Author Topic: What do you use for a greenhouse flooring material???  (Read 1310 times)

Daintree

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What do you use for a greenhouse flooring material???
« on: March 21, 2019, 09:00:10 AM »
So, my back is killing me from having to dig out my greenhouse.
The bark mulch I have used for the past 10 years has - A) built up to the point it has lost me several inches of height, and B) it is decomposing into dust, which, when the fans hit it, blow the dust all over the greenhouse and coat everything.
Thank goodness for grandkids to help!
I am wondering what other folks use for flooring.  I have had poor results with gravel/rock because the floor gets SUPER hot in the summer, and SUPER cold on winter nights. Can't do concrete because my greenhouse is already full of plants.
The soil is clay, and I can't dig down deeper because it is situated under our maple tree to help with summer shade.
Does anyone use rubber matting, weed block (by itself, without bark on top), or any other surface I may want to try?
I have been thinking about used soccer field turf, or new indoor/outdoor stuff from Home Depot, rubber horse stall mats, etc. Or, maybe I just need bigger, better bark...
Our property is flood irrigated, so it will get an inch or so of water weekly in the summer.  It seeps in under the cinder blocks, it is not intentional. But it does keep the mice out!
So, what do you all use on your floor???

Thanks!
Carolyn

Alejandro45

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Re: What do you use for a greenhouse flooring material???
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2019, 07:07:55 PM »
Most nurseries I have been to use the black weed block alone. Excelsia gardens uses it in the entire greenhouse and They even have a big breadfruit growing right through it.

brian

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Re: What do you use for a greenhouse flooring material???
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2019, 11:58:11 AM »
Daintree I am thinking about this also.  My greenhouse is plain clay dirt right now.  I intend to put down white landscape fabric to make it extra bright.  However, to prevent it from getting muddy I need to put something between the fabric and the soil.  I am thinking of doing mulch, but I wasn’t sure how quickly it would break down.  I am also considering perforated rubber mats but they are expensive.  I think I will try mulch first and see how it goes.

If you don’t care about the color I would definitely just put down gray landscape fabric.  You should be able to sweep it when leaves drop.

9B in Brazil

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Re: What do you use for a greenhouse flooring material???
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2019, 01:42:04 PM »
My greenhouse is over clay and has a weed barrier with white pebbles.
I am an American from California with a small farm in Southern Brazil. 
Sou americano na Califórnia e tenho um sítio em Brusque, SC, Brasil.

Marc Doyle

Jack, Nipomo

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Re: What do you use for a greenhouse flooring material???
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2019, 02:36:59 PM »
I had to use plastic sheeting as the roots from the pots grew down into the native soil. 

Daintree

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Re: What do you use for a greenhouse flooring material???
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2019, 07:30:29 PM »
Thanks all, for the ideas!
I love the idea of the white landscape fabric to brighten it up! I wish I could keep something like that clean. Sure wish they made that stuff in green or tan color!  I am leaning towards just straight, REALLY HEAVY landscape fabric. The stuff I have under the much probably would not hold up to much traffic.
The broken-down mulch-powder covers everything with a fine coating right now, so I will keep scraping it up and then figure out what to replace it with as I go.  My banana roots have delved down through bark, fabric and clay. I can't budge the pot an inch.  When this one is done fruiting I am going to put the best pup in a bigger pot.

Cheers,
Carolyn