The Greenhouse
Find out more about the benefits of greenhouses and glasshouses
The Greenhouse
greenhouse | building | grow your own | smallholding
A Greenhouse is an important part of any self-sufficient garden based in a cool climate. In most parts of the United Kingdom for example it is impossible to grow tomatoes without the warmth and protection of a greenhouse. In addition, a greenhouse is very useful for starting off seeds and seedlings, and for protecting vulnerable plants at night or in periods of bad weather. Best of all is that greenhouses can be used to grow all manner of exotic crops from peppers, to aubergines, and cucumbers to chilli peppers.
Most people will start with an unheated greenhouse, but if you can afford the extra expense of a heated greenhouse then a wide selection of fruits can be grown year long. Ideally the temperature of a greenhouse should be kept at 4 degrees Celcius at night with the sun warming the air inside to over 10 degrees during the day time. During the sping and summer the temperature inside the greenhouse can become too much so ventilation is required to release the hot air during the day.
A mixture of one part good compost, one part good topsoil, and one part sharp sand, and a little lime is the optimal soil for use in a greenhouse - particularly for growing tomatoes. You should never use poor soil since the limited space of the greenhouse should be used to best effect. If you intend to grow the same crop year after year and not use crop rotation, then you will have to remove all of the soil every couple of years to prevent the build up of diseases.
Article Published: 07:25, 22nd Feb 2008
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