How to Greenhouse Page

Thoughts on How to Greenhouse from a Novice Gardener
by: Holly J. Masters

Greenhouses are a great addition to anyone’s garden. They come in all different sizes and you can nestle them right where you want them and with smaller versions of greenhouses you can move them quite easily.

That said, as great as they look and of course smell, there should be some type of manual to buy when you are first setting up shop in there. There are many things that no one bothers to tell you and if you don’t know, you don’t ask. Here are five things I learned by plodding along on my own:

1. Never assume that your seeds are not growing and then buy plants instead. I started growing tomato seeds, in the proper seed tray, and within a month nothing had happened. However, I used pretty expensive potting soil and didn’t want to waste it so I dumped it on the floor of the greenhouse and turned it in. Then, I planted 6 tomato plants into the ground. A month later I had well over 30 tomato plants tumbling over each other. The worst part was that I didn’t label the plants and wasn’t sure which ones to thin out.

2. Never assume that just because your garden is now “indoors” that you won’t get an insect infestation. If you are afraid of insects, greenhouse gardening is not much better than being out in nature. After you plant your garden, whether in grow bags, on tables or directly in the ground, check for incests.

3. Never think you can water your plants enough by using a gardening can or bucket. With the heat and the sun shining through the glass, the plants need more water than the outside plants. At a bare minimum you need a hose. Ideally, you need some type of irrigation system. This means you’ll require a water source. Think about it when you are putting the greenhouse in place. If your water source is close to the house, you must put the greenhouse within reach.

4. Always read or know the size to which your plants grow. A word to the wise: find out how big each plant gets and plan accordingly.

5. Never buy a greenhouse if you have no one to look after it while you are on your holidays. Greenhouse plants require a lot of work because generally the soil dries out more quickly. Therefore you must water at least once everyday. Irrigation systems can help with this, but it is still advisable to have someone check it regularly to ensure it works.

Remember that it is also advisable to ask your friends, garden centers and online resources for advice on how to greenhouse before installing one and planting plants inside. Now that I have had my greenhouse for five years and have made many errors, I have a general idea about what is correct and was isn't. After all, gardening is 90% trial and error and 10% knowledge.

About the author:
Holly Masters loves to garden and takes pride in her greenhouse. She has spent much time learning proper greenhouse techniques and serves as a contributing writer for www.greenhousesandgazebos.com, a site that offers information about everything related to greenhouses and gazebos.