Old carpet as greenhouse floor?

[Bandit26]

I put up a pop up/portable greenhouse this year and I love it. I just used weed cloth for the floor and its starting to fall apart (happy it lasted 6 months).

We are getting a new area rug for the living room and I'm wondering if the old rug would be a suitable floor cover. Keep the weeds down, keep the humidity up, etc. Carpet is one of those $20 walmart dorm room types and the perfect size

 

[marlingardener]

When we lived in town I had a propagating house (lattice structure with a removable roof because in Texas, you don't need more heat!). I used old carpeting on the floor, and found it to be easy on the feet, weed preventing, and when it rained, it drained slowly, but it did drain. I put it in upside down, with the fiber down and the woven mat on top.
I don't see why carpet wouldn't work well for you. If it doesn't, it is easy to remove!

 

[Bandit26]

The upside down idea is a good one thanks

I think it should work fine,but wanted to ask incase I was missing an obvious reason it was a bad idea

 

[Chuck]

I put up a pop up/portable greenhouse this year and I love it. I just used weed cloth for the floor and its starting to fall apart (happy it lasted 6 months).

We are getting a new area rug for the living room and I'm wondering if the old rug would be a suitable floor cover. Keep the weeds down, keep the humidity up, etc. Carpet is one of those $20 walmart dorm room types and the perfect size

I can't think of any reason why not

 

[Trellum]

Give it a try, my dad tried it with a bit of the garden and it has done no harm, no weeds, no anything Give it a try, if it doesn't work you can remove it easily.

 

[Carolyn]

I would do this all around my garden beds as a weed barrier if I could find enough. I have avoided putting anything down on the hoop house floor because I keep thinking I am going to plant in there this fall. Well, it's time and I haven't planted anything except peas in pots so far.

 

[firelily99]

The organic farm that I worked at used old carpeting on the floor of the barn, mainly to keep the dust down. If it was good enough for a fourth generation farmer then I would think its good for your greenhouse!

 

[rachil]

I would have bought a wool rug as it is eco-friendly, allergen free and non-toxic.

 

[JoshPosh]

Sounds like a good idea's the. My only question is, who's the mildew build up on that thing?

 

[ChanellG]

I like the last two comments above me. Mildew is definitely something to consider, as well as possible chemicals in the carpet. I have just been thinking about what to do as a floor when I put my greenhouse back up. I've considered landscape cloth as well as newspaper and I may even put a layer of mulch or gravel down on top of whichever I choose. (Weeds/grass were an issue for me before.)

 

[Momhardatwork]

The carpet sounds like a good idea. Also, have you ever tried interlocking foam pieces? It is inexpensive and would be easy on your feet. I am sure it would keep the weeds down as well. Also, you can get it in just one large piece.

 

[Bandit26]

I've decided to upgrade to a bigger pop up style for next year and will do an indoor/outdoor carpet floor for that one

 

[headfullofbees]

I would not have thought that mildew would be too much of a problem.

It tends to occur when the roots are dry and the leaves are wet.
Carpet would act as a mulch.

 

[Chuck]

I would not have thought that mildew would be too much of a problem.

It tends to occur when the roots are dry and the leaves are wet.
Carpet would act as a mulch.

I think Chanell was thinking of mold and mildew on the bottom of the carpet. Once that jute backing gets wet it will mildew but I don't think it would be much of a concern outdoors or in a greenhouse

 

[CanadianLori]

I originally did the indoor outdoor carpet and was not happy about how grubby it looked in literally minutes. And it was tough pulling it up to take outside to hose off and then let dry, then put back in. What I ended up doing was putting down plastic where the plants sit but for the walkway up the middle - it's only about 2.5 feet wide x 6 long - I used rubber backed mats. These I can pick up individually and take outside to shake off, or leave out to dry if I have spilled water on them.
Those mats can be found at Home Depot for only a few dollars each - or even the Dollar store sells them too.