Category: Glasshouses

Ready, steady, SOW

Traditionally, people sowed vegetable seeds in their gardens on Saint Patrick’s Day.  That was because they were off work and free to do it rather than weather and soil conditions being suitable.  But, right enough, the soil is often dry enough to dig and warm enough for seed germination about then.

If you have a glasshouse or polytunnel you don’t have to wait for all that.  You can sow  crop seeds earlier under cover and have plants to put out instead of seeds, gaining several weeks of extra growth.   Sow leafy crops like cabbages and lettuce in modules for planting out later, and also a few seeds in the border soil inside to mature early.  If you have lots of room, keep one courgette plant growing inside until the outdoor-planted ones start fruiting.  You can then chop it out and use the space for something else, but it will have been cropping for weeks by then.

Tap-rooted plants such as carrots can’t be transplanted and don’t take kindly to modules, but you can still sow some inside for early crops.  Freshly-dug baby carrots, washed instead of peeled, and eaten raw are fit for a king.

Seedlings are easiest to raise in a heated propagator.  If using it inside the house carry the seedlings  out to a glasshouse or tunnel in the propagator with the cover closed to protect them from cold winds as the temperature shock would be too much for them.

The sun is getting stronger, so be prepared to open vents or doors on sunny days.  But make sure to close them at night!  Throw a sheet of bubble-wrap or fleece over plants on frosty nights.

Spring is sprung

Spring is sprung,

The grass is riz,

I wonder where the greenhouse is!

If you haven’t been in your greenhouse for so long that you are asking the above question, that’s okay.  You own it, and if you want to take a break from all gardening over the winter, that’s your decision.  Maybe next winter you will have green herbs and vegetables and some nice flowers, but what will you do now?

It’s time to spring-clean if you didn’t do it in the autumn.  On a dry and not too windy day, wash the outside of your glasshouse with a sponge mop and warm water with some washing-up liquid.  Hot water might crack the glass, and cold water is too darned uncomfortable when it runs up your sleeve!  Work from the ridge down.  Plastic tunnels are best left alone, or if badly affected with green algae washed very gently indeed.   Tidy up around the greenhouse and renew any gravel or bark mulch.

The inside can be done in windy weather without suds blowing in your face, but use a horticultural disinfectant instead of washing-up liquid if pests or diseases have been a problem.  Take out all crop remains.   Take out all pots and either empty them or tidy the plants up for bringing back in later.   Repair the path if needed and dig over the borders, adding in organic matter if you have it (it decomposes faster in the heat of a greenhouse).  Wash out empty pots and seed trays with garden disinfectant.

Now you’re ready to sow early vegetables such as carrots, ‘Hispi’ cabbage, and salad crops in the greenhouse, and many more for planting outside later.  Annual flowers too.  Enjoy!

 

Peter Whyte

B Agr Sc (Hort), Nat Dip Sc (Apic), Dip Tr & Ed, MI Hort

Order a Glasshouse now to have it in time for the Spring

Don’t miss out on the Growing Season !

In order not to miss the Growing Season, contact us now for details and delivery timescales on our high quality glasshouses.
We only have a limited stock available.

Come and visit our extensive Display Area in Birr, Co. Offaly and get expert advice.

We currently have 21 Glasshouses on display, the largest display of Greenhouses in Ireland.

Greenhouse Display Area

We now have 15 Glasshouses and 4 Polytunnels on display at Polydome’s HQ at Crinkill House in Birr.  With Birr Castle Demesne close by any green fingered people looking for a Greenhouse (Glasshouse or Polytunnel) will find the trip well worthwhile.  As well as seeing the largest display of Greenhouses and being able to talk to product specialists to sort you out with the best Greenhouse or Greenhouses Accessories for your situation, with good places to eat locally and the renowned Gardens and Science Centre at Birr Castle it will be a great horticultural day out.

