The Greenhouse Thread

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Discussion

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Saturday 23rd February 2019
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TLDR: I have no idea what I'm doing. Please help.

I think middle age has hit me and I finally have to admit it. First the Aston Martin, now....the greenhouse!

I love cooking and suddenly got the urge to grow stuff to eat. Zero interest in pretty flowers and all that jazz, but having barely kept alive potted herbs from the supermarket one too many times I bit the bullet and bought a greenhouse, because obviously growing stuff from scratch is so much easier and simpler than just buying what you need.

Don't have a massive amount of space so ordered a little 6x4 kit just after Christmas and over a few weekends froze my knuckles off putting it together.







Being a geek, naturally the first thing to install was a bluetooth thermometer and hydrometer.



Added bubble wrap and a 135W bar heater (powered from an outdoor electric extension screwed to the side of the shed) just to keep the morning frost away.





I have an automatic vent opener and automatic drip feel waterer thing to set up along with the water butt when the weather gets properly better.

So to business. Got some staging and a propagator. Mrs 48K bought me some seeds for Christmas (who says romance is dead) so my beginners greenhouse starter kit consists of: tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, chillis, carrots, broccoli, kalettes, onion, beetroot and lettuce. Of those, the tomatoes, cucumber spring onion and chilli say sow in Feb under glass so that's where I'm starting.

Toms and cucumber are in the propagator at 24 degrees. I've chucked in a dying supermarket basil, mint and rosemary from the kitchen to see if the greenhouse can rescue them.



Due to lack of room in the propagator I've had to put the spring onions and chillis in the lounge to start off.

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According to the packets, green stuff should start appearing in 7-21 days. What can possibly go wrong? silly

Hoping that the greenhouse experts on PH will pitch in with help/advice/inspiration so please post your greenhouse pics / tips / successes and learnings here!

PositronicRay

26,957 posts

182 months

Saturday 23rd February 2019
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I'm far from expert but had my 1st season last yr.

Basil and Toms were the best ever, Chillies and peppers started in the green House then moved outside, did very well indeed.

This Yr I've started leaks (just sprouting) I also had some peas and Broad beans left over so starting them in the greenhouse. They're beating the ones outside (hardly surprising really) but it'll be interesting to see which does better. biggrin

dbdb

4,311 posts

172 months

Saturday 23rd February 2019
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We have a fairly old and rather weathered aluminium greenhouse, from the 1970s I would say. I just overwinter outdoor plants in it. I should do more with it really.

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
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Have I left it too late to start garlic ?

Skyedriver

17,659 posts

281 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
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48k said:
Have I left it too late to start garlic ?
Hope not, I've got some to go in

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
quotequote all
Greenhouse day 7. Green things appearing!






48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
quotequote all
Skyedriver said:
48k said:
Have I left it too late to start garlic ?
Hope not, I've got some to go in
I was reading up and all the info was saying autumn/winter sowing. What have you got and how are you sowing it? Really would like to get some going if I can.

Pheo

3,324 posts

201 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
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If it really is 37c that’s too hot - everything will bolt/go leggy the light levels aren’t high enough yet.

I’d set it to 12c max, and you need to make sure it’s vented.

I started garlic about now last year and did ok but I’d get on with it right away.

Edited by Pheo on Sunday 24th February 20:24

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
quotequote all
Pheo said:
If it really is 37c that’s too hot - everything will bolt/go leggy the light levels aren’t high enough yet.

I’d set it to 12c max, and you need to make sure it’s vented.

I started garlic about now last year and did ok but I’d get on with it right away.

Edited by Pheo on Sunday 24th February 20:24
I've never seen 37 degrees. 34 is the max I've seen (assuming the reading is accurate) at that was at lunchtime today with the sun shining directly on the GH. I opened the door to lower the ambient temp. The average temp inside the GH over the last week according to the readings has been 14 degrees.

The propagator is set to 24 degrees as that's what the packet of seeds said. I've opened the vents now that green things are starting to appear. I've read references to "bolting" / "going leggy" - what does that jargon mean?

Any recommendations for what garlic to try? I assume you need something that works in our climate you can't just buy a bit of garlic from the supermarket.

Jambo85

3,311 posts

87 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
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Great stuff OP, have you seen the veg plot thread we've got going too?

Do you have some beds outside the greenhouse you can use for veg? I ask as some of the species you're mentioning don't really lend themselves to greenhouse growing.

Good luck and enjoy smile

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Sunday 24th February 2019
quotequote all
I've got a bit of south facing garden that I marked some beds out in today, they definitely also fall in to the "I have no idea what I'm doing" category.

