Sunday 9 May 2021

Serre volante

This greenhouse just isn't up to the Mayenne weather.   Today threatened thunderstorms, and although we never got a torrential downpour, we did get some strong winds.    These can cause to break or bend, the plastic joints holding the metal struts of the greenhouse together.   

I had been holding the cover down with big rocks but they weren't doing the job so I let the cover blow off and lie on the ground.   Better that than a knackered frame.   Meanwhile I dug over the rest of the soil in the greenhouse, getting the rocks out.  Frankly it was better to work in the open air than in the 38° heat inside.


No frosts expected tonight.  I'll finish the digging tomorrow and put the cover back on when the winds have died down.


4 comments:

The bike shed said...

Can that be long-term solution? I wonder if you might add some sort of rigging system eventually?

Mark In Mayenne said...

Hi Mark, the greenhouse itself came with attachments for a rigging system, but they broke in a gale. I think it would probably be possible to make a long-term solution using this technique, with guy ropes for every plastic joint.

James Higham said...

Sounds wild over here. Maybe a more robust frame and perspex needed?

Mark In Mayenne said...

You're right James. I have hammered in stakes around it with tight guy ropes. These seem to have held things together during the gales of last night and yesterday. But the problem is the fundamental weakness of the frame on account of the plastic joints. I'm not sure what to do about that. I might just abandon the greenhouse as a bad bet and get one one with a stronger frame, or if I can find a way to strengthen the joints with welds perhaps I might try that.

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