ᐅ Greenhouse – Which brands are recommended?

Created on: 2 Jul 2016 14:07
L
Legurit
Hello everyone,

Our outdoor area is now more or less finished, and we are ready to move on. Since we haven’t made much progress with garden sheds and now plan to simply consult a local carpenter, the next project will be the greenhouse. Are there any recommended brands here that tend to last longer?

All the ones I have seen so far have plastic panels—are those durable enough?

Good luck
L
Legurit
1 Oct 2016 23:10
Okay, that looks a lot more solid compared to the ones we saw at the hardware store – but honestly, also bigger – you mentioned 8 m² (86 ft²) – so about 2.3 * 3.5 meters (7.5 * 11.5 feet)?
Y
ypg
2 Oct 2016 00:04
Around 8
Approximately 3.70 x 2.30 m (12.1 x 7.5 ft), so about 8.2 m² (88 sq ft) according to the specifications.
I consider the stability of the frame, including the detailing of the braces, to be good. The assembly is challenging, but you expect that when you buy a DIY kit.
I chose this size to be able to include a small seating area—and who knows what plants besides tomatoes and cucumbers might grow there.
I am considering adding insulation to the foundation frame as well as an affordable flooring option that is easy to install and possibly adaptable. The cheapest would be the panels from Ikea.

Best regards
L
Legurit
2 Oct 2016 08:47
Why insulate? To prevent the ground from freezing? I understood that the foundation frame is only partially buried.
Y
ypg
2 Oct 2016 20:36
The foundation frame is fully visible and positioned above ground level; otherwise, the lower edge of the door would be below the ground.
Insulation is applied to help protect against frost, especially if you want to overwinter sensitive plants.
However, since we only have isolated footing foundations, insulating probably isn’t worthwhile.
The house is in place. Next steps include fine-tuning the sealing of the foundation against the ground, installing a weed barrier fabric, wire mesh to keep out animals, ground covering, and planting beds, which will be done later.
Both men praise the good quality of the house!
The lady made some smart purchases.
L
Legurit
2 Oct 2016 21:20
What you say obviously makes sense
f-pNo3 Oct 2016 13:47
Greenhouse – a topic that came up for us as well.
So far, we have decided against it.

Although I would like to grow early tender radishes and possibly a few homegrown cucumbers, for ME the effort and benefit in this matter are out of proportion.
If anything, we might consider getting a cold frame. However, next year we will first try our luck with a polytunnel.
Perhaps my perspective on a greenhouse will change for a completely different reason. In the first year when we prepared our bed, only very few slugs made their way to us. This year, however, they have increased “hundredfold.” If this trend continues, a physical barrier like a greenhouse might be necessary. Well – next year, I will first indulge in the tedious hobby of a “small gardener” – slug hunting.

Self-built greenhouse: I still remember my father’s “do it yourself” greenhouse (when he still had his garden). He put it together himself in the early 1980s during the GDR era.
The base was made of 3 to 5 rows of bricks (probably on a concrete foundation). The greenhouse itself was assembled from various old windows that my father had sourced from somewhere. The roof was made the same way, with the possibility to lift the windows. Later, he engineered a hydraulic window opener (typical engineer). The fluid in the piston expanded with temperature changes and the ram lifted the window (not sure if I’m using the correct terms).
The greenhouse didn’t look attractive but served its purpose (like almost everything self-made during the GDR period). Early radishes and lettuce in spring, later the “cucumber production” started. A few tomato plants also inhabited the greenhouse (I think). When the family groaned from the abundance of cucumbers, my father would just take the surplus to work. His colleagues gladly bought his “overproduction.”
When he gave up his garden, which by then had become a waterfront property around the turn of the millennium, the greenhouse was still standing. (Waterfront property – after reunification, various industries nearby that had been drawing water from the small river flowing past the garden complex closed down, causing the river level to rise. This led to rising groundwater that flooded almost all gardens in the complex. Perfect conditions for rice cultivation. :confused)