Planning a greenhouse – 10 ways to make the best use of space year round

Make the most of greenhouse planning by learning how to manage to plant and use the glasshouse throughout the year to grow vegetables, fruit, and sensitive blossoms.

There are several greenhouse concepts and styles to fit any garden style.

Greenhouses and glasshouses give a gorgeous, undercover patio space and the ability to grow a wide range of vegetables that can supplement and kickstart crops planned as part of your kitchen garden ideas.

PLANNING A GREENHOUSE – WHAT TO CONSIDER

A greenhouse expands not only what you can grow but also when you can grow it.

‘Seasons become less important because you can provide full frost protection and steal a march on nature at the start of the growing season. Furthermore, a significant number of nearly impossible plants to proliferate outside will become simple to raise,’ says Tom Barry, CEO of greenhouse manufacturer Hartley Botanic.

Certain things must be considered and factored in to make the most use of the greenhouse growing space for year-round use.

1. ZONE AREAS IN THE GREENHOUSE

‘When designing a greenhouse, it is critical to creating zones. ‘You must consider how much area your plants will require as well as their temperature requirements,’ says Chris Sawyer, Strategic Director at Alitex greenhouse manufacturer.

‘Set aside distinct areas for potting, propagation, and storage.’ You need a straightforward work surface on one side of your greenhouse dedicated to this and some labels to ensure you know what it is,’ Chris adds.

If a room is restricted, a makeshift potting bench might be used.

Provide as much room as possible for crucial planting. ‘It’s preferable not to cultivate too many veggies in a small greenhouse,’ Chris advises.

2. ALLOW SPACE FOR EACH PLANT

‘When deciding what to grow in the greenhouse, leave enough room for each plant.’ ‘It is critical to provide ventilation for fruit and vegetable ripening and prevent pests and disease,’ says Kate Watkinson of seed experts Burpee Europe.

‘Don’t forget to make sure you have enough space in the greenhouse for grow bags for the crops you’ll be growing,’ Kate says.

‘If a room is restricted, the simplest technique is to propagate salad vegetables in seed trays, such as carrots, celery, and romaine lettuce. All of this can then be moved on and hardened off in cold frames as part of larger vegetable garden plans,’ Chris adds.

3. INSTALL GREENHOUSE SHELVING

Make the most of the limited space you have. Add shelving and display shelves beneath the growing plants on benches to house your plant starters, pots, compost, seed trays, gloves, and tools.

Tom says, “When designing your greenhouse, it is a good idea to have a mixture of bench and shelving levels to accommodate different plant types.”

Lower benches are great for “resting” flowering plants like cyclamen corms and achimenes tubers, as well as for storing extra pots and watering supplies.

Orchids, which naturally grow in trees, benefit from being kept in a setting as close as possible to their native habitat. Tom Barry notes that shelving enhances a greenhouse’s aesthetic value by allowing for more prominent presentations of decorative plants.

Chris Sawyer suggests positioning the benches in a greenhouse to face south. This will allow the sun to shine through the glass and onto the other side, where the plants can make the most of the improved lighting conditions.

4. USE PARTITIONS TO ZONE THE GREENHOUSE

Glass partitions can be a sleek method to section off areas in your greenhouse, as Tom Barry explains.

They’ll make it easier to tailor the environment to certain collections of plants by changing the elevation, shading, and sunlight. Additionally, you can section off zones of your greenhouse to create distinct partitions for growing plants and relaxing. Okra, which thrives in warmer climates, might be grown in one section, while spinach, which is more cold-tolerant, is grown in the other.

Tom suggests including a potting bench and compost store in the greenhouse’s layout as an extra extra.

5. PLAN A GREENHOUSE FOR YEAR ROUND USE

Making the most of a greenhouse requires considering how to keep it in use throughout the year. It’s up to you to decide what crops you’d like to cultivate in a greenhouse, although there are plenty of options.

Tom Barry says, “Shrewd gardeners design a greenhouse with a planned rotation to provide a steady supply of homegrown crops.” You can plot out your planting schedule with the help of a gardening calendar.

January and February – Kate Watkinson, a seed specialist for Burpee Europe, says, “If you have a greenhouse, you can start sowing several varieties of vegetables, salads, and herbs now, including peppers and aubergines, and if you’re growing tomatoes and some cucumber varieties.” Stagger your plantings to ensure a steady supply of food throughout the year.

Determine which plants need to be moved to larger containers in the greenhouse and which can be planted outside in the garden.

Spring – When the danger of frost has gone in the spring, 70% of the crop should be moved outdoors. The rest, as Chris Sawyer puts it, “will sit on the benches and produce a huge summer salad crop.”

Summer – The most excellent method to ensure a healthy summer crop is to grow fruits and vegetables in a temperature-controlled setting. “Make sure watering is consistent, and ventilation is sufficient, adding shading if necessary,” advises Kate.

Fall – When fall approaches, it’s time to think about what year-round crops you’d like to cultivate in your greenhouse, like the cut-and-come-again salads. Kate chimes in, “This is a great way to utilize the extra space that has appeared since the summer.”

Winter – 

Use a greenhouse and fleece to keep sensitive plants frost-free over the winter.

Chris elaborates, “If you have the room for a substantial sized greenhouse, 30 sq meters at least, you can set a growing bed in the centre and generate an amazing crop throughout the winter months, such as producing potatoes or carrots.”

6. CONTROL THE GREENHOUSE TEMPERATURE

In milder zones, where heating costs would be prohibitive, a cold greenhouse can be used greatly.

However, many gardeners recognise that heating is essential when designing a greenhouse to maximize its potential.

