UK gardening - unheated greenhouse

Author

unheated greenhouse

Rocket Ron

2005-10-27, 6:21 pm

Hi I have just moved into a new house with a 8 by 6 greenhouse made by
Robinson. The pieces at the bottom of the glass which I was told are made
from asbestos cement need replacing. What can I use? I have searched but
cannot find anything similar. Also what can I grow in my greenhouse or
overwinter? I live in Scotland. I don't want to heat it.

So suggestions please.
Thanks Ron

gentlegreen

2005-10-27, 6:21 pm

"Rocket Ron" <ron@flymail.fm> wrote in message
news:pcb8f.139092$G8.22814@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Hi I have just moved into a new house with a 8 by 6 greenhouse made by
> Robinson. The pieces at the bottom of the glass which I was told are made
> from asbestos cement need replacing. What can I use? I have searched but
> cannot find anything similar. Also what can I grow in my greenhouse or
> overwinter? I live in Scotland. I don't want to heat it.
>

Asbestos ?

I hope not - I have a Robinson that I put up over 10 years ago ...

My panels seem OK - what has happened to yours ?

> So suggestions please.
> Thanks Ron
>

Martin Brown

2005-10-27, 7:21 pm

Rocket Ron wrote:

> Hi I have just moved into a new house with a 8 by 6 greenhouse made by
> Robinson. The pieces at the bottom of the glass which I was told are made
> from asbestos cement need replacing. What can I use? I have searched but
> cannot find anything similar. Also what can I grow in my greenhouse or
> overwinter? I live in Scotland. I don't want to heat it.

What do these bits look like? Are they structurally important?

What is wrong with them?

Removing asbestos materials is a specialist business if you do it by the
book - and disturbing aging asbestos cement panels will raise a dust.
Better probably to reseal it with a spray on barrier coating if you can.

I saw a council tip operative put a whole bunch of asbestos cement
corrugated roofing into the crusher not long ago. Vast clouds of white
powder emitted everywhere. I guess he had no idea that it contained
asbestos. They have a proper asbestos waste disposal skip on site.

Might be worth having the asbestos type determined - if there is any
significant blue asbestos content then you need specialists to take it
away. Most asbestos cement uses the white form but don't rely on it.
Lagging can be any kind of mixture white/blue/brown. Provided it is
contained there isn't that much of a problem. Disturb it at your peril.

Not much will grow during winter in an unheated greenhouse. A cheap
thermostatic electric heater or parafin stove will allow you much more
freedom to grow early crops.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Steve Newport

2005-10-27, 8:21 pm

Similar thing down here in Sussex. Now empty greenhouse - first year
with it. Got about 6 smnall chilli plants in it, still with flowers
but the weather is odd 19deg C today for end of October.

Also got a basil plant still doing well.

Have just planted "Arctic Ice" lettuce in it - thbey say to so to the
end of October. Plan to try growing these through the winter.

Also, just for the hell of it I have planted 12 dwarf beans which did
well until quite recently in the open (snails got them in the end).
Will try to grow these in the green house (unheated) but don't know of
the lack of bees will mean these come to nothing.

What about starting a Rhubarb off - is that feasable from seed at this
time of year?

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 22:55:40 +0100, Martin Brown
<|||newspam|||@nezumi.demon.co.uk> wrote:

Janet Baraclough

2005-10-27, 8:21 pm

The message <pcb8f.139092$G8.22814@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>
from "Rocket Ron" <ron@flymail.fm> contains these words:

> Hi I have just moved into a new house with a 8 by 6 greenhouse made by
> Robinson.

Great brand, I had one.

The pieces at the bottom of the glass which I was told are made
> from asbestos cement need replacing. What can I use?

I don't think it's asbestos..it's some stronger kind of fibreboard.
You'll find Robinsons on the net. Contact their Scotland sales manager
Tom Munro, and ask. He's enormously helpful and the company go out of
their way to look after owners of their GH's.

Also what can I grow in my greenhouse or
> overwinter? I live in Scotland. I don't want to heat it.

Not much. Potted bulbs for an earlier show of flowers? In subsequent
years when your new garden gets going, you'll find ithe GH useful for
protecting any overwintering container plants, autumn cuttings etc. It's
not to late to make some autumn cuttings now.

Remember (for any GH) to keep the door and vents firmly closed during
gales or when high wind is forecast.

Janet. (Arran)

Jaques d'Alltrades

2005-10-28, 8:21 am

The message <cik2m1l5se89mt5hj2kks7dpopt2biei7h@4ax.com>
from Steve Newport <steven@newport47.fsnet.co.uk> contains these words:

/prune/

> Also, just for the hell of it I have planted 12 dwarf beans which did
> well until quite recently in the open (snails got them in the end).
> Will try to grow these in the green house (unheated) but don't know of
> the lack of bees will mean these come to nothing.

You should always leave the greenhouse ventilated to some extent. Beans,
tomatoes etc would require a dryish atmosphere, and during the (sunny)
day you'd leave the door open, or at least one window/vent.

Cucumbers are another kettle of fish, but you don't want greenhouse
cucumbers to be pollinated anyway.

But I'd be surprised if beans did very well in a greenhouse, especially
at the height of summer.

> What about starting a Rhubarb off - is that feasable from seed at this
> time of year?

Yes. Sow the seed straight into those deep pots meant for trees, vines,
etc. Then feed mercilessly, and keep moist.

When you plant it out, never, but *NEVER* pull even a stick of it during
its first year.

If you want really good rhubarb, prepare the ground by digging a 3' to
4' pit at least 2' square.

Into the bottom, put bones, chicken carcases, old woollens, old
all-leather shoes, and work some of the spoil from the pit amongst it
all.

If you can get it, put a layer of fresh horse, pig or cow manure in,
mixed with some of the spoil, then mix *LOTS* of compost or well-rotted
manure with the rest of the spoil and replace it.

Plant your new crown on the top of the resulting mound and water it
liberally. Then water it some more. And some more.

The fresh manure will act as a hotbed and encourage growth (as if
rhubarb required any encouragement...).

You don't pull any the first year in order to permit the crown to become
properly established. Pulling any will weaken it. Don't pull any after
the gooseberries have finished.

If you look at

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi...en/rhubarb0.jpg

you'll see a stand which was put in eighteen months before the pic was
taken. Then, the crown was about the size of a large carrot or small
parsnip.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk

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