A greenhouse can be hugely beneficial when it comes to growing your own fruit and vegetables. If you’re new to planting and harvesting produce in this way, read our handy guide for the basics you need to know, as well as some useful tips and advice.
Why grow in a greenhouse?
There are a few advantages to having a greenhouse over simply planting your seeds outdoors:
• Grow a wide range of produce – It’s easier to successfully grow fruit and vegetables that need a warm climate to thrive, as the greenhouse will protect your plants from harsh weather conditions.
• Start growing earlier – By sowing hardy vegetables like cabbages, parsnips, sprouts and leeks earlier than normal – as well as more fragile produce such as French beans – you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labours sooner.
• Benefit from unseasonably warm weather – If the summer sunshine lasts longer than normal, you can take full advantage of this by growing all manner of late produce, such as calabrese and lettuce.
How to do it
First, think about what you would like to grow and do some online research to find out how much space the plants will need and what they should be sown in (beds, containers and grow bags are some of the most common options). Next, measure the interior of your greenhouse to make sure you have enough room to grow the fruit and vegetables you want.
Once you’ve determined what you definitely have space to grow, check when each type of produce needs to be sown and buy your seeds accordingly. Don’t forget that greenhouse growing can mean some plants can be sown earlier than normal, so check the seed packet or, again, go online to confirm when you can start them off.
Ensure you follow the instructions on the packet – they’ll be different according to the fruit or vegetable you want to grow. The plants may also take different times to germinate. Once they have done so, you might have to move them to another part of the greenhouse to grow a bit more before you plant them in their final locations.
You will need to keep on top of watering the plants and keeping your greenhouse as clean and pest-free as possible to prevent disease from ruining all your hard work. Ensure the greenhouse doesn’t get too hot during the summer; check that it’s well ventilated and use shade nets or liquid shading where needed.
Conversely, growing in the winter means you should keep a close eye on the temperature in your greenhouse, especially if it isn’t a heated one. Invest in a thermometer and consider installing insulation to make sure temperatures don’t drop below the minimum required for your plants to thrive.
You’ll hopefully eventually end up with a bounty of fruit and vegetables if you’ve done everything correctly. If you’re eager to repeat your success, do your research first – some things can’t be replanted in the same spot as a previous crop.
Greenhouse care tips
Keeping your greenhouse in top condition is essential to successfully growing your own fruit and vegetables. Follow these tips:
• Regularly clean the panes and floor of your greenhouse. Don’t neglect the frames, either, especially if they’re made of wood, as they can disintegrate over time if you’re not careful.
• Make a habit of throwing out old vegetation and used growing bags.
• Keep the greenhouse as uncluttered as possible by storing tools, seeds etc in your shed – you can find plenty of cheap garden sheds online if you don’t have one.
• Fix any broken panes as quickly as possible.
• Wash the outside of your greenhouse with warm water and affix a sponge to something like a cane or long brush handle to reach panes higher up.
