Anyone can benefit from gardening tips from the beginner to the seasoned gardener.
The best thing about greenhouse gardening is the experimenting and the learning of new techniques that can add variety to your results.
Each year is different and your results can be better with new knowledge and more experience.
Here are some basic tips that cover all areas of greenhouse gardening.
Choosing a Greenhouse Site: Must be on level ground Low-traffic area Maximum of winter sunlight available Watch for shadows cast by structures and trees during the wintertime when shadows are longer Look at young trees to try to forecast where their shade will fall in the future regarding the greenhouse The long side of the greenhouse should face south Irrigation and Soil: Commercial potting soil is fine for home garden greenhouses.
The soil should be a mixture of sand, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite and fir bark.
The fir bark is important for adequate drainage.
Only water when the soil is dry.
Most greenhouse gardeners prefer hand watering, but drip irrigation systems are effective and can prevent the leaves of the plants from getting too much water on them.
These drip systems are also very gentle on seedlings.
You may not need to water everyday, so monitor the soil for dryness to be sure.
Study both the requirements of your particular greenhouse and the plants you are growing, as not every greenhouse is the same just as not every plant has the same watering requirements.
Temperature: Before you start growing plants be sure to monitor the temperature inside the greenhouse on sunny days, and on cloudy days.
Find out what temperature is optimum for the types of plants you will be growing and then compensate using ventilation if your greenhouse is hotter than the optimum temperature.
Workspace: One thing all greenhouse gardeners are fanatical about is their workspace.
The area has to be roomy enough to pot plants and move about comfortably.
Take into consideration the height of the benches and tables that you are planning to use when designing the workspace.
Potting benches should be designed to fold down when they are not in use.
Make sure the benches are made of rot-resistant wood such as redwood.
Avoid using pressure-treated lumbers, because they are usually impregnated with highly toxic arsenic.
Misc.
Tips: To save space place root crops like beets, carrots, and turnips in deep boxes under benches.
Put taller vegetables like tomatoes, peas, pole beans and cucumbers in tub-type containers.
Put lettuce and other low leafy vegetables in a tub with taller vegetables to save space.
Tap water should stand for one day to rid it of chlorine before watering indoor plants.
Plant corn in a bed specially prepared for it directly on the floor of the greenhouse.
You can plant pumpkin between the rows of corn to save space.
You can make indoor trellises out of coat hangers.
Bend the hangars into any shape (heart, star etc.
) and insert into a pot.
Make a natural insecticide by adding onions and garlic to a jar of water.
Let it stand for a week and then spray on plants.
Rinse vegetables and fruits outside before bringing them into your home.
This way the dirt and bugs will stay outside where they belong.
The best thing about greenhouse gardening is the experimenting and the learning of new techniques that can add variety to your results.
Each year is different and your results can be better with new knowledge and more experience.
Here are some basic tips that cover all areas of greenhouse gardening.
Choosing a Greenhouse Site: Must be on level ground Low-traffic area Maximum of winter sunlight available Watch for shadows cast by structures and trees during the wintertime when shadows are longer Look at young trees to try to forecast where their shade will fall in the future regarding the greenhouse The long side of the greenhouse should face south Irrigation and Soil: Commercial potting soil is fine for home garden greenhouses.
The soil should be a mixture of sand, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite and fir bark.
The fir bark is important for adequate drainage.
Only water when the soil is dry.
Most greenhouse gardeners prefer hand watering, but drip irrigation systems are effective and can prevent the leaves of the plants from getting too much water on them.
These drip systems are also very gentle on seedlings.
You may not need to water everyday, so monitor the soil for dryness to be sure.
Study both the requirements of your particular greenhouse and the plants you are growing, as not every greenhouse is the same just as not every plant has the same watering requirements.
Temperature: Before you start growing plants be sure to monitor the temperature inside the greenhouse on sunny days, and on cloudy days.
Find out what temperature is optimum for the types of plants you will be growing and then compensate using ventilation if your greenhouse is hotter than the optimum temperature.
Workspace: One thing all greenhouse gardeners are fanatical about is their workspace.
The area has to be roomy enough to pot plants and move about comfortably.
Take into consideration the height of the benches and tables that you are planning to use when designing the workspace.
Potting benches should be designed to fold down when they are not in use.
Make sure the benches are made of rot-resistant wood such as redwood.
Avoid using pressure-treated lumbers, because they are usually impregnated with highly toxic arsenic.
Misc.
Tips: To save space place root crops like beets, carrots, and turnips in deep boxes under benches.
Put taller vegetables like tomatoes, peas, pole beans and cucumbers in tub-type containers.
Put lettuce and other low leafy vegetables in a tub with taller vegetables to save space.
Tap water should stand for one day to rid it of chlorine before watering indoor plants.
Plant corn in a bed specially prepared for it directly on the floor of the greenhouse.
You can plant pumpkin between the rows of corn to save space.
You can make indoor trellises out of coat hangers.
Bend the hangars into any shape (heart, star etc.
) and insert into a pot.
Make a natural insecticide by adding onions and garlic to a jar of water.
Let it stand for a week and then spray on plants.
Rinse vegetables and fruits outside before bringing them into your home.
This way the dirt and bugs will stay outside where they belong.
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