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Post by ladybird on Feb 15, 2014 13:02:19 GMT
Me again  I think I have mentioned before that I have a problem with water lying in the greenhouse and sour smells in the winter .I recall the soil was foul, green and smelly when I replaced the greenhouse a few years ago and I don`t grow anything in the soil direct I have stones along the sides of the greenhouse under the tables and a line of slabs down the middle . After it rains I see a little water lying on the slabs and when I walk on them water squelches up . it`s not flooded just irritating  Before I build my heated bench I need to tackle this . I am considering a central soak away with small stones only , or an irrigation pipe. Any one have ideas of the best way ? |
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 15, 2014 19:20:12 GMT
Ladybird, how is the water getting in the greenhouse in the first place? Is the greenhouse situated in a wet or boggy part of the garden?
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Post by ladybird on Feb 16, 2014 10:45:30 GMT
not entirely sure daitheplant. The garden slopes down from back to front and side to front, so I had to cut and fill to get a flat area for the original greenhouse , the floor of it was never wet but the front half of the soil was sour when I took it down and put this one up . I thought it was the way I was watering so I have been very careful watering in this one
To get a little more eave height on this one, it sits on a raised frame of 4" concrete posts along the two long sides and treated wood at the back and front. The floor level inside the GH is probably at the same level as outside or maybe a few inches higher .The back base of the GH is several inches below the neighbors fence and driveway water lies here if it rains , there is no drainage problem visable along the sides or front of the GH on the outside .
I sealed all the openings that rain could seep in at the guttering and around the entire base of the frame with silicone. the water seems to be coming up from the ground . the stones at either side are wet but not waterloged .
I did think of raising the floor but it would mean having to chop several inches off all the table legs.
My soil is heavy clay but becaiuse I renewed the front soil area of my new GH the soil was better though the paving slabs have sunk a few inches just at the front over the past 5 years
and this is where the water problem is worst
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 16, 2014 18:57:30 GMT
Are the stones either side of the path, gravel? If so, how deep is the layer?
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Post by ladybird on Feb 17, 2014 14:14:27 GMT
Are the stones either side of the path, gravel? If so, how deep is the layer? no daitheplant the layer of small grey stones is not deep , it just covers the porus membrane underneath . This is the only picture I have at the moment  |
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 17, 2014 19:14:59 GMT
I WAS going to suggest you dig the beds either side of the slabs to the depth of one spit, then 3/4 fill scalpings ( stones about 3 to 4 inches in diameter ) then top off with gravel. This would then act as a decent soakaway. Unless all your staging is easily removable though, I don`t think that is now such a good idea, so will have a rethink.
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Post by ladybird on Feb 17, 2014 21:10:36 GMT
I WAS going to suggest you dig the beds either side of the slabs to the depth of one spit, then 3/4 fill scalpings ( stones about 3 to 4 inches in diameter ) then top off with gravel. This would then act as a decent soakaway. Unless all your staging is easily removable though, I don`t think that is now such a good idea, so will have a rethink. Actually daitheplant the tables are all removable I made them and am planning to rearrange them . I have made another long one on the right hand side , not in the picture, that I now plan to put it accross the back for the heated bed . I need to renew the polycarbonate first at the back , groan, there is just SO much to do , I want to get it right this time so it will do , at least for another 10 years, if I last that long  The tables are 3 foot high and there is not much space between the table tops and the roof otherwise I would consider raising the floor level . I suppose I could chop a few inches off all the legs  I have half a ton of spare quarry dust would that be good for that sort of drainage ? |
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 18, 2014 19:37:26 GMT
I think stone dust would make the problem worse. If you don`t want to dig the borders out, then you may be better off laying a couple of lengths of plastic field drain.
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Post by ladybird on Feb 19, 2014 14:46:13 GMT
I think stone dust would make the problem worse. If you don`t want to dig the borders out, then you may be better off laying a couple of lengths of plastic field drain. Thats sounds a good idea daitheplant as outside the greenhouse there is a very slight slope which dips sharply after about one meter, so the drainage would be good. I have just been looked at 60 mm perforated land drain flexible pipe but it is very expensive on line . Fortunately I phoned a local company who sell all sorts of pipes and though they don`t stock the 60mm size they offered to order it for me, a 25 meters roll for only £13. 30p, I was delighted will get it in a few days |
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 19, 2014 19:52:35 GMT
A bargain, ladybird.  |
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Post by Cherry on Feb 20, 2014 6:07:52 GMT
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Post by ladybird on Feb 20, 2014 17:00:11 GMT
Oh cherry that pic was a few years ago, things are a lot worse now but I have a plan and hopefully will post a few pics as I go along with the renovations |
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I think I have mentioned before that I have a problem with water lying in the greenhouse and sour smells in the winter .I recall the soil was foul, green and smelly when I replaced the greenhouse a few years ago and I don`t grow anything in the soil direct I have stones along the sides of the greenhouse under the tables and a line of slabs down the middle . After it rains I see a little water lying on the slabs and when I walk on them water squelches up . it`s not flooded just irritating 
The tables are 3 foot high and there is not much space between the table tops and the roof otherwise I would consider raising the floor level . I suppose I could chop a few inches off all the legs 
I have half a ton of spare quarry dust would that be good for that sort of drainage ? 
