New Trees: Recent Introductions to Cultivation by John Grimshaw, Ross Bayton and illustrated by Hazel Wilks. Amazon
01.08.2023 - 15:07 / gardenerstips.co.uk / hortoris
You need at least one roof ventilator and one side ventilator to get good air changes. The roof ventilator is the most important for allowing hot air to escape. Windows at both sides of the greenhouse can be beneficial. Louvered windows are very useful as they are easy to operate and I find hinged windows less stable in wind. Automatic ventilators are available that open the window using a plunger system. Obviously the door is a great ventilator and should be left open when temperatures reach 80 degrees or humidity is 100%. I have never needed an extractor fan but for a large greenhouse a slow moving fan can help some crops.
A max/min thermometer should be suspended near to greenhouse plants at eye level on the northside of the greenhouse. Digital or traditional versions are available.
Insulation by plastic double glazing on a simple frame will help heating costs but cut down on the suns rays. Bubble wrap is another product to consider and if that cuts down on too much light it can be restricted to the north wall.
A warm greenhouse needs minimum temperatures of 55° F, a cool greenhouse may only need heating in winter to retain 45° F. Electric fan heaters are the popular choice as they also help move air around and you don’t need to move fuel around. Paraffin heaters are cheaper to buy and run but they produce water vapour that can encourage grey mould. Similar issues arise with bottled gas heaters. Piped hot water is a luxury but apart from the cost of installation there are few draw backs.
I also have an under soil electric heating cable for starting seeds and cuttings. They put heat exactly where you want it and are economic to run.
Benches or stages are needed to be able to work at a comfortable height and increase the
New Trees: Recent Introductions to Cultivation by John Grimshaw, Ross Bayton and illustrated by Hazel Wilks. Amazon
Grow with the flow and in early spring that flow is in the greenhouse
Ornamental Japanese Maples are widely available for planting in your garden. The autumn colouring makes these trees spectacular when planted en mass in a woodland or Japanese garden setting.
You don’t need global warming to get a warm glow in your garden if you plant some Canna. The fiery hot flowers and leaves on some Cannas are hard to beat and are worth a place in any passionate garden.
The Lime is a tall growing well shaped tree which is often grown along avenues and public places in the UK. The flowers have an exquisite fragrance.
Oak trees conjure up images of Robin Hood and mystical Oak forests. Britain has made good use of Oak trees down the centuries. ‘From little acorns great Oak trees grow’
‘The Garden of Reading: An Anthology of Twentieth-century Short Fiction About Gardens and Gardeners’ edited by Michele Slung.
Hay fever and Asthma attacks can be brought on by Scented Plants as well as pollen or Fungal Spores. Histamin problems can also be exacerbated by scent and smells in the garden.
For something a bit different this book on botanic art covers some of the unusual colours from black flowers, plants and seaweed like strange green, blue and puce pink.
One thing is sure the climate in your garden will change. You already know one week will be different to the next and I can’t remember when two months or any years were the identical to others. In many areas you can get 3 or 4 seasons in one day (or in Scotland one hour!).
Snowdrops are officially called Galanthus. This snowdrop is Galanthus elwessii with larger than normal blooms and a honey scent the other main species are Nivalis and Plicatus. The snowdrop is very hardy, grows in most soils and prefers partial shade.