Monday 3 March 2014

Greenhouse Repairs

We've been very lucky over the last few months, the UK has taken a battering with storms but we've got away relatively unscathed compared to other parts of the country. A fence panel was damaged and that's now waiting to be mended, but the worst of our damage was to the greenhouse.


Only a few panels were still in place by the end of the storms, the rest having been blown out in to our garden and also neighbour's gardens.


The greenhouse is glazed with polycarbonate so it doesn't break as glass does, but one or two panels still got damaged.


The roof didn't escape the storms either, the panels from there took off as they were blown out and ended up over the fence.


We'd been thinking about replacing the polycarbonate anyway as some of the panels were starting to wear, so this spurred us in to action. We ordered on Tuesday evening and they were with us on Thursday, just in time for Mick to get cracking (not literally, he made a good job of it and didn't damage one piece) at the weekend.


You may remember me mentioning that I sowed some spring onions to overwinter and get an early crop, you can see them in the wooden planter in the top photo. This is them now, they've stood really well and will now begin to start growing again. They definitely need weeding though.


The pelargoniums which stood in planters at each side of my back door last summer were moved in to the greenhouse. Usually, I'd dispose of the plants, it's the pots I'm actually protecting from the frost, but as you can see, they're still flowering. They were so vibrant, blood red, yet the flower now is hot pink. As they're still living, I may take some cuttings and see if I can get them to grow. I wonder if they'd bloom red or pink.


My patio peach tree is also inside the greenhouse. It's description said that it's totally winter hardy, but I didn't want to risk it. Look at all the buds, just waiting to burst open. I'm really excited to see if I'll get any fruit on it this year.


So, here's my greenhouse now that it's all fixed up. It just needs a good clean out now and getting ready for the new gardening season. The door hasn't had it's panels changed yet, one of the wheels on the bottom of it is broken so we need to sort that out, but we've got a new panel at the ready.


It's great to see it put all back together again.


There's even protection from the rain now that new roof panels have been installed.


I move my seedlings in to the greenhouse once they've germinated, but it's still a bit cold for them yet, so to give them some added protection, I use a plastic greenhouse inside the main greenhouse. I needed a new cover for the plastic greenhouse and Aldi just happen to have them on offer this week so I picked one up. Both the three tier and four tier covers are £4.99 and they've also got the actual mini greenhouses in stock too. I just thought I'd mention it in case anyone's looking for any.

32 comments:

  1. That's a trip to Aldi then on the cards, for a plastic greenhouse cover. You will get peaches this year, once the flowers open dab the pollen with a cotton bud over & over. You will get lots of tiny little peaches but you need to cull them drastically & it is heartbreaking to do so!

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    1. The covers don't seem to last very long, it's great that replacements are available to buy without having to buy the whole thing. I shall be out with my cotton bud just as soon as those flowers open, I can't wait to see if the tree produces peaches this year.

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  2. Most of the greenhouses on the allotments have suffered damage, many of them being glass panelled.
    Fingers crossed that you get some peaches this year.
    Flighty xx

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    1. I think greenhouses are the first things to suffer damage in high winds, that's why I use polycarbonate, it's much easier to sort out than glass is. I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for peaches, I hope they do well.

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  3. Our greenhouse is due for a major renovation. Our neighbour still has geraniums (pelargoniums) planted in his front garden and they still have some flowers!

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    1. I suppose greenhouses are just like houses, they need caring for. I've noticed pelargoniums in flower in some gardens near here, it just shows how mild a winter we've had this year.

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  4. I'm glad you have your greenhouse sorted, once you've had one it's impossible to do without.
    You peach buds look delightful, the thought of the fruit is wonderful!
    My pelargoniums survived the winter outdoors, and like you I'm thinking of taking cuttings.xxx

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    1. I don't know what I'd do without my greenhouse now. It's only six foot by four foot, and I could do with much more space, but I'd miss it greatly if I didn't have it. It will be fabulous if I manage to get some peaches off the tree, it seems quite exotic to be growing peaches. I'm never all that successful with cuttings but pelargoniums seem quite easy.

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  5. Good job, and just in time. Your peach tree is looking fabulous!

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    1. I wasn't going to wait any longer to get the greenhouse sorted, I'll be needing to use it very soon. I can't believe all the blossom on the peach tree, it's looking very promising.

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  6. Your spring onion have come on well. Good idea to use plastic green house inside the other one - should provide a good germinating environment.

