A greenhouse is the perfect way to give plants an extended growing season, allowing them a good environment to thrive without worrying about early/late frosts and other limiting or detrimental weather conditions.
When you embark on greenhouse gardening, it can improve or boost your state of wellbeing (it’s a well-known fact that tending plants reduces stress and anxiety), keep you limber and supple and provide you with the healthiest of diets! But before you can enjoy the benefits of greenhouse gardening, you need to invest in the right greenhouse unit.
Of course, the traditional style of greenhouse was made from timber and glass, and then aluminium. Although these are still options in today’s market, for a more durable, maintenance free option which will last a lifetime, we recommend a uPVC greenhouse or growing room. Unlike other materials, uPVC is weatherproof, it won’t rot, and you won’t need to treat it like you would with timber. The most you’ll have to do is clean the glazing!
Because a uPVC greenhouse is so durable, anything stored inside from garden supplies to plants, will be safe and secure. The uPVC will help to insulate the space too, meaning that you can garden well past the usual seasons, and moreover, will not need to use power hungry heaters. This is good news at a time when the energy crisis in the UK looks to be far from over.
So, if you are thinking of buying a greenhouse, or already have one but are a complete novice at greenhouse gardening, we have three basic tips for you to consider.
Install a potting bench
Don’t break your back stooping and bending. Get the right tools and equipment from the beginning to make your new venture a pleasure rather than a chore.
Get a potting bench or table so that you have a comfortable height to work from, and if you have enough space, add shelving to help keep your greenhouse organised. Shelves will maximise storage for tools, pots, composts, and soils and can be used to display your plants as they grow.
Grow greenhouse specific plants
Until you get the hang of it, greenhouse gardening can be tricky. A lot of it might come down to trial and error, but the last thing you want to do is waste money and time (which could actually equate to a whole season) on something that could ultimately fail because you don’t possess the adequate knowledge of the subject. We recommend you start by growing plants that thrive inside a greenhouse for the first year. Tomatoes are great starters, and you can involve children as they are very easy to grow.
Once you have tomatoes ticked off your list, branch out to other veggies; peppers need much the same care. Try easy to grow greens like lettuce, basil, and cucumbers. Try to avoid trees and bushes to start with as they take more time to grow and take up precious space.
Watering
Basic greenhouse gardening needs an understanding of watering rules. Over or under watering can be the difference between a good harvest and none at all! If investing in a drip or misting system is beyond your budget, daily watering by hand (particularly in hot weather) is the only way to ensure your plants survive. Off season periods won’t need such regular watering.
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If you’d like more information about any of our uPVC greenhouses and growing rooms, you can contact us here or call 0800 160 1710.
