Kitchen Garden Forum

Being very green I come in for a fair amount of advice on my allotment. Most of which is welcome if conflicting!
One of my neightbours though is deadset on me having automatic ventilation on my greenhouse and painting it with cool it right now. He has even bought the cool-it and delivered it.
I was hoping to rely on opening windows and on buying shady blinds of some sort later in the year.
He seems to think that it will be Armageddon for my seedlings if I don't act at once.
What does the team think.
Thanks in advance Penny

Do you have a Max-Min thermometer?

Over the past week or so, I've had to leave the windows on my greehouse virtually closed in the high winds (it's a bit ricketty). In between my thermometer has been reading well into the high 20's when the sun's been shining.

This wouldn't be too healthy for young seedlings - especailly ones you're starting off before putting them out in the next few weeks (which might otherwise expect cooler temperatures).

When I bought my greenhouse last year I made sure to buy auto ventilators and blinds at the same time. Plants need reasonable warmth and a good light level, thats all.

If you bake them and dazzle them its worse than being too cool and too shady.

Personally I think the paint on stuff dosen't look that nice but then my greenhouse is in the garden not on the plot.

Basically your friend is right.

Enjoy

David

Many thanks Waldek has ordered openers today and I will look for some blinds at the week-end. Penny

Actually Penny I checked my thermometer again last night and got suspicious when it said it'd reached 41 C that day!

I now realise that it's not reading correctly, so my earlier posting may not be reliable either

I have a 10 x 8 greenhouse with 4 roof vents. Started off with 2 auto vents but now have 4. They are invaluable in keeping the temperature down at this time of year. I keep a thermometer 'shade' in the greenhouse and find that the temperature will stay nicely in the high 70's/ early 80's. Much more than that and plants will suffer. But I think it is much too early for shading.

Incidentally have only 1 louvre - not automatic - and will open that during the day. Later on, if the weather gets really hot I leave the double door wide open.

Both my greenhouses have auto-vents ... as I cannot be at the allotment every day at least I can rely on some air movement ...this is my third year and it seems to work well

You've had good advice about the ventilation, and the cool glass will be good a little later.

Our allotment is on a very windy site, and I was concerned that if the auto vent was open when it was very windy it might cause the glass to blow out, so I've only put an auto vent on the leaward side and have an ordinary vent on the windy side so it can stay shut in bad weather. When the weather is settled in summer I leave it open a bit all the time if I can't get to the allotment every day.

Another way to provide shade is to grow a tall crop near the sunny side - not too close, but it does help keep the temperature down in very hot weather. We got a double benefit last year by planting the runner bean row about 5 ft away from the greenhouse on the sunny side, and then the greenhouse protected the beans from the strong winds from the other direction.

You could also put seedlings on the ground, or under the staging to keep them a bit cooler if it is a problem.

Thanks for all your advice. As I said I have the openers but fancy blinds not cool-glass any suggestions. I meant to go and look at the allotment shop today but the snow distracted me. It was fabulous here - the woods were breathtaking.
Any suggestions for max/min thermometer?
Regards
Penny