A greenhouse takes gardening to a whole new level. If you’re considering becoming a greenhouse gardener, here are some tips on how you can create the perfect greenhouse.
Choose the spot
Do you want to screen it off with a hedge or trellis? Or do you want it to be the garden’s main feature?
It’s important that you choose the spot in your garden where you want your greenhouse to sit. A spot that gets plenty of sunshine on all sides is highly recommended.
Choose your greenhouse
Do you want a wood framed greenhouse? Or perhaps you want a glass greenhouse. This is an important decision to make. Research the different types of greenhouses and decide which one would work best for you.
Start with the soil
The most important component of your greenhouse is the foundation. It is incredibly difficult to build a healthy garden on top of terrible soil.
To help your plants thrive, use compost that helps boost microbes. Mulch is also beneficial as it helps control the soil temperature and this helps conserve moisture. Mulch also decomposes much slower so that your plants remain fertile longer.
The right temperature
Once you’ve got the right foundation, it’s time to put your attention to getting the right growing temperature.
Make sure your greenhouse is properly ventilated as this allows hot (rising) air to move out, and cool air to move in, especially in summer.
On days where there’s not a cloud in the sky, the greenhouse tends to get very warm, so it’s important that you ventilate it on these days.
Balance the bugs
Bugs are an important part of plant health. ‘’Flowering plants provide pollen and nectar that attract ladybugs, pollinators and lacewings,’’ says garden expert, James Fanning.
‘’Embrace these beneficial insects and let them come and go. That insect diversity is important to your crops and can keep pests at bay, ’he adds.
Set up the music
‘’A perfect greenhouse would not be complete without a source to play music from,’’ says experts at CIA medical . ‘’Studies have shown that plants react positively to certain types of music. As they are living, breathing and living organisms, plants too appreciate the power of a good tune.’’
Fanning says it’s important to know when to water. ‘’Your greenhouse crops will get more benefit from a deep watering occasionally instead of smaller, more frequent waterings.’’
That being said – don’t overwater!
‘’If you feel moisture half an inch in the soil, you don’t need to water more,’’ he adds.
One thing that many people get wrong when it comes to caring for their plants is over-fertilising. If you use a fertiliser with a lot of nitrates, you could be doing more harm than good.