woodenman
1367871571
Posted 1399493061
Reply with quote #1
Up in dark and cool England, we have a short growing season where we only get a breba crop off any figs unless we grow them in a greenhouse. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Compact-Walk-In-Greenhouse-Shelves-Heavy/dp/B003JTF9B4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1399492291&sr=8-6&keywords=greenhouse or http://www.amazon.co.uk/GARDEN-OUTDOOR-GREENHOUSE-PLANT-SHELVES/dp/B002UOUZQS/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t#productDescription if you've not seen them). I'm a little suspicious that the green colour of a lot of the plastic will take out a fair bit of the sun and so the benefit would not be so great. They do have a reputation for being a bit flimsy (hence the blow-away nickname), but at the price I could get one a season and still not have paid for a whole greenhouse in a decade!
garden_whisperer
1353347580
Posted 1399509097
Reply with quote #2
got me a 10 foot by 20 foot one off of ebay for under 300.00 bucks U.S.
Sburdo
1334627697
Posted 1399509432
Reply with quote #3
I had one very similar. They need to be tied down or weighted down. Mine blew over more times than I could count. I could not honestly recommend them.
mgginva
1320266925
Posted 1399509979
Reply with quote #4
I think you'd be better off building a PVC green house for a couple hundred bucks. These light weight pieces of junk aren't worth putting up over and over again.
garden_whisperer
1353347580
Posted 1399582750
Reply with quote #5
the one i got has a really good frame. the one i had before not so much. mine is tied down with a few rachet tie down straps across the width. the straps are conected to 24 inch rebar that i pounded in the ground at a 45 away from the green house. pounded em in all but a couple inches. here in the midwest we get some nasty storms with high winds around 80 mph with gust over 100. the green house has stood just fine through all the weather for the past 3 years.
woodenman
1367871571
Posted 1399587671
Reply with quote #6
I'm not too concerned with it being blown away as it'll be up in a sheltered spot next to a wall and quite close to a fence (this also means it's a very limited space - probably 3'6 max width which would make a more permanent structure difficult and not really cost-effective - £200 to coddle one fig tree is a bit more than I'm looking to pay!)
ADelmanto
1359774201
Posted 1399593273
Reply with quote #7
If it's really that small could you find a used glass door and build a small shed around it?
https://www.facebook.com/From-The-Ground-Up-403313193085649/
chome360
1354175749
Posted 1399618680
Reply with quote #8
I suggest passing. They're garbage. I have the one in the first link. Got it 6 months ago. Going to throw it out. Horrible design and extremely cheap material. Zippers were the first to go.
greysmith
1394039826
Posted 1399654012
Reply with quote #9
I got one like it with a clear plastic cover from Big Lots, a floor model on clearance. Really cheap... in more ways than one. I had it up against the bldg. and it blew away anyway. When I got it anchored good it started coming apart whenever the wind rattled it, the tubes would pull out of the corner connectors and the shelves would fall down. Then it collapsed under the weight of the pots I put in it. I didn't think there was that much weight but those plastic corners are very flimsy and they broke out so they couldn't be fixed. I had to pin the door closed because the zippers stripped out in very short order. I'm glad I didn't pay much for it because it sure wasn't worth much.
kkk2210
1420862008
Posted 1428193035
Reply with quote #10
Quote:
Originally Posted by
woodenman Up in dark and cool England, we have a short growing season where we only get a breba crop off any figs unless we grow them in a greenhouse.
That's fine, however limited space and budget means that's not really within my reach right now :-(
There is a cheap n' cheerful budget option, however, in polythene/PVC greenhouses (something like
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Compact-Walk-In-Greenhouse-Shelves-Heavy/dp/B003JTF9B4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1399492291&sr=8-6&keywords=greenhouse or
http://www.amazon.co.uk/GARDEN-OUTDOOR-GREENHOUSE-PLANT-SHELVES/dp/B002UOUZQS/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t#productDescription if you've not seen them). I'm a little suspicious that the green colour of a lot of the plastic will take out a fair bit of the sun and so the benefit would not be so great. They do have a reputation for being a bit flimsy (hence the blow-away nickname), but at the price I could get one a season and still not have paid for a whole greenhouse in a decade!
I think these designs at around 6'5" high x 4'9" wide should be good for 1 tree, especially as mine are still quite young (2-3yrs).
Has anyone in a short growing season area tried these, and did they have any effect on ripening a main crop? Our climate is supposedly similar to the pacific NW with drier summers and wetter winters.[/QUOTE
Hello mate,
I had the same greenhouse and it was blown away by the terrible gales we had last year. I live in bognor regis, and i guess you live in london, still not that bad compared to our fellow brits up in the north. Keep in touch I have posted an update. Happy Easter
vinny
__________________
Vinny
Bognor Regis, United Kingdom
Wish List : Callara, De La Rio,Cul Noir, Calvy, LSU Red, I-258, Maltese Beauty, Preto, FMV Infected Ischia Black UCD.
ako1974
1393356294
Posted 1428242685
Reply with quote #11
Vinny - it looks like you should be using your neighbor's greenhouse :)
johnnyq627
1366344367
Posted 1428249113
Reply with quote #12
I had a 8x10FT one. I had it tied down with three heavy duty anchors (the spiral type), five cinder blocks, and my large heater tied to it... it still flew like a magical rocket ship, taking out my neighbor's siding before landing upside down in the middle of the street at nearly midnight. $750 of damage. I learned my lesson the hard way and have the new greenhouse well reinforced. I still have wind problems, even with 8 cement pillars with 4x4s in them, but at least it isnt the entire greenhouse blowing away.
kkk2210
1420862008
Posted 1435067236
Reply with quote #13
Quote:
Originally Posted by ako1974
adoresfigs45
1421515059
Posted 1435078431
Reply with quote #14
I have three of those minis but mine under my lanai roof tucked in the corner of my outdoor entertainment area with the walls of my house on two sides. I would not recommend them for outside in the open. Really flimsy but they make nice shelter with a heat lamp in them in the winter for sprouting things and sheltering baby plants. I got mine at Lowes for 35. Joyce
