow like Qcums but you get a lot of fruit.

Chillies are great (I mainly grow chillies)

Keep the missus happy by growing some flowers from seed (They dont take a lot of room and they will go outside when bigger)

Ive started my Carrots, Beets, Corn, and beans off inside (December for the carrots and beets and Feb for Corn and beans). Going to put them outside soon.

Chitting spuds in the greenouse in Jan

This year I have some melons in the propagator so Im gonna give them ago.

If you have room buy or make a cold frame it frees up space in the greenhouse.

(always try growing something new each year)

Finally give the greenhouse a good clean every year to get rid of spores and other nasties. Keep an eye out for slugs. I grew a few Peppers last year and a lot of them had slugs inside them.

Hope this helps
Garyh3

lucylu

those automated vent openers are the business - there is wax inside the tube and when it heats up it releases and the window opens. We picked up ours in the Chelsea Flower Show 2 years ago. Mr Middleton sells these but they are a bit more common to see in Garden centres now Homebase do a greenhouse starter pack with one or two of these included with other greenhouse bits for about 96 euro

My Mam got a greenhouse a few years ago from Homebase Viscount (I think) double door version with toughened glass 1170 at the time approx 12 * 16ft .. its the business.. we had to go to Dublin to collect it as Homebase would not deliver to our area. It took about 3 weeks to order. you will need a few to help you assemble it ...You will pay more for a Green coated frame..

At the moment there are carrots in the greenhouse ready to be gobbled by June bank Holiday !

ADDED : My Mam grows Melons Passport F1 , cape gooseberries, chillies, peppers, tomatoes 5 varieties in the greenhouse every year ....make sure you keep up with your watering and do not water the leaves during the day as they will scorch...

wazzoraybelle

if you like cape gooseberries they grow a treat in a glasshouse. You might consider a timer for watering, while you should always water plants yourself a timer can be invaluable if you head off for a long weekend!