Greenhouse Gardening Basics

A greenhouse is a delightful way to enjoy all of your favorite flowers and plants year round without having to follow the dictates of seasonality and Mother Nature. While growing beautiful foliage and vegetation is certainly an art form, even an amateur horticulturist can enjoy lovely flowers and fresh produce all year long. With just a few greenhouse gardening basics, you will have all the information you need to create your very own Garden of Eden.

When creating your greenhouse, the first thing to consider is material. Originally, glass was considered the only proper material for constructing a greenhouse; however, there are now a variety of other options available. As glass can often be prohibitively expensive, many gardeners are using polyethylene sheeting, fiberglass, or even plastic sheeting. Once you have selected your greenhouse material, you need to decide on its location. As greenhouses require a great deal of sunlight, you should build your greenhouse in a spot where it will receive the most direct sunlight possible. It is best not to build your greenhouse too close to trees. Not only will they provide too much shade, but falling branches can also damage the structure of your greenhouse. The size of your greenhouse is also something to consider. Even if you are not planning to grow a great variety or quantity of flowers, the general rule in building a greenhouse is the bigger, the better. Larger greenhouses can capture more sunlight and therefore generate more heat.

Once you have built your greenhouse, you will need to set up its interior. Most greenhouses require heat in the winter and cooling in the summer, so you will need to set up a system for temperature control. You will also need to set up a venting system to control the circulation of air and replace carbon dioxide. Unless you are able to check the temperature of your greenhouse multiple times a day, it is wise to set up an automated temperature control system. Another necessity for your greenhouse is water. In a smaller greenhouse, a typical garden hose will suffice, but if you have a larger greenhouse you may wish to install an automatic watering system. Plants also require light and especially during winter months, natural sunlight may not be sufficient. As such, you may wish to consider installing artificial lights to ensure that your flowers and vegetation get enough light throughout the day. Unless you plan to put a concrete foundation under your greenhouse, you will also need to install flooring with adequate drainage. Several inches of pea-gravel usually works well and will help suppress the growth of weeds.