Planting Out

[Cactus Jack]

Hi All , i'm thinking of building an open bed in part of one greenhouse , approximately one whole side of an 8x12 , so the actual bed size would be roughly 12 x 3 . The greenhouse is completely paved , would it be necessary to lift this for root travel or build above it ?? Any advice on soil mix , pest prevention or general advice very welcome . Thanks , Stephen.

[Apicra]

My advice would be don't! Just put plants in big pots if you want them to grow quickly ....

Bedded out, pests will spread freely and hide round the back that you can't get at. Also, quick growing plants will smother slower ones. If one leans towards the light, you won't be able to rotate it around. And it will not be possible to give individual treatment - all must have the same growth periods.

If you must, then a high raised bed will make them easier to inspect and enjoy.

Best wishes,
Derek Tribble,
Harrow Branch

[topsy]

Hi Stephen,

I think you will find the space you are proposing does not afford you very much flexibility when it comes to planting out. As Derek said - I wouldn't do it. We have had a planted out are since 1992 (36' x 8'), and whilst it was wonderful to see the plants grow so quickly and reach flowering size so much more readily, it has nevertheless been a nightmare pruning, clearing up, keeping the bugs under control etc. Admittedly this bed was directly onto the garden which had been the previous occupants vegetable plot, but that presented another problem as through capillary action the ground and hence the plant roots were far too wet in the winter.

We had cerei growing out of the roof and whilst we now have the majority of this back to benches, there are still one or two things bedded out including Aloe pillansii which also broke the roof glass.

We did also have a shallow bed, four courses of bricks deep, which we filled with various soils, sands, gravels, 6X, cocoa shell, coir and anything else we could use. This was all laid down on a concrete floor or base. This was not such a success, succulents grew too quickly and in spite of soil warming cables many of the cerei succumbed in the winters.

On the other hand Graham Charles has some marvelous raised beds, which makes for easier handling, but still they need to be replanted from time to time.

If you do decide to go ahead leaving the paving slabs in situ will not matter to the plants as they will simply get their roots down between the cracks; but don't forget that things can also come up between the cracks, weeds, pests, etc.

In all honesty I don't believe that you have enough room to undertake this venture, as Derek said it will be difficult to maintain, unless you are prepared to take out panes of glass on the sides to be able to get at the bed for maintenance.

Best of luck,

Suzanne Mace

[Peter]

Hello Stephen,
I reckon that many of us had the notion to plant in the ground inside the greenhouse, however it would need a larger one than you have.

You would possibly want to plant the tall growers at the back of the bed but that could be the lowest section of the roof so it would not work.

Sorry to be negative.

[IanW]

I agree with the others, my bed in my first greenhouse was an unmitigated disaster. It just turned into a giant indestructible ant-nest in my greenhouse and was perpetually either far too wet or far too dry.

[fero]

Hi I say go for it, if the plants out grow the space in a few years, biuld a biger greenhouse. A raised bed might be better, insulated underneath, to stop damp and cold. The only way we progress is trial and error, if things go wrong, improve lean and create something that makes you happy. Dividing the bed into sections, grouping plants with the same requirements. I find Cacti are easy to move repot and reroot from cuttings. Having fun and enjoying our hobby is what its all about.

[FaeLLe]

Hi I say go for it, if the plants out grow the space in a few years, biuld a biger greenhouse. A raised bed might be better, insulated underneath, to stop damp and cold. The only way we progress is trial and error, if things go wrong, improve lean and create something that makes you happy. Dividing the bed into sections, grouping plants with the same requirements. I find Cacti are easy to move repot and reroot from cuttings. Having fun and enjoying our hobby is what its all about.

That is alright but why bother going down a venture that is tried and known to cause problems?
Human survival rates are so high because we learn from evolutionary experiences

[fero]

Re FaeLLe , hello here's how I see it. Man has idea. Create cactus bed .. asks for advice? Is told the reasons why it won't work or will be difficult. ( which is often the best advice hearing other people's difficulties, and finding solutions. ) why bother . Because it may not work out exactly as planned. (It may, who doesn't want a Cerei growing through the roof. ) But it may lead to something that otherwise would never have happened. I am building a 7-6meter greenhouse with large beds and in the past have had smaller beds. I have friends with large permanent beds that look incredible. Everyone has to start somewhere. I plant agave and opuntias out in my garden all year. Though they do get wrapped up in winter. And bed out cacti for summer. And I live 800 ft up in the mountains.
It is our decisions that makes us who we are. And having fun creating beds and experimenting only encouraged me.

[RAYWOODBRIDGE]

Hi Stephen My first collection many years ago was housed in a large square greenhouse in which I had a centre bed 2.4m x 2.4m ( 8x8 ) and like you I wanted to plant out this with quicker growing species.
The first year I was amazed at the growth the second it started to become a problem by the third I was regretting not having the extra stageing I would have had and pruning was now having to be done.
Needless to say it went, but to put a bed against one side of the greenhouse would be even worse which has been said above , As Derek says put them in large pots, that's what I do with the few large plants I have in this collection they go into a cold greenhouse for the winter and kept dry, then in April go out into the garden into a warm dry corner where they do quiet well left on their own.
Mealy bug and scale insect run riot in an open bed, and to try and reach round the back of some plant with long spines all around you is not easy.

[Peter]

The problem with following fero's advice, i.e. ignore all the folk who have tried and regretted the idea, is that valued and valuable plants could be wrecked, followed by the realisation that all those folk were right all along.