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    1. I've learnt from previous years that spring onions stand well over winter and go on to provide an early harvest, I'm looking forward to tasting them now. I usually germinate my seeds on the windowsill and then move them out in to the greenhouse inside a greenhouse once the weather has warmed up a little. The plastic greenhouse just gives them a little added protection.

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  7. You must be pleased to have the greenhouse sorted Jo and ready to see some serious action. Amazing how the pelargoniums have held on to their colour. Here it's been so mild that my hardy fuchsia has not dropped any of last years leaves. I'm not sure now how this years' growth will pan out :)

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    1. I'm definitely pleased to have the greenhouse sorted out, it will be seeing some serious action shortly. This time of year is always the busiest inside it with seedlings coming and going all the time. I wonder if any plants will suffer because of the mild winter, you'd think that plants would need to drop their leaves if that's what they're supposed to do.

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  8. A visit to Aldi for me too! But do they do spare covers for the big greenhouse? Mine suffered the very same as yours, polycarbonate panels all over the place!

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    1. It would be great if they did spare covers for the big greenhouse, wouldn't it? I ended up ordering the polycarbonate from a supplier on Ebay, it was a good deal, but the panels ended up being a centimetre larger than what they'd said so they all had to be cut down. Never mind, the job's all done now.

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  9. That greenhouse looks as good as new. No excuses to delay sowing now!
    Re the Geranium: I have seen the same thing happen with ones I have overwintered - every bit turns pink, but if you keep the plant it reverts to its normal colour next time it flowers (or so I have found).

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    1. I had my doubts about the greenhouse, it was swaying all over the place without the polycarbonate panels in place, but some screws needed tightening and it is as good as new again now. I've seen the leaves turn pink on pelargoniums before but never though about the flowers, it makes sense now. I think I'll have a go at taking some cuttings but also try to keep the actual plants alive too and see how I get on. It's worth experimenting with, as if I won't be busy enough over the next couple of months.

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  10. The red leaved pelargonium looks so interesting. I want to see the new 'look' of your green house.

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    1. These kind of pelargoniums are sold as bedding plants, they're usually disposed of after the summer, but they can be overwintered. The old foliage turns this pink colour, but once the plant is tidied up, repotted and it's old foliage is removed, it should start putting out some lovely new green leaves.

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  11. I lost a side panel, but fortunately the greenhouse company had sent me one by mistake last year when I ordered some other panels. How fortunate was that. The spring onions have done well so early in the year xxx

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    1. Luck was definitely on your side with that panel. The spring onions were sown in autumn so they've had a head start, I don't think it will be too long now until they're ready to harvest.

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  12. Gosh, a weatherproof greenhouse... now there's a novelty. I am so used to ours being open to the skies that I think that is how they should be !! Must take a leaf out of your virtuous book and get it replaced !!

    Now you can get cracking (not literally!) and get planting & growing!!

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    1. My greenhouse has been open to the elements so long that I was starting to get used to seeing it that way. I've got seedlings growing which will be moved out there before too long so I'm sure they'll be pleased of the cosy environment now that's it's mended.

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  13. Jo, how long have you been waiting for the peach tree to give fruit? I'm expecting mine to come through the post soon, and was wondering how long it will take for the peaches to grow?

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    1. I only got the tree last August, you can read about it here http://jo-thegoodlife.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/crimson-leaf-patio-peach-tree.html
      I don't really know whether it will produce fruit or not this year but it's exciting waiting to see.

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  14. Good to see the greenhouse being repaired. I can't believe ours survived intact. I'm very please OH screwed it into the flag stones. ;) The blossom on peaches is stunning I just haven't got the space for one. Fingers crossed for some fruit. :)

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    1. They certainly do need anchoring down in the winds we've experienced this winter. My greenhouse is concreted down, so at least the frame stayed in place. My peach tree is tiny, it's a patio peach which can be grown in a container and is really very small. I don't think it would be able to support a huge crop, but a couple of peaches would be lovely.

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  15. Love your greenhouse! My seeds arrived today -- I'm excited! P. x

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    1. I love my greenhouse too. It's only small but it allows me to sow my seeds so much earlier than I would otherwise be able to if I didn't have a greenhouse. I can't wait to hear all about your seeds and what you're planning on growing this year. It's so exciting.

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  16. The wind that day of the storm was the worst I ever remember, but glad to see that you have it all sorted now. Ooh a fresh home-grown peach won't that be a treat. Fingers crossed for you

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    1. The wind is my worst kind of weather, it scares me to death. I really hope I manage to get some peaches this year, fingers crossed.

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