Greenhouses

[Tony F Dordogne]

I've been asked by a chum to look round for a greenhouse for them and I to use to start seeds etc off early.

I've looked in some of the main gardening mags and at the suppliers on-line sites but wondered whether anybody else has bought here and has recommendations.  I'll cruise the brico sheds over the next few weeks but wondered whether anybody has any positive comments on French suppliers etc.

[tracteurtom]

Polytunnels seem to be more popular than green houses here.  I think the cost is probably (usually is!) the driver and a large polytunnel can be had for a few hundred euro vs a 1000 ++  for a greenhouse of a useable size.  Let us know how you get on in the research as I too am looking and a polytunnel is winning so far! 

[chirpy]

 I HAVE GREENHOUSE SAME MAKE  AS I HAD  UK -IT CAME SHRINK WRAPPED ON PALLET COMPLETE WITH GLASS FROM CASTORAMA-ABOUT 6X8 FEET .IT WAS MODEL86 AND MADE IN GERMNY BYGS OU OF ALUMINIUM AND YOU COULD BUY A GREEN PAINTED VERSION.

USE IT FOR SEEDS AS TOO HOT FOR ANY PLANTS OF SIZE DESPITE BUYING AUTOMATIC VENT WHICH STICKS OCCASIONALLY THEN SPRINGS OPEN WITH A BANG -IT IS A GAS FILLED PISTON AND I HAVE NOW REMOVED IT.

PRICE SIMILAR TO UK.

 

COULD NOT FIND SUITABLE WHITEWASH SO MADE MY OWN.

[Meg]

Could you not make your own polytunnel? It's only a frame and a bit of plastic, i don't know why they cost so much.

[Llwyncelyn]

Despite what people say it is not just simply a frame and a bit of plastic.  Equally a good vegetable patch complete with greenhouse enhances the garden not detracts and adds value.  Back in the UK I had an Alton for donkeys which equates to yonks in other words a long long time.  They are known I think as Compton Buildings near Leamington Spa.  They have a French agent who delivers and even sets up the greenhouse for you.  Plastic obviously is not so good for the environment red cedar comes from renewable sources.

rdgs

[Meg]

[quote user="Llwyncelyn"]

Despite what people say it is not just simply a frame and a bit of plastic. 

[/quote]

What are they then?

[Chris Head]

Sweet chestnut bent over and big sheets of plastic work brilliantly! Who wants poncy UK suburban designer greenhouses in the middle of rural France? Next thing will be a Hyacinth Bouquet appreciation club and a Brit shop opening selling Panama hats and Abercrombie & Fitch shorts....jeeez!

Now croquet lawns and laser guided lawnmowers are a different matter alltogether.

[Just Katie]

I would never opt for a polytunnel.  You simply cannot beat the smell of crops growing in the humidity of a greenhouse.  One of the fine rewards of gardening.  Cucumber sandwich anyone?

[Meg]

But greenhouse..needs heating in winter too hot in the summer!!

I can grow my cues and melons outside, now that i find rewarding!

[chirpy]

WHEN ,AS OFTEN IN HAUTE VIENNE SPRING ,IT IS RAINING MY WIFE AT LEAST CAN DO SOME PREPARATION FOR THE SUMMER-EACH TO HIS/HER OWN.

YOU PAY YOUR MONEY AND MAKE YOUR CHOICE-IT IS CALLED FREEDOM.

AND GETTING ON MY LAWNMOWER IS ANOTHER STORY-SHE CANNOT CATCH ME!!![:P][:D][6]

[Tony F Dordogne]

Thanks Llewencelyn, I'll contact them, I had two by them in the UK so will stick with them if possible.  Heating and venting not a problem, siting sorted, power and water to be laid on.

I find growing outside rewarding as well MM&d and wouldn't dream of growing anything in the greenhouse, it's for over-wintering, early seeds, doing the twiddly bits etc.

 

[andyh4]

[quote user="Meg and Mog and dog"][quote user="Llwyncelyn"]

Despite what people say it is not just simply a frame and a bit of plastic. 

[/quote]

What are they then?
[/quote]

Let's start with the Polythene.  Can get lots of that can't we Gamme Vert, Point P, Casto - green, blue, black (perhaps not [:)] - OK clear.  But will it still be clear at the end of the season?  Or will it have gone a delicious shade of sunflower yellow as the stabilising additives breakdown in the strong UV of a French summer because the film you bought did not have the additives to protect it.

Will it still be intact or will the effect of sunlight have reduced it to a lace curtain with the remnants blowing around your neighbours gardens and fields?

Will it be strong enough to withstand the occasional gale - or more likely the thousands of impacts of golfball sized hail stones in the summer thunder storm.

 

OK buy cheap if you will, but in the end you will be running the risk of replacing the film several times in a season - and goodness knows what will happen to the crops underneath.

[oliveau]

I bought a 24' x 14' Polytunnel from UK 2 years ago. It's ideal for bringing on seedlings, and if I plant lettuce and potatoes in January we start cutting lettuce at the end of March, and digging potatoes at the end of April. I bought the recommended plastic - [antifogging etc] and it's looking good. We use a couple of electric propagators early in the spring, but as the soil warms up we sow seeds directly into the tunnel beds.

I found out after a couple of years that its not very clever trying to get the vegetable garden going in March, and I now follow the locals, and start outside at the end of April, but the tunnel gives us a good start as we can bring on plants ready to put out when the conditions are right.

I had a greenhouse in the UK, but now that space is not a limiting factor, I find the Polytunnel far more versatile, since it gets used for tomatoes, aubergines and peppers in the summer, and in the winter it provides shelter to overwinter the more tender plants from the flower garden, and allows propagation of geraniums. We also have a small bed of strawberries which we have been picking for a week.

Peter

[Llwyncelyn]

Dear Tony I do understand but I started some seed pots off in the borders in January together with courgettes and we have been picking for about two weeks.  I will soon finish the border and then the chillies go in together with some heritage tomato varieties that I obtained from those good organic folk near Coventry.

Tony there is a heat mat available which you just roll up like a carpet I will look at the box and let you know where it comes from.

For me I buy the trestle type things from the diy place then some polystyrene then the heat mat then capilliary matting so its a perfect medium for growing seeds.

I am giving so many plants away at the moment including runner beans to all of our French neighbours.  Problem is I cannot get them to stop from drying the beans and then soaking them and eating.

rdgs