Greenhouse Stores Blog

Lean-To & House-Attached Greenhouse Planning UK

Matt W · 1st Jul 2026

A greenhouse fixed to your house counts as an extension, not an outbuilding. Here is how UK planning permission, boundary rules and the Party Wall Act really apply to lean-to greenhouses, from installers with 16 years on the tools.

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Year-Round Rose Growing in a Greenhouse UK

Matt W · 1st Jul 2026

Can you grow roses in a greenhouse all year in the UK? Not quite, but glass buys earlier blooms and cleaner cut flowers. Variety picks, heating, winter rest and red spider mite control from 16 years under glass.

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Greenhouse Replacement Glass: A UK Reglazing Guide

Matt W · 27th Jun 2026

How to replace broken greenhouse glass the right way: identify your clips, measure the aperture, choose glass or polycarbonate, and fit a new pane safely. From installers with 16 years experience.

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Hydroponics in a Greenhouse: A UK Beginner's Introduction

Matt W · 27th Jun 2026

Grow hydroponically in a UK greenhouse: NFT, Kratky and drip systems, the best beginner crops, and what a setup really costs. From installers with 16 years experience.

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Greenhouse Glossary: 40 UK Gardening Terms Explained

Matt W · 25th Jun 2026

Confused by greenhouse jargon? Our glossary explains 40 UK terms in plain English, from eaves height and glazing to damping down and hardening off. From installers with 16 years on site.

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Greenhouse Glazing Options: Glass, Toughened or Polycarbonate

Matt W · 25th Jun 2026

The three greenhouse glazing options compared: horticultural glass (90% light), toughened glass (family-safe) and twin-wall polycarbonate (up to 40% warmer). Which to choose for your garden, from UK installers.

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Greenhouse Too Hot? A UK Installer's Cooling Guide

Matt W · 25th Jun 2026

A greenhouse hits 45-50C in summer sun, hot enough to scorch plants. The three cooling levers that hold it at 20-27C: full ventilation, shade netting and damping down. From installers with 16 years on UK sites.

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Heating a Greenhouse without Electricity: What Actually Works

Matt W · 25th Jun 2026

Heating a greenhouse without electricity might seem like a tricky task, but it's actually quite doable with a bit of know-how. Whether you're looking to save on energy costs or simply don't have access to power in your greenhouse, there are several clever methods you can use to keep your plants cosy. Let's explore some practical ways to maintain warmth in your greenhouse without relying on electrical heating.

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When to Plant Tomatoes in a Greenhouse: Heated vs Unheated

Matt W · 23rd Jun 2026

When to sow and plant out greenhouse tomatoes in the UK, with a heated-vs-unheated timeline table. Plant by soil temperature, not the calendar. From installers with 16 years on UK sites.

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Forcing Bulbs for Christmas Colour in a UK Greenhouse

Matt W · 22nd Jun 2026

How to force hyacinths, paperwhites and amaryllis for Christmas and winter colour. Week-by-week timing, the cold dark period explained, and the kit you need. From UK greenhouse installers with 16 years on site.

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Pinching Out Tomatoes: When to Snap, When to Stop

Matt W · 19th Jun 2026

How to pinch out tomato side shoots, choose cordon or bush, train a single stem to the ridge, and stop the plant for a heavy crop. Steps from greenhouse installers with 16 years on UK sites.

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Greenhouse Tomato Problems & Troubleshooting: UK Guide

Matt W · 17th Jun 2026

Greenhouse tomato problems are usually heat and watering, not disease. Diagnose blossom end rot, splitting, greenback, poor fruit set, blight and whitefly, with the greenhouse-specific fix from 16-year installers.

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Using Grow Bags in a Greenhouse: Tomatoes, Watering & Setup

Matt W · 17th Jun 2026

Grow bags suit greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, but plant two per bag, not three. A drip kit ends the twice-a-day summer watering. Setup and feeding tips from 16-year greenhouse installers.

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Fruit to Grow in a Greenhouse UK: 12 Crops, Ranked

Matt W · 12th Jun 2026

Twelve fruits thrive in a UK greenhouse and eight need no heater at all. Installer-measured temperatures, a difficulty table and advice on the right house for figs, grapes, citrus and melons.

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Early Crops Under Glass: Steal a Six-Week Head Start

Matt W · 10th Jun 2026

Beetroot, carrots, peas, broad beans and spring onions all crop 4-6 weeks earlier when started under glass. Our installers share the exact UK sowing calendar they use, plus the cold frame kit that makes it work.

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How to Harden Off Seedlings: UK Timing & Step-by-Step Method

Matt W · 10th Jun 2026

Hardening off acclimatises indoor seedlings to outdoor life over 7 to 14 days. Skip it and tender plants die fast. Our UK schedule, cold frame method and frost-watch tips, from installers with 16 years on site.

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Why Do Plants Grow Faster in a Greenhouse? We Measured It

Matt W · 10th Jun 2026

Plants grow faster under glass thanks to trapped heat, shelter and a longer season. We measured a 19C lift inside on a sunny April day and soil three weeks ahead of open ground. From installers with 16 years on site.

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Rainwater Harvesting for Greenhouses: Butts & Diverters

Matt W · 9th Jun 2026

Why rainwater beats tap for seedlings and ericaceous plants, how to size a water butt to your greenhouse roof, and how to fit a diverter in under an hour. From installers with 16 years on site.

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Year-Round Salad Growing in a Greenhouse: UK Guide

Matt W · 8th Jun 2026

Pick fresh salad leaves every month in a UK greenhouse. Matt shares a month-by-month sowing calendar, the hardiest winter leaves, successive sowing and cut-and-come-again tips from 16 years growing under glass.

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25 Greenhouse Ideas, Uses & Designs UK: From Balcony to Walk-in

Matt W · 8th Jun 2026

Twenty-five greenhouse ideas for UK gardens, from a balcony mini to a walk-in Victorian. Shaped by 14 years of real installs, with a frame to match every space and budget.

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Wooden Greenhouse Guide UK: ThermoWood, Timber & Maintenance

Matt W · 3rd Jun 2026

After 16 years fitting Swallow wooden greenhouses, we compare ThermoWood with softwood, set out real fitted costs, the yearly maintenance job and the five models we install most across UK gardens.

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June Gardening Jobs UK: 12 Tasks From Expert Greenhouse Installers

Matt W · 1st Jun 2026

June is the first real harvest month and peak watering season in UK gardens. We cover daily greenhouse watering, side-vent fitting for cross-flow airflow, aphid control and what to sow now for a late-summer harvest.

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Greenhouse Combi Sheds UK: Half Greenhouse, Half Storage Buyer's Guide

Matt W · 27th May 2026

Greenhouse combi sheds give you a shed and a greenhouse in one footprint. Our UK installers compare 5 Swallow ThermoWood models from £4,082 - which one fits your garden best, with free delivery and fitting included.

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Your First Year With a Greenhouse: A UK Month-by-Month Beginner's Diary (From a 16-Year Installer)

Matt W · 22nd May 2026

What does the first year with a greenhouse really look like? A UK month-by-month diary from a 16-year installer — what to sow in January, when to harden off, how to over-winter, and the five rookie mistakes that quietly cost beginners a season.

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