With winter fast approaching we needed to get the new greenhouse ready for its winter inhabitants. Normally we have prepared the garden for winter prior to now, but this year with builders, and our attention focussing on the house we had out it off until the last minute.
With some low temperatures in the forecast it was time to get the new greenhouse insulated. Heading off to the nearest garden centre for bubble wrap we discovered that Christmas was far more important to them and almost the entire retail space was taken over with Christmas related tat, and no bubble wrap at all. The next garden centre was only a little better, although they didn't have enough left for us. Third time lucky and we picked up enough for the greenhouse. I guess if I had been a little better prepared this year I would have bought it online (which would have also been a lot cheaper) but unfortunately it had slipped my mind until today.
We had quite a lot of foam insulation board left over from the pond (and also some the builders had left behind) and this was used round the lower section of the greenhouse for extra insulation. It does block the light so we didn't want to go all out with this.
Once it was all wrapped up we built some temporary staging from concrete blocks and decking (this was the deck planks from the old decking we removed for the new conservatory.
The right hand side looks like a sales catalogue for Crug farm! How many of these plants can you name!
We finished putting the plants inside after dark, but fortunately the trusty work light illuminated everything as we get the greenhouse full. There is still a bit more space for a few extra plants that will find their way in over the next few days no doubt!
Gaz :)
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| As it was this morning |
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| This Cycas revoluta spent the summer in the greenhouse, we actually thought it was dead earlier in the year, but it flushed late on in summer. Many of the new leaves were fused at the tips. I don't know the cause of this, we will have to see if it does it next year. |
With some low temperatures in the forecast it was time to get the new greenhouse insulated. Heading off to the nearest garden centre for bubble wrap we discovered that Christmas was far more important to them and almost the entire retail space was taken over with Christmas related tat, and no bubble wrap at all. The next garden centre was only a little better, although they didn't have enough left for us. Third time lucky and we picked up enough for the greenhouse. I guess if I had been a little better prepared this year I would have bought it online (which would have also been a lot cheaper) but unfortunately it had slipped my mind until today.
Once it was all wrapped up we built some temporary staging from concrete blocks and decking (this was the deck planks from the old decking we removed for the new conservatory.
The right hand side looks like a sales catalogue for Crug farm! How many of these plants can you name!
We finished putting the plants inside after dark, but fortunately the trusty work light illuminated everything as we get the greenhouse full. There is still a bit more space for a few extra plants that will find their way in over the next few days no doubt!
Gaz :)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
The plants look quite cozy in their winter home so it all worked out.
ReplyDeleteI've not seen leaves on a cycad fuse like that.
Indeed Shirley, they look good huddled together too. Those Cycad leaves do look curious, quite like them looking like that actually!
Deletegood going getting the greenhouse ready for winter. I can't wait until I get my new, bigger one up so I can have some more tender plants so I've space to look after them over winter!
ReplyDeleteSomething to look forward to Kev! Having a greenhouse is so handy, and the bigger the better too.
DeleteYou seem so upbeat about all the winter protection stuff whereas it just depresses me to the extent that I convince myself it's not worth the effort. Of course a few days latter I do get stuck in. If you have sheets of that foam board spare it is well worth standing pots on it and a single layer of the cheap light fleece will be worth the odd extra degree or so of frost protection.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea Don, about standing the plants on the foam board and frost fleecing them inside too on colder nights, it just gives them that extra protection on top of the greenhouse protection too. I'd rather go shopping that day to be honest but we've delayed setting up the greenhouse for as long as we could already, couldn't ignore the weather anymore, lol! :)
DeleteI can barely imagine the work that goes into protecting your plants from the winter cold! Congratulations on getting them all tucked into place.
ReplyDeleteIt's not too bad now Kris, on previous years it was a more complicated affair :)
DeleteThat cycad is crazy cool!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on tucking them all in. I know it's a good feeling to have that done. I went out and watered a few of mine today and looked things over. It's so nice this year to have enough room to be able to move around a bit.
Love that Cycad too Loree, hope it does that every year!
DeleteIt's nice that this greenhouse is all set-up, one big chore ticked off in prep for the winter. Still have the jungle hut plants left to sort out though. Funny you mentioned about having the space to water, I said the same yesterday as this greenhouse is bigger than its predecessor and its nice to have the space to water comfortably (despite it looking jam packed).
Hi Gaz, isn't the greenhouse a bit small than your big plants? I've always associated your garden to big plants! If i am the plant in there i feel suffocated, because there will be a high demand for CO2. I guess you and Mark should alternately go there and blow to give them extra food, hahaha!
ReplyDeleteHehe, that's funny Andrea! It's not a bad size, and much bigger than we had there previously :)
DeleteLove the Crug Farm display, so much gorgeous foliage, all of which I wish to remain in blissful ignorance of thank you very much, though I have a secret ambition to take a trip over there next Spring when they open... Greenhouse looks, well, green, love the recycling of materials too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janet :) If ever you want to satisfy your curiosity then I'm happy to name most of the plants in that pic (as much as I could remember anyway). We really need to visit Crug too, high priority next spring!
DeleteThat is a lot of work to go through for your plants. Obviously a labor of love so you can have all the different things that you have. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
So worth it for all those beauties Cher! :)
DeleteSo glad you finally found enough bubble wrap! Christmas does seem to take over everything now. Your plants look snug as a bug in a rug! ;)
ReplyDeleteHehe, love that last sentence Holley! Retailers are always in a rush to shove Christmas to our faces aren't they? Mind you we still end up shopping at the last minute...
DeleteEverything looking nice and snug Mark and Gaz. We wont be bothering with a greenhouse in our new garden, I wonder how our Auriculas will do in the wetter conditions of Cheshire.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alistair! Having no greenhouse still sounds like a reasonable direction to go for. Likely the Auriculas will still do fine, cross fingers!
DeleteAll looks very warm and snug. I agree about all the tat that garden centres sell at this time of year. Drives me mad! Grumpy Dave
ReplyDeleteToo much tat indeed Dave, wish retailers would hold back a bit (yeah right!).
DeleteHooray! Everything looks happily tucked in for a long winter's nap! Once your jungle hut is finished and your decorating of the remodeled areas of your house is completed, perhaps you two will be able to take some time off to do nothing!
ReplyDeleteHope so Peter, we need some! :)
DeleteAll tucked in and ready for winter...you are such good dads.
ReplyDeleteAhhw, we'd like to think so too Ricki, or at least try to be :)
DeleteEverything looks so nice and cozy. And I never thought of bubble wrap like that! Such a great idea!
ReplyDeleteBubble wrap is an inexpensive and effective insulation Candice :)
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