Bigal writes

I have come across several greenhouses placed under trees and to my
thinking they are a waste of time unless you have a specific reason for
wanting a large amount of shade. Tomatoes, peppers etc grow at twice
the speed and produce half the number of trusses with weedy stems. I
don't know if it possible to fight shade with shade by growing grapes
but I doubt it. If you are not prepared to move it I suggest you give
it away to someone who can make full use of it.

There's probably a difference between 'overshadowed' in the sense of
branches overhanging and "overshadowed" in the sense of big trees to the
south.

Direct sun is not necessary (and too much sun is a problem, meaning you
have to go to the effort of shading the greenhouse some way in the
summer in order to avoid overheating). Lack of light is a problem.

There's various uses for greenhouses, for example 1) growing annual
crops that need a warmer summer than we can provide 2) growing perennial
plants that need warmth - eg orchids, cacti 3) overwintering tender
plants that can spend their summer outside 4) extending the growing
season at either end, by protecting late crops from the frost, and
getting seedlings off to an early start before planting out 5) providing
a sheltered (eg slug-free) environment for vulnerable plants 6)
extending the flowering season and giving somewhere to sit with a cup of
coffee on warm winter days

Especially if your trees are deciduous, I'd have thought you'd find that
the greenhouse would really come into its own in autumn through to
spring (though to make full use in winter you are better off with some
form of heating).

It may be less use in summer, depending on how shaded it is. The plus
side is that if you don't use it in summer it gives you a time of year
when you can empty it completely and give it a really good clean-out. I
use my (partially shaded) greenhouse all the year round (for all 6 of
the purposes above!), and so am never able to give it a really good
clean out. I have to clean little bits whenever I am moving pots around.

Bob Hobden;808803 Wrote:
"Muddymike" wrote-
I have a good sized greenhouse in the garden (10 ft square) it seems to
be
of good quality alluminium construction and stands on a concrete pad.
It
even has automatic opening roof vents.
http://tinyurl.com/6dk8ad
Now that I am getting on top of the rest of the garden I have started
wondering what use to put it to. The problem is it is overshadowed by

large
trees so gets little direct sun.

All suggestions appreciated.

And no I don't intend moving it.
-

Orchids don't like too much direct sunlight so should do well in the
dappled
shade. Care! Orchid growing can become a disease (and expensive).

--
Regards
Bob Hobden




--
Bigal

--
Kay