I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

"Don" wrote in message
...
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

What's the point? Anyone who wanted to steal something could just smash a
pane of glass or two and grab what they wanted. Most gardeners leave their
greenhouse door open during the summer anyway, to stop it overheating. The
best thing is not to keep anything valuable in the greenhouse. If you must,
then get yourself a lockable cabinet or something to put inside it.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

snip
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

I have never thought of putting any locks on my greenhouse.I am sure
that commercial growers do, they will be able to help you more

kate

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 10:57:48 -0000, "Martin Sykes"
wrote:

"Don" wrote in message
.. .
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

What's the point? Anyone who wanted to steal something could just smash a
pane of glass or two and grab what they wanted. Most gardeners leave their
greenhouse door open during the summer anyway, to stop it overheating. The
best thing is not to keep anything valuable in the greenhouse. If you must,
then get yourself a lockable cabinet or something to put inside it.

I was thinking more on the lines of grandchildren or neighbours children
pinching my tomatoes etc than any smash & grab merchants. I think I'll
just ensure that I grow enough stuff for us all :-) Thank you.

Don

On Tue, 02 Nov 2004 11:53:55 GMT, Kate Morgan
wrote:

snip
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

I have never thought of putting any locks on my greenhouse.I am sure
that commercial growers do, they will be able to help you more

kate

Thanks, Kate, I've decided not to bother.

Don

"Don" wrote in message
...
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

Hi Don,

I don't have an Elite greenhouse, however, with my greenhouse I've drilled a
hole in the top aluminium runner, to the left of the door when shut (but
this depends on which way your door opens). I then feed the shackle of my
padlock through this and snap it shut, preventing the door from being
opened. I also squirt a little oil in the lock to prevent it sticking
(although you can now get weatherproof padlocks).

HTH

Cheers

Nick
http://www.ukgardening.co.uk

In message , Don
writes
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.

Not worth it. Though it is worth considering how to lock down the door
and any opening windows so that they cannot be sprung out by winter
storms. And also consider strengthening the cross struts on the corner
that faces into the prevailing wind. That was what did for mine...

What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

None.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

In article , Don
writes
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

I have a Robinsons which has a double door. I have a chain through the
door handles fastened by combination lock (so I don't have to fuss about
where the key is). That also allows me to lock it with the doors a
little bit open in summer.

The reason I lock my greenhouse is a) we have a shared driveway so we
can't gate off the access to the greenhouse b) some of the cacti in it
I've had for more than 40 years so I'd be a bit cross if anything
happened to them.

If my greenhouse were in a secure back garden, I probably wouldn't lock
it. I'd also be careful not to leave tools in it that could be used to
help break into the house.

But even in its current insecure situation, I've had no attempts at
damage to greenhouse or contents in 14 years, even though in that time
we've had one sneak thief and one water butt stolen, and next door
neighbours but one have had a car stolen from the driveway, 3 thefts
from their garage, and we've both had paving stone thefts.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , Martin Sykes
writes
"Don" wrote in message
.. .
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

What's the point? Anyone who wanted to steal something could just smash a
pane of glass or two and grab what they wanted.

The noise of smashing glass might attract attention. Having to smash
glass rather than just walk in may well be enough to deter the casual
thief.

After all, if you follow that argument, why bother with window locks?
;-)


--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 16:19:45 GMT, Janet Baraclough..
wrote:

The message
from Don contains these words:


I was thinking more on the lines of grandchildren or neighbours children
pinching my tomatoes etc than any smash & grab merchants. I think I'll
just ensure that I grow enough stuff for us all :-) Thank you.

I'd just put the GH strictly off-limits to unsupervised-child
visitors. Tell their parents it's for the safety of Precious; and let
them picture their kids tasting deadly potions, falling onto dagger
shards of horticultural glass, or drowning in the water butt.

Janet.

Good idea! I'd best not mention that I fitted 3mm toughened glass.
Mind you, all this is in anticipation of me growing something edible,
which is in no way guaranteed, this being my first attempt. Up until now
my gardening experience has been limited to cutting hedges and mowing
lawns (occasionally).

