Kitchen Garden Forum

Having just re-constructed my greenhouse, I want to put a bed in there for tomatoes etc. How about using some nice loamy soil mixed with well rotted manure, what do others use?

Compo

I just use the soil in situ and mix plenty of garden compost in the planting hole.

i normally mulch this time of year with compost or rottrd manure. maybe again with lawnmowings later in the summer, anything organic to help retain moisture during the summer.

Compo, i just use some nice loamy soil mixed with well rotted manure.

Compo,
I erected my handme down greenhouse last year on some 'dodgy' ground. I dug out the border two spits deep and laid in rotted manure and leaf mould and topped with spent grow bags. I was pleased with my toms and pepps but had nothing to measure them against being my first season with a greenhouse.

I used the in-situ soil and now wish I had not.
As I am on clay the addition of shelter from the rain means that the borders are now akin to concrete.
I dug them and whil I could break it up to golfball concistancy I cannot get it down to a tilth.
Things might improve with watering which I am not doing in the "dead" season.
Otherwise its going to be a barrow job.

I'm no help because I use double depth grow bags.

Works well for me!

OK I have plenty of tips now will used soild and rotted manure / compost, incidentally does anyone use the space unders their staging to grow anything?

Compo

I grow cut-and-come again salad in growbags under the staging (it's a glass to ground Alton, sort of A-shaped greenhouse). That works very well.

I built myself drop down staging that swings flat against the side of the greenhouse when not in use. This means I can grow anything under there in spring then drop it down when all the seedlings have been planted out and allow whatever is underneath to grow as tall as it wants.
Currently I've got mizuna under it but come May I'll plant peppers there most likely.

Thats what thought I might do Jenny, I have lightweight aliminium staging and If I have a bed under the side where the staging is, I can then take the tops of the staging (removable duckboards) and grow taller plants through the staging frame, which can also act as a support. In winter I can extend the growing season for salads etc.

Cheers Compo

Hi Compo

Here are some photos of what I did. Your idea sounds very similar except you'll have the advantage of ready made supports for taller plants. I have to drive a cane in or run string from the soil to the roof of the greenhouse. The advantage with my system is that the shelves are completely out of the way when out of use.
The final pic shows how I unhook the staging to let it swing down when it's no longer needed.

Well i must say Jenny you have surprised me, that really looks a simple but effective way to do shelving.

Why are you surprised Herby?
Couldn't you tell my vast horticultural expertise from my posts?

You clever thing Jenny, I am not surprised though, no reason why women can't do most things that men can, some of them just don't want too usually.

Today I dug the first of the beds in the greenhouse, and topped off with manure, will do the other one next week, as I got the week off!! Yippee

Compo