Different systems can do other things, from keeping you warm in the background to keeping you toasty all the time in the winter. Tom Barry notes, “Remember, with worldwide worry about carbon footprint, it makes sense to use as little artificial heat as possible.” This is because the cost of heating a building increases by a certain percentage for every degree it rises over its normal temperature.

Electricity, paraffin, or bottled gas can all be used to heat a greenhouse.

Chris Sawyer recommends using a tiny 3kw thermostatically controlled heater to maintain a consistent temperature in a greenhouse over the winter.

Tubular heaters with thermostats are preferable for greenhouses of moderate to large size because of their ability to emit heat evenly. Since most of the labour is done on the benches, placing tubular heaters on the walls under the benches will help prevent the soil in the pots and seed trays from freezing, increasing the likelihood of soil. Although plants may appear dormant over the winter, Chris insists that keeping the soil above freezing is essential.

7. KEEP THE GREENHOUSE WELL VENTILATED

Besides cultivating shade-loving forest plants, Tom Barry of Hartley Botanic notes that shading is unnecessary for a well-ventilated greenhouse equipped with a roof, side vents, and many entrances.

However, save for cacti and succulents, most plants need some sort of shading throughout the summer.

The best way to control the temperature inside and shield your plants from harmful UV rays is with the help of interior shades. To keep the blinds safe from the elements, Tom recommends installing them indoors.

8. USE A GREENHOUSE TO GROW FRUIT CROPS

When it comes to cultivating soft, delicate fruit like peaches and nectarines, you can get some impressive results on a small scale. Chris says, “If you have a lean-to greenhouse, the greatest place to grow fruit in the greenhouse is up against a south-facing wall.”

Chris says a greenhouse helps shield fruit trees from the winter and allows them to mature before the summer heat sets in if you plan on cultivating the best fruit plants, such as lemon trees.

9. RAISE BEDDING PLANTS IN A GREENHOUSE

As Tom Barry puts it, one of the best parts of having a greenhouse is growing your own bedding plants.

It allows for unlimited development, which you can adjust to your specific situation. It’s a great way to sample new and old types that might not be carried by nearby retailers, as Tom points out.

Use shelving to show off your greenhouses of colourful and flowering plants, like these lovely red geraniums and orchids. If you want bright light in the summer, make sure they’re pointing south. Chris advises, “Make sure all plants on benches are sufficiently sheltered to avoid them from drying out too rapidly.

10. CLEAN YOUR GREENHOUSE EVERY YEAR

To maintain good plant health, hygiene is crucial, especially for newly germinated seeds and cuttings that have not yet taken root.

Fungal illnesses are expected when the temperature is cool and damp, such as in the winter. According to Tom Barry, cleaning is a crucial step in greenhouse construction.

Maintaining a clean greenhouse requires an annual deep cleaning done in the fall. To remove the detergents, use a power washer after cleaning with moderate disinfecting cleaning agents like dish soap.

The following is Chris Sawyer’s recommendation.

• Remove any dust or debris from the benches and frame by brushing them down and thoroughly shelving any shelves.
• All containers should be washed thoroughly to eliminate any potential pest harborage.
• Remove any algae that may have grown on the floor or ceiling over the summer by sweeping it up and washing it down.
• Get rid of the leaves and other junk clogging the gutters outside the greenhouse.
• The water in reservoirs and water butts should be drained and refreshed once a year to prevent stagnation and ensure it is clean.

HOW DO YOU USE A GREENHOUSE FOR BEGINNERS?

Before settling on a greenhouse’s size and design, a newcomer should consider the greenhouse’s intended use.

Is its intended usage limited to the cultivation of plants, or does it also serve as an outdoor dining area? How will the greenhouse’s layout complement your garden plans and existing decor?

Selecting an appropriate site for your greenhouse is crucial. For optimal growth, it should be placed in a sunny spot that is not too exposed to the elements throughout the winter. It must also be situated close to a source of water.

“Most importantly, grow only what you intend to consume. According to Kate Watkinson, it’s simple to go overboard.

HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE A GREENHOUSE?

When planning a greenhouse’s layout, it’s essential to keep your end goal crops in mind and give them a priority.

When designing a greenhouse, Tom says, “the main challenge is that ambition usually overtakes available area.”

Planning and making tough choices might help you deal with limited space. Don’t let the need for growth during the new growing season sneak up on you without some forethought at the outset. Tom suggests that, if you’re still lacking space, consider extending your facilities with cold frames.

WHAT CAN I GROW IN A GREENHOUSE?

A wide variety of plants are suitable for cultivation in a greenhouse.

According to Tom, “out-of-season food is always a wonderful extra in the gardening year,” and a wide variety of fragile vegetables can be cultivated while constructing a greenhouse.

A greenhouse guarantees your ability to produce food reliably throughout the year. “If you grow strawberries in containers with planting pockets down the sides, the plants could yield fruit twice a year, in May and November. Planting summer broccoli in January may crop by late June while starting runner beans in February under glass and transplanting them in May will yield from late June through September, as explained by Tom.

It can also be utilized to cultivate delicate decorative plants that, depending on your geographic location, would not thrive in the open air.

DOES A GREENHOUSE NEED PLANNING PERMISSION?

Where you live will determine if you require planning permission for a greenhouse.

Whether or not you require permission to build a greenhouse in the United States varies from city to city and state to state. According to local zoning regulations, there may be restrictions on the number of outbuildings or the distance a greenhouse can be from the property line.

Greenhouse attachments to buildings often necessitate the acquisition of additional licenses. Before constructing or installing anything, make sure you check.

It is unnecessary to obtain planning permission to set up a greenhouse in a private residence in the United Kingdom. But there are some exemptions, such as if you live in a building on the National Register of Historic Places or in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.