Don.

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 13:19:47 -0000, "Nick Gray"
wrote:

Hi Don,

I don't have an Elite greenhouse, however, with my greenhouse I've drilled a
hole in the top aluminium runner, to the left of the door when shut (but
this depends on which way your door opens). I then feed the shackle of my
padlock through this and snap it shut, preventing the door from being
opened. I also squirt a little oil in the lock to prevent it sticking
(although you can now get weatherproof padlocks).

HTH

Cheers

Nick

Thanks, Nick, that sounds like just the thing for me. I'll look to see
if it will work on my greenhouse.

Perhaps you would give me your opinion on another matter on which I've
been posting to a DIY ng.
The erection instructions for my greenhouse say it should be anchored to
the ground by drilling through the steel flange on the base into the
concrete slabs on which it stands.
I can see that I will have trouble in getting the screws in as well as
drilling the holes. I've been provided with 10 x 2" wood screws & rawl
plugs to be placed three each side of the 8' x 6' base and two each end.
Since I can't budge the greenhouse with just the 3mm toughened glass in
the roof. I can't imagine the wind shifting it with the side glass
fitted as well. I'm wondering if there isn't a heck of a lot of overkill
here and how many gardeners do anchor their greenhouse down. My garden
is quite well sheltered by hedges and is on the leeward side of the
house..

Don. BTW great website, I'll be spending some time there

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 13:55:10 +0000, Kay wrote:

In article , Don
writes
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

I have a Robinsons which has a double door. I have a chain through the
door handles fastened by combination lock (so I don't have to fuss about
where the key is). That also allows me to lock it with the doors a
little bit open in summer.

The reason I lock my greenhouse is a) we have a shared driveway so we
can't gate off the access to the greenhouse b) some of the cacti in it
I've had for more than 40 years so I'd be a bit cross if anything
happened to them.

If my greenhouse were in a secure back garden, I probably wouldn't lock
it. I'd also be careful not to leave tools in it that could be used to
help break into the house.

But even in its current insecure situation, I've had no attempts at
damage to greenhouse or contents in 14 years, even though in that time
we've had one sneak thief and one water butt stolen, and next door
neighbours but one have had a car stolen from the driveway, 3 thefts
from their garage, and we've both had paving stone thefts.

I was mainly concerned with keeping children at bay. I remember, when I
was a lad, my grandfather had a greenhouse and I used to..........well,
we won't go into that.

Don.

On Tue, 02 Nov 2004 17:51:55 +0000, Don
wrote:


Since I can't budge the greenhouse with just the 3mm toughened glass in
the roof. I can't imagine the wind shifting it with the side glass
fitted as well. I'm wondering if there isn't a heck of a lot of overkill
here and how many gardeners do anchor their greenhouse down. My garden
is quite well sheltered by hedges and is on the leeward side of the
house..

I've seen a 120ft x 60ft mobile greenhouse lifted off its runners and
dumped about 2ft to one side of where it was. That's a helluva lot of
glass, aluminium and steel. I have to say that was a fairly exposed
site on a night when anything not bolted down on the nursery got
airborne.

=================================================

Rod

Weed my email address to reply.
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

I use a photo of my wife on the greenhouse
as a deterrent.!!
Tom Atkinson
"Don" wrote in message
...
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.
What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

Don

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 13:38:53 +0000, Martin Brown
wrote:

In message , Don
writes
I have just bought myself a 6 x 8 Elite Craftsman greenhouse which,
after something of a struggle, I have now finished erecting.
There is no provision for locking the door or fixing a padlock, though I
believe Elite do sell such a thing.

Not worth it. Though it is worth considering how to lock down the door
and any opening windows so that they cannot be sprung out by winter
storms. And also consider strengthening the cross struts on the corner
that faces into the prevailing wind. That was what did for mine...

What sort of security do amateur gardeners usually install in or on
their greenhouses?

None.

Regards,

The door looks a bit vulnerable now that you mention it. I'll follow
your advice, thank you.

Don