Monday, December 29, 2008

Are You Ready for a Greenhouse?

By Thompson Keller

You may see the large commercial greenhouses and think how difficult it must be to tend to all those plants on a year round basis. What you dont know is that many of the day to day happenings are automated and that makes things a lot easier. That same type of automation can also be found in some backyard greenhouses as well. This means its easier for you to grow your favorite plants year round.

There are several things that can help you make the experience of greenhouse gardening both exciting and fun. Growing your favorite flowers and vegetables will keep you engaged and experimenting with some new things keeps your mind fresh and looking for something new that keeps you going and growing.

Unless you know exactly what you want and are an experienced gardener, start with a basic greenhouse. Its all you will need to grow your favorite flowers and vegetables with overwhelming yourself right out of the box. Basic is not a matter of size but a matter of what you want to grow and the space available to you.

If you are building your greenhouse, be especially careful with where you are building it and the size as it will be much harder to move than a greenhouse kit that you could buy. Also leave adequate room for your other garden activities in the spring and summer and make sure there is adequate light for all the plants in and out of your greenhouse.

This is exactly how basic a greenhouse is; glass or plastic stretched on a frame. Thats it. The glass or plastic lets the sunlight in as it protects your delicate plants from the elements outside. The materials or kit you decide on will be determined by the amount of money you are able to put toward your greenhouse.

Like the Romans who were the first greenhouse gardeners on record, you will want a heat source for the cold winter months. You can heat rocks like they did or make room in your budget for a greenhouse heater. Wire racks and rods will also help keep your plants and hanging baskets organized and are well worth adding them to your budget as well.

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