Jacinta's Journal

I can see you doing a good job with those and they will look great in the Spring.

Thanks, Myrtle. I made myself promise during the Summer not to be buying pots all the time. And actually I was very good for once. I will give these little crates a couple of coats of varnish before I plant them up. And put wooden blocks underneath the 4 corners to raise them up off the ground a bit. There are loads of other options for planters, if only we use our imaginations. Maybe this is the start of things to come. For a while anyway.

You're right Jacinta, I was in Woodies today and I noticed that they sell sheets of a sort of plastic glass(dont know proper name) I must send my Christmas letter to Santa and ask for a handyman who could make me a cold frame !

Perspex? I am sure Ron is the best handyman to have around :)

I'll be like the politicians there and say "No comment" :)

So we won't call him the 'Do, Ron, Ron'.

Ha Ha!

Be careful of plastic. There is polyester which is virtually unbreakable, will scratch will not discolour is not too dear and can be cut with a hand saw. there is acrilic i.e. perspex which is tough but breakable and discolours, there is polystyrene which is cheap and useless and the latter might be what they are se.lling. there are others which are very expensive. A minefield for the unwary

So, Martin, if someone WAS to construct their own mini-greenhouse, what would you recommend they go for?

Plastic sheeting is no good, it is much dearer than glass unless you go for very thin sheets, but they will be so flexible that the first breeze with flap them out and they will fly half way to Carlow. I would recommend glass.

Ha ha good recommendation coming from a glazier! Yes, I think I would prefer glass too.

The trick with glass and greenhouses is to not just use the clips but to use silicone. We used to lose our glass in a blow until I used silicone and since (ten years or more) we have not lost a pane.

Do you make mini-greenhouses, Martin?

Sound man, Martin:)

No I do not make greenhouses of any kind :-)

What a pity, you could make a killing on this site. Mind you, your amazing creative and imaginative talents would be 'so' going to waste if you were to lose concentration with the glazing.

Good buy Jacinta, they would be lovely planted up with scarlet pelargoniums or even salad leaves.

Yea, that would be a great combo, Margaret. Have both of those. Salad leaves is about the only thing doing well outside right now. Hmmm you have me thinking now.

Nice buy there Jacinta will be great colour.

Another great bargain.

Martin, thanks for your advice, good to know.

Those crateswill be very handy. Great for holding Dahlia tubers.