This is the remaining selection of my Christmas present from Mrs 48K


48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
quotequote all
Day 10 and cucumbers (in the lounge), tomatoes and spring onions (greenhouse) are poking out over the compost. Just the chilli (in the lounge) yet to awaken.

Is the next stage to take individual green shoots and put them in to their own pots? Is that called "potting on"? How do I know when they are ready for that?

Greenhouse temp has been showing massive swings due to the unseasonal weather:


C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
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Skyedriver said:
48k said:
Have I left it too late to start garlic ?
Hope not, I've got some to go in
With garlic they say it's best to get it in during autumn as the frost helps the process that turns a clove of garlic into a bulb. But you can plant it now also, might work, might not, but that's the thing with gardening. It can be frustrating at times!

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
quotequote all
C0ffin D0dger said:
Skyedriver said:
48k said:
Have I left it too late to start garlic ?
Hope not, I've got some to go in
With garlic they say it's best to get it in during autumn as the frost helps the process that turns a clove of garlic into a bulb. But you can plant it now also, might work, might not, but that's the thing with gardening. It can be frustrating at times!
I've ordered some garlic from the farm on the IoW but I think it will be too late when it arrives. Will give it a go anyway, nothing ventured and all that.

S6PNJ

5,157 posts

280 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
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What bluetooth thermometer and hygrometer are you using? Does it store the temps/humidity and then download them once you 'bluetooth' to it or is it constantly transmitting and you have a bluetooth receiver connected to an old phone/computer/tablet etc in your home?

Jambo85

3,311 posts

87 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
quotequote all
48k said:
Is the next stage to take individual green shoots and put them in to their own pots? Is that called "potting on"? How do I know when they are ready for that?
Pretty much yes. I think there are some rules of thumb for when is the right time but I can't remember them, and most things tend to survive no matter when you do it... I just do it when it suits me, and ideally before too much in the way of roots are established otherwise you cause a lot of damage and set them back.

Something you can do when potting on is to bury anything which has gotten leggy down deeper. Limits the leggyness and should improve its roots as well so win/win.

Handle seedlings by the leaves not the stem - it's counter intuitive at first but they can grow new leaves, they can't grow new stems.

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
quotequote all
S6PNJ said:
What bluetooth thermometer and hygrometer are you using? Does it store the temps/humidity and then download them once you 'bluetooth' to it or is it constantly transmitting and you have a bluetooth receiver connected to an old phone/computer/tablet etc in your home?
I'm using a Govee monitor - this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermometer-Hygrometer-Bl...

It connects to my phone when in range and downloads the data on demand. Seems to work ok. The only niggle I have with it is that I can't seem to change the display on the unit to C from F so if I'm in the GH I have to check my phone to see what the temperature is as my brain doesn't work in old money.

48k

Original Poster:

12,978 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
quotequote all
Jambo85 said:
48k said:
Is the next stage to take individual green shoots and put them in to their own pots? Is that called "potting on"? How do I know when they are ready for that?
Pretty much yes. I think there are some rules of thumb for when is the right time but I can't remember them, and most things tend to survive no matter when you do it... I just do it when it suits me, and ideally before too much in the way of roots are established otherwise you cause a lot of damage and set them back.

Something you can do when potting on is to bury anything which has gotten leggy down deeper. Limits the leggyness and should improve its roots as well so win/win.

Handle seedlings by the leaves not the stem - it's counter intuitive at first but they can grow new leaves, they can't grow new stems.
Thanks. Do I pot on in to the same type of compost or am I supposed to use a different type / add fertilizer etc.

Sorry for the daft questions but I really do have no idea what I'm doing. laugh

S6PNJ

5,157 posts

280 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
quotequote all
48k said:
S6PNJ said:
What bluetooth thermometer and hygrometer are you using? Does it store the temps/humidity and then download them once you 'bluetooth' to it or is it constantly transmitting and you have a bluetooth receiver connected to an old phone/computer/tablet etc in your home?
I'm using a Govee monitor - this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermometer-Hygrometer-Bl...

It connects to my phone when in range and downloads the data on demand. Seems to work ok. The only niggle I have with it is that I can't seem to change the display on the unit to C from F so if I'm in the GH I have to check my phone to see what the temperature is as my brain doesn't work in old money.
Thanks! Might be a good present for me to buy my wife for her greenhouse! Best of luck with your growing!

Jambo85

3,311 posts

87 months

Wednesday 27th February 2019
quotequote all
No probs I was in the same boat about 4-5 years ago. I just use a multipurpose compost which works fine for me. Sometimes use a bit of liquid feed if they look like they need it, but there still isn't a lot of daylight so I'd be careful about trying to push things on too much.