I would venture a guess that if you live in a particularly cold climate, you will be using your greenhouse to get an early start on your spring plants or finishing up the winter bloomers. If you live where the mercury doesn't dip below 55F. you should be able to grow year round. However, you will need to remember that many plants hate the greenhouse in the summer months. If you are planning to grow year round, you MUST do your research regarding ventilation. It is also important that you choose the correct plant for your growing needs; different varieties of the same basic plant will generally have different preferences. In other words, if you want to grow tomatoes, certain varieties of tomato plants prefer cooler/warmer temps than other varieties.
Another thing to remember when greenhouse gardening is that you will have to self-pollinate; there are no bees in the greenhouse to do the job.
What to grow?
Carrots, beets, turnips and other root crops do well in the greenhouse. They tend to be later bloomers and do well in cooler temps. You could plant these under your shelves, either in the ground or in boxes/planters. Lettuce loves cooler temps and has a shallow root system, so it's another crop that you can put under your staging area. Follow seed packet instructions when planting.
Tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, and pole beans need to be in tub-type containers. They will also need to be supported because they are vines. Trellises or tomato cones will look nice, but you could also use a dowel or a metal coat hanger bent into some sort of cool, functional shape.
Other crops:
- Squash
- Melons
- Eggplant
- Peppers
- Corn
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Green Onions
And, of course, flowers!
Herbs make great bug repellent; plant them everywhere. Dill, fennel, parsley, basil and thyme love the greenhouse. In addition, you can also add onions and garlic to a jar of water, let stand a week, and spray plants. Greenhouses are very buggy places...You've been warned.
Housekeeping
Let's finish this series with some basic greenhouse rules. Every type of greenhouse will need maintenance. Just like different plants need different maintenance, so do greenhouses. One thing that applies to every greenhouse is that it must be disinfected on a regular basis. Use a scrub brush and a solution of diluted bleach to clean every area of the greenhouse, being sure not to get any on the plants. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Before you start, make sure you open the vents or door so you don't poison yourself. In between bleach cleanings, spray the corners and walls with the hose nozzle on the jet setting; this will help control spider mites and white flies.
One more thing, be sure to clean your produce thoroughly before bringing it indoors. I warned you about the bugs and I'm sure you don't want to bring any leggy "hitchhikers" into your home.
Check out our other posts for great tips and info. If you plan to grow tomatoes, pay particular attention to our post regarding blight. Happy gardening!
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