New Doors on our Display Tunnel

We have installed double sliding doors on our 5.5m wide Display Tunnel. They look great and overcome issues hinged doors can have on windy sites.  A strong magnet keeps the two doors together when closed.  More new products coming on stream shortly and as well as our 4 Polytunnels on display we now have 11 Glasshouses so far up as well.

Greenhouse Display Area Progress

Glad to say our Greenhouse Display area is progressing well.  We have 9 Glasshouses and 4 Polytunnels up so far with more to come in the coming weeks and months.  Our plan will be over time to develop the area to show not only the huge range of Greenhouses and Polytunnels we do but also giving examples of how they can be laid out, which is a question we are often asked by customers.  We will also over time kit out many of the Greenhouses and Polytunnels with all sorts of accessories to demonstrate their use, so our display area will not just be for visitors wanting to buy a Glasshouse but a destination for proud owners of Greenhouses wishing to enhance and utilize their investment to its full potential.  Our display area is open from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday (closed for a well deserved break between 1 and 2pm).  Why not phone and make an appointment to ensure a specialist for the product you are interested in is available and minimize your waiting time.

Display area progressing

After a busy spell of servicing orders with no time available to get our own Greenhouses up, we have finally had a window of opportunity to go at our own display area.  We have built the frames of four more Greenhouses bringing the total to 8 so far on display as well as 4 Polytunnels.  In the coming weeks we will complete these models and add a few more that we have in stock.  It is great to see some growth now with the newly laid lawns giving a lovely green carpet – so it is out with the mower tonight.

Successful Bloom Show

Really enjoyed the Bloom Show.  Apart from the great reaction to the Glasshouses and Polytunnels we had on display on our stand, the award winning Growhouse (Western Red Cedar Glasshouse) which we built in an award winning Garden generated a huge amount of enquiries.  It was also wonderful to meet so many of our customers who stopped in to say hello.  I find it is a very well run show with good facilities which helps to make attending and visiting a pleasurable experience.  So put the date in your diary for next year everyone!

Ireland’s leading Greenhouse Supplier

High Quality Greenhouses for Sale in Ireland

Polydome.ie sells the largest selection of greenhouses in Ireland and have been supplying Glasshouses for 18 years and Polytunnels for 27 years.  We have full time employed Greenhouse constructors and you know when you deal with us that you are talking to someone who knows what they are about.  We supply the following greenhouse types,Toughened glass greenhouses. Horticulture glass greenhouses, Polycarbonate greenhouses Lean to Greenhouses, Dwarf wall greenhouses, Large Greenhouses and small Greenhouses, We have aluminium framed greenhouses ,ceder wood greenhouses,Dwarf glass greenhouse, and wooden greenhouses Greenhouse as well as small to large size in all Greenhouses mentioned.  We also are one of the top suppliers of Polytunnels.

Polydome.ie has it all from the Hobby greenhouse enthusiasts to professional growers.

We stock Europa Manor Greenhouses, Eden Greenhouses, Elite Greenhouses and Janssens Greenhouses as well as supplying Growhouse Greenhouses and Griffin Glasshouses to order.

Based in the midlands we deliver to all 32 counties using our own transport, but can courier if required to provide a faster lead time like 2 days.

Polydome.ie provides a full range of greenhouse accessories including staging, Glasshouse heaters, propagators and greenhouse benches.

Polydome Greenhouses offer the highest levels of expertise and back up service to their customers thanks to vast experience over many years.

Newest addition to our Display Area

The newest arrival at our Display area is this 6ft x 12ft lean-to Greenhouse from Eden Greenhouses.  It has a lovely green powder coated frame.  Remember powder coating not only looks good but it also protects the aluminium from discolouring and tarnishing.  The glass is full length toughened glass which we recommend as it is much safer than horticultural glass and nicer to look at than polycarbonate.  This Greenhouse is fantastic value being only 1523 euro delivered in kit form for self assembly.