The Cottage Smallholder

Photo: Greenhouse in October

I love our greenhouse. It’s a real haven for pottering. It’s 8’x6’ so it doesn’t have a lot of space but this also means that it can be heated very economically especially if I insulate it with bubble wrap.

During the first year of greenhouse buying/building frenzy. I spotted that a client’s green house was insulated with bubble wrap.
“It has a dramatic effect on the temperature in the greenhouse. In fact we don’t need a heater apart from the frostiest days.”

So I did the same. I found that Homebase sells biodegradable bubble wrap by the yard (£1.29 for a 1×1.5 meter but biodegradable means a fairly short life). Homebase also has a pack 30m x 75cm (£14.99 excluding clips) and only collect from store. I’ve discovered that Crocus.co.uk has bubble insulationso much cheaper and on offer for £12.99 for 30m x75cm plus clips.

I didn’t bother to put it up last winter and lost all our scented geraniums. This year I’m loathe to lose their replacements and want to start propagating seed very early. We also have the very smart heater that I bought at the church fete if temperatures fall below zero.

If you take the bubble wrap down in the spring and store it somewhere dry it should last for years like ours has.

I’ve also been squirreling away bubble wrap that arrives in our parcels for insulating pots in the kitchen garden this winter.

Update: I’ve just spotted that Harrod Horticultural  have a handy table for working out how much bubble insulation you need to line your green house. They also stock the clips and some very tasty greenhouse accessories.

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