Ideas On What To Grow In Your Greenhouse
A greenhouse is the perfect addition to your backyard and a natural way to extend your growing season. Greenhouses provide protection from weather and more climate control than the outdoors. Maybe you’re ready for a greenhouse, but you aren’t sure about your gardening skills just yet. That’s okay!
Becoming a gardening pro takes time, and it won’t happen overnight. If you have aspirations of growing a fruitful garden but don’t know where to start, you’re in luck. There are many fruit and vegetable plants that are perfect for beginners to grow. All it takes is a little bit of commitment and the right greenhouse, and your garden will be flourishing in no time.
There are so many things you can grow in a greenhouse. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
Salad Vegetables
A great step for a gardener who’s just getting started with a greenhouse is to grow some high-yield vegetable plants that thrive in warm environments. Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and peppers are great plants for this.
They do take a bit longer to grow, so planting in the spring and nurturing throughout the summer will be key, but if you take care of them well they will produce a fruitful harvest come fall.
Fruits and Fruit Trees
You may not think of a tree as being a viable greenhouse option, but fruit trees are actually perfect for a greenhouse. Fruit trees grown in a greenhouse benefit from temperature control as well as protection from rain, wind, and frost.
While strawberries don’t grow on trees, they are a good fruit option for a beginner gardener because of how easy they are to plant and maintain. Similarly, blueberries are a good option, though they tend to take up more space unless you contain them in a pot.
If you’re feeling ambitious, some easy fruit trees include figs, oranges, lemons, and limes. These trees can be planted in spring and thrive in a warmer climate before picking in the fall.
Leafy Greens
While popular vegetables and fruits are typically grown in the summer, there are several foods you can grow in the colder months, and a greenhouse is a great excuse to try it because of its ability to retain heat and offer protection from wind and snow.
Lettuce, spinach, kale, and arugula all benefit from cooler temperatures. Planting these late in the summer or early in the fall will keep the refrigerator stocked throughout the winter.
Root and Hardy Vegetables
Many root vegetables and vegetables more tolerant of colder climates are great to grow after you’ve harvested your warm-weather foods. Some popular root vegetables to grow in the fall include carrots, onions, and beets.
You can also grow vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and brussel sprouts when it’s colder.
It’s worth noting that these cold-weather staples do need monitoring, as freezing temperatures will harm them. Make sure you’re monitoring your greenhouse temperature regularly, especially in the winter.
Herbs
Herbs are fun to grow in a greenhouse because they’re flexible. They require smaller pots and can therefore be staged on shelves or hung on hooks and hangers.
Parsley, cilantro, chives, mint, and oregano are just a few examples. While most herbs can grow year-round, it’s best to plant or pot them after the final frost of the spring and let them grow in the summer.
Reimagine Your Gardening Dreams With A Greenhouse
As you can see, there is no shortage of fruits and vegetables you can grow in your greenhouse. A greenhouse extends your growing season and gives you the opportunity to achieve all of your gardening goals.
As with anything you want to grow, make sure you do your homework and know when to plant, what climate conditions it needs, and how often to water.
Backyard Discovery has greenhouses that make growing all of the above plants possible. Each greenhouse has commercial-grade polycarbonate walls that retain up to 30 percent more heat than most greenhouses, giving you more time in the spring and fall to grow what you’re passionate about. Backyard Discovery greenhouses also come equipped with a temperature-activated exhaust fan, helping to cool your greenhouse in the warm months and create ideal growing conditions.