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What would you grow ??

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2018 11:09 am
by grahamfx
Hi, I live in Lancashire, fairly near the coast, it's pretty mild where I am and we have a well protected garden with trees and high hedges around.

I've recently purchased (not arrived and erected yet), a 12ft x 8ft greenhouse, the plan for the greenhouse is to grow melons, tomatoes, peppers, chillies etc during the summer, and over the winter use to protect exotic plants in pots which would live outside during the summer.

The greenhouse will be unheated but will be lined with triple laminated bubblewrap over the winter.

Would like to spend some time researching plants to purchase next spring

So, any suggestions for suitable plants would be welcome please !!

What would you grow ??

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:11 pm
by Chez2
Isn't it quite high rainfall where you are? What is your soil like?

We have some plants outside, some come inside for winter. I would research some plants suited to permanent outside planting to supplement those you need to cosset more.

What would you grow ??

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:34 pm
by otorongo
Do you know what kind of minima you get over winter?

An unheated greenhouse will not protect from the worst of the cold that much, but it will protect from hoar frost, wetness and may give you daytime warmth on the brighter winter days. Also, if you get snow cover, the snow on the roof can add extra insulation. But then, many plants do better in the ground than in pots.

Cacti and succulents might be a good option, as many of them are hardy if kept dry in winter, and they tend to do well in pots. Maybe a small cycad?

If you don't get temps below -4 to -5C, brugmansias might suit the GH. My brugmansia survived -6C under fleece, with no GH.

If less than -3C is unlikely, Monstera deliciosa could work. After the last frost you could put it outside, but don't expose it to direct sunlight or it will burn (unless it's outside in the sun all year round). Strelitzia could work too, but it's more of a sun lover.

How about citrus? Kumquat, calamondin, satsuma, Meyer lemon...

You could also use your GH to start 'herbaceous' tropicals like cannas early.

What would you grow ??

Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2018 9:52 am
by grahamfx
Chez2 wrote: Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:11 pm Isn't it quite high rainfall where you are? What is your soil like?
We don't get drastically high rainfall here (not like the lake district), and the soil is pretty good, the garden is on a slope so tends to drain pretty well, and I've got tons of leaf mould and compost :)
otorongo wrote: Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:34 pm Do you know what kind of minima you get over winter?
Not sure on minimum temperature, will have to measure this winter, this winter the min outside has been -1.1, my current small greenhouse normally stays about 3 degrees warmer than outside, I should have added we also have a conservatory / sun lounge where 3 or 4 plants could live over winter, minimum in here so far has been 11 degrees

What would you grow ??

Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2018 7:52 pm
by tatter
Well you set a difficult question really. As gardening in many aspects is an individual thing in as much as we do not all like the same plants. Has as been previously said cacti and succulents are good to over winter in cold greenhouse(I also overwinter Aeoniums Echiveria small agave ,small palms, Cycas revoluta,cannas and young Banana`s in mine .I do also throw fleece over them also if getting down near freezing outside. Im sure you have or are aware of the fact that in most garden layouts no matter what theme start with the "Backbone Plants" ie the plants that provide permanent structure to the garden. My personel advice would be to first decide what kind of plants you LIKE then research requiremnts and if not suitable move on to the next choice.

What would you grow ??

Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2018 10:15 pm
by GREVILLEAJ
Tatter's advice on personal choices and preferences is spot on, Graham. With the size of your greenhouse you'll eventually be wanting to try everything and you'll be wishing you had a bigger greenhouse and garden before long.

Look through the exotics reference guide and have a good scrute of Yorkshire Kris's excellent videos. What Kris grows should do well with you. 'Wars over the roses' with a difference :lol:

What would you grow ??

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:33 am
by grahamfx
Thanks everyone, yes should have added what sort of plants I like !! I really like big leaved jungle type plants, not really cactus or succulents, want to start some off small over the next 12 months and eventually have some whopping plants in big pots that can be wheeled out for the summer and stored in the greenhouse for the winter, if anything gets too large to be moved will stay out and with some protection have to take its chances.

What would you grow ??

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2018 6:27 pm
by Chez2
grahamfx wrote: Fri Nov 30, 2018 9:52 am the soil is pretty good, the garden is on a slope so tends to drain pretty well, and I've got tons of leaf mould and compost
I was curious as to the soil as that may be a starting point to what plants you might select. If the soil wasn't so rich you could have plants which like dry sunny conditions but some don't like damp roots in winter. The high organic content is a problem to them. I would looks for a few plants that like the natural conditions then you can spend more time and effort of a few which you really like and want to spend time and effort looking after.

Good advice above. We all have such different tastes and styles.