So You Think You Want a Greenhouse?

More than ever, photos of home gardens with adorable greenhouses are flooding social media, giving even the most bare-bones gardeners serious envy!

Everything from cheap plastic models to expensive wooden, metal, and glass models are available.

But what is the reality of having a greenhouse? Start by defining your end goal before creating a greenhouse plan and deciding if it’s right for you.

Consider these key factors when planning your greenhouse:

Purpose

Do you simply want a cute greenhouse to accent the yard? To store pots and potting mix in? Or do you actually want to grow things? Determine how you want to utilize it first, and then move forward. The next 6 key factors are for people who want to actually grow plants in their greenhouse, either for salad greens over the winter, or for seedlings in spring.

Venting

Greenhouse temperatures can exceed 100 degrees even on mild, sunny days in February and March. Venting is essential to grow any plant at all, so do not skip this step. Releasing heat through windows and doors is not always enough. The roof is the best way to get heat out of a greenhouse, so be sure it can vent through the roof and sides. Additionally, use fans to control air flow and help prevent high humidity, which can be detrimental to plants. The timing of venting your greenhouse is going to depend on the weather each day. One day, it may need to be vented at 8 AM, the next day it may need to be vented at 11 AM. The next week, you could need to keep things closed up for days at a time. We will discuss the benefits of automation below.

Heat

An unheated greenhouse will get just as cold as the outdoors in winter. Make sure that if you want to actively grow plants through the winter that you keep temperatures at least above 40 degrees, even at night. And when temperatures plummet outside, your heater needs to be pumped up, not turned down, in order to keep plants from freezing. So make sure your heater is properly sized for the dimensions of your greenhouse. Always automate your heating and set up temperature alerts so you know if things get too cold.  

Water

You will need to water your plants throughout the winter, so hire a plumber who can install frost-free lines out to your greenhouse. Make sure your heat is always working so the irrigation lines do not freeze. Remember to turn water off and clear lines if there is ever any risk of freezing. Keep in mind that you will have to adjust your watering with the weather and temperatures as winter goes on though, so don’t forget to check on things and adjust if they are too wet or too dry.

Lights

Want your plants to grow in early winter during the darkest days? Make sure you install grow lights. These are essential if you want plants to be actively growing from October through the end of February (during the Persephone period). Otherwise, your plants might just sit there until March, waiting to grow. Lights are not necessary if you only want to grow seedlings, since you won’t start most seeds until Valentine’s Day.

Automation

Automation for venting, heat, and lights is extremely important. Without automation, you will be tied to your greenhouse and unable to leave home for long. 

• Venting – Mother Nature decides when temperature changes, not you. Do not ruin months of work and TLC when you forget to vent and fry your plants!
• Water – Putting water on a timer is also excellent, especially if you plan on doing any traveling longer than a day or two in winter.
• Lighting – You can easily set timers to turn lights on and off each day, usually turning them off completely by March.

Location

Plants require sun. Locate your greenhouse in the sunniest possible spot. Ensure trees, tall hedges, or buildings do not block sunlight. Remember that trees grow taller every year, and will produce more shade as time goes on. Some locations may be sunny in winter before the trees leaf out, and then very shady in spring.

Alternatives

If, at the end of reading this blog, you want to skip the greenhouse, there are still ways you can grow your own plants at home! Grow lights in a basement can be a quick and inexpensive way to grow your own seedlings. Or purchase your seedlings from a certified organic grower such as Homefront Farmers! We hold our annual plant sale the weekend after Mother’s Day, and ensure you get the top-quality plants you are looking for.  

Click here to preview the plants we typically offer at the plant sale. Then check back in January when the store is live again!