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How to Grow Plants in a Greenhouse

Published by Nanni on Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Photo credit by sea turtle

Growing plants in a greenhouse can offer you the advantages of enjoying plants year-round. Therefore, the type of care you give plants is dependent on the time of year or season. In the spring, plants should be watered more often and fertilized on a regular basis, from once every two weeks in the early part of the season to once a week as summer draws near. Also, the amount of humidity in the greenhouse should be increased during this time as well.

Ventilation is important in the spring to prevent mold and mildew from occurring on plants. Just make sure that tender plants or seedlings are insulated against any chill breezes. At this time of year, it is good to sow most seeds and repot any plants that have become too big. Cuttings can be taken from flowering plants such as chrysanthemums and fuchsias. This is an excellent season to plant any rooted cuttings and seedlings for replanting outside in the summer and fall.

In mid-spring, plants that were over-wintered can be moved to a sheltered area or placed in a cold frame so they can be hardened for planting outside. As spring is a time when plants begin to flourish, you must take care to guard them from pests and disease. Therefore, make sure the greenhouse is neat and clean, and that the surrounding lawn outside is free from weeds.

With the onslaught of summer, greenhouse plants, especially those in clay containers, should be watered twice a day, preferably in the morning and at night. Also, ventilation is important as you don’t want your plants to suffer from the effects of overheating. Therefore, make sure that fans are situated in the greenhouse to provide adequate ventilation. Good ventilation also ensures that plants will escape mold and mildew problems because of the added humidity in the greenhouse environment.

In the summer, plants that were started and propagated in the springtime should be replanted outdoors, and seeds for plants that can provide foliage and color in the winter months should be sown. Proper shading is necessary for plants as well, to avert any problems with excessive heat such as scorching on leaves. Successful maintenance in summer then includes watering plants morning and night, ventilating the greenhouse and shading the plants during the day.

With the approach of autumn, greenhouse maintenance and cleaning takes precedence along with the care of plants. Cleaning the gutters and repairing any structural problems should be done at this time. Make sure that the heating system in the greenhouse is working properly before temperatures start to drop. Now is a good time to remove any shading in the greenhouse and replace it with insulating material for the coming cold months.

Plants that are sensitive to the damage caused by frost should be brought into the greenhouse. Because the greenhouse is more crowded at this time of year, it is important to make sure that the environment is not too humid as mold can result. As the temperatures start to slide downward and you approach the colder months of winter, make sure that you clean the glass of the greenhouse in order to give your plants more light. Also use bubblewrap on the walls to warm the greenhouse and reduce your energy costs. Ventilation, just as in the other seasons, is important. Just make sure to watch out for cool breezes. Maintain a temperate flow of air on sunny cold days. As you reach the later months of winter, take time to sow plants such as coleus and freesias for later planting in the spring. Make sure that the planting medium doesn’t completely dry out, and check plants on a weekly basis for rot or fungus. At this time of year, many plants can be "forced" or encouraged to grow in the greenhouse environment such as daffodils for an early spring show.

Keep the above information in mind throughout the year as you care for your plants in your greenhouse. To achieve optimum success, remember to water your plants properly, ventilate your greenhouse to reduce mold or mildew problems and provide the proper shading during each season. Plants should be checked for pests and seedlings and root cuttings tended and watched on a routine basis as well. Make a checklist of the aforementioned tasks and you’ll no doubt appreciate your greenhouse plants more and enjoy the beauty they provide throughout the year.

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