You’ve already learned the basics of how a greenhouse works. Sunlight comes in, and some is taken in by the plants while the rest is stored in opaque objects as heat. While the heat is eventually lost, it takes a lot longer to disappear. This is the basic answer, but there are more details to having a greenhouse that has maximum effectiveness.
Optimal Growing Conditions
Think about the conditions when plant growth (photosynthesis) stops. This will be from two factors-lighting and temperature. Most vegetables have an ideal range of 40 °F to 90 °F, so if the temperature drops below 40 °F or goes over 90 °F, plant growth will stop.
Your greenhouse will let you give your plants the light and temperature they need at any time. You should rely mostly on the sun as the natural and most cost-effective way to grow your plants, but you might need supplemental light and heat for the times when you aren’t getting the amount of sunlight you need. This can be done with a garden heater and grow lights.
Plant growth will also produce some heat and allow humidity to build. The right amount is great for your plants, but too much of it will put them at risk of getting sick.
Ventilation is one of the most crucial aspects of your greenhouse. Circulating air around the structure will help fight off a lot of the plant diseases and other things that will wreak havoc on your plants. Vents will also cool your greenhouse off, which is especially helpful if you live in regions that experience extreme heat. Windows and manual vents are cost effective, but they require you to monitor the conditions in your greenhouse more carefully. Automatic vents will open and close when temperature and humidity sensors are triggered. While being more costly, they allow you to focus more on your plants and other greenhouse maintenance.
At the same time that you are providing plants with their ideal conditions, it gives you more opportunity to manage everything else that the plants need. Proper watering practices and nutrition to your plants will be up to you, although some greenhouse gardeners take it a step further by enriching the carbon dioxide levels in the structure.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE YOUR GREENHOUSE?
So knowing what a greenhouse can do and how it does it is a great beginning, but now you want to know what you can do in your greenhouse. Greenhouses are great for storing tender plants, seeds, and bulbs during the winter. Along with what you’re already growing, you can grow lettuce and other vegetables that thrive more during the colder season. This environment is also a great place to propagate plants and experiment with exotic plants.
Maybe you want to make your greenhouse more comfortable; there are plenty of things you can add. A potting bench and shelving will give you maximum use of your space and make it easier to work with your plants. You could even add a sink, which you can use for plant work or just for watering.
THE MANY BENEFITS OF GREENHOUSE GARDENING
- Controlled gardening environment:
The biggest benefit of a greenhouse comes from the basic operation of the structure. Being able to control virtually every aspect of your plants’ growth lets you cater to every need from seeds to full-grown plants.. Less weather exposure: Much like the first point, greenhouses give plants the ideal environment and protection from the elements. This goes beyond the damage that could be done in the winter months. Your plants would be protected from dust storms and severe weather.
- Longer growing season:
If you’ve tried growing a garden before, you know that the growing season starts after the last frost, which is usually spring. Some regions are still frosting well into the spring months, but with a greenhouse, they will start growing at the same time as a warmer region. This also allows all gardeners to even start growing in January or February, thus extending the growing season.
- Overwintering with ease:
While you may shut down your greenhouse in the winter, this is the best time to migrate your potted plants from outdoors to inside the structure. This will allow them to stay safe.
- Multi-purpose greenhouse:
While it may take a few growing seasons to become proficient, you can turn your greenhouse into a structure for many uses. Your greenhouse can become a place where you practice seed starting, propagation, exotic gardening, and even vertical gardening. There are a lot more techniques that you can do, and they can all be done in the greenhouse. The structure can even act as storage for your gardening tools.
- Supply of fruits and vegetables:
Greenhouses are a great way to ensure that you get a supply of fresh produce that can last you year-round, depending on what you decide to grow. Even better is that this is an organic supply of the foods you already eat without overpaying for them.
- Consistent supply:
We saw during and after the pandemic the issues with supplies. Shipments weren’t able to come through. That, combined with a spike in demand, often left those produce bins looking bare. By growing your own produce, you become less reliant on grocery stores.
- Fresh produce that’s better for your health:
Aside from the cost, your organic garden is better for your health. First, a lot of nutrients are lost by the time fruits and vegetables get to the grocery store. The other thing that affects your health is any chemicals that were used on the plants. Your greenhouse garden gives you control of what goes into and on your plants, and freshly picked always means the most nutritional value.
- Wider growing variety:
There are plant hardiness zones, which help you find the types of plants that survive in your area and climate. This will also allow you to manipulate your greenhouse’s environment to imitate other regions. It not only expands your growth but also allows you to experiment.
- Easy seed starting:
The ability to grow something from a seed has become the most common practice in gardening, and this seed starting is best done in a greenhouse. With a seed starter tray, your plants will start out in the best conditions. This also gives you a chance to make sure they are strong enough to be transplanted outside if you still want to have an outdoor garden as well.
- Pest control:
You can control the temperature and the humidity, and you can also shelter plants from harsh weather, but what about the unwanted visitors that plants attract? You can prevent many of the insect invaders that can harm your plants, and you can eliminate threats from birds, squirrels, and other animals.
- Garden all year long:
While you get the benefits of fresh organic produce, you are also going to benefit your physical health and mental well-being. These happy feelings are something you want to take all year long; and since a greenhouse can be used even in winter, you can.
- A consistently warm greenhouse:
The best part of greenhouse gardening in the colder months is that it is always warm within the structure. Even if you aren’t growing a lot, it can still be a warm place to escape to.
- Environmentally better:
While it would take a large-scale effort all over the world, you could do your part in reducing carbon emissions. There is a lot of energy being spent on production and transportation, so growing your own produce will cut down on that. You can also do your part with resourcefulness by collecting rainwater for irrigation and turning your waste into compost.
- Enhance the look of your property:
Greenhouses can make your yard more appealing by becoming the focal point. With this “centerpiece,” you can alter the rest of the yard with brick pathways, patios, decks, or anything else that makes your entire yard feel like an escape. This can also be a powerful selling point should you ever sell your home.
- Bring the family together:
This is a benefit that you will need to be mindful of. The upside is that it gets everyone in house working under one roof, and they will all feel a sense of ownership of the crops. The downside is that bringing in people infrequently can actually harm your plants, so make sure if they are helping that they are making frequent trips.
