There are many important things to remember when you are looking at greenhouse vegetable gardening. If you are able to do it correctly, greenhouse vegetable gardening can be a great way for you to grow the plants that you would like to grow, and to do so indoors where you won’t have to worry about the bugs and the weather. Most of the things that you can grow while you are doing greenhouse vegetable gardening will be the same as the regular plants, but you can have more control over them and therefore you can make them even better for you.

Things to Remember

The first thing that you have to remember when you are doing greenhouse vegetable gardening is that you absolutely must have the right type of area in which to have your garden. Any one can put a bucket in a window and try to grow food, but in order to do real greenhouse vegetable gardening you need a real greenhouse set up. If you do not have a greenhouse you will have to build one, so be sure that you are following set plans to make your greenhouse. The only way that the greenhouse vegetable gardening will work is if you have the right type of set up and the right kind of garden for yourself. Be sure that you are able to do the greenhouse vegetable gardening in the way that it was intended, and this means that you need to have the right kind of space.

The other thing that you want to remember about greenhouse vegetable gardening is that you need to pay careful attention to what types of plants you are using. In order to make your greenhouse vegetable gardening a success, you need to be sure that you are growing plants that can grow well with the greenhouse as a home. Therefore, you should be doing research to make sure that you are able to use the right kinds of plants and that you know exactly what you are doing when you begin.

With the right kind of research and a lot of hard work, you can make greenhouse vegetable gardening a great way for you to grow food, grow plants ,and do just about anything else that you would like to do. If you do it right, you can also do it year round, which means that you can enjoy the prospects of it for as long as you would like to enjoy them.

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Source: gardening

I wrote recently about the discount codes available at Unwins. I’ve just discovered a load more at some of my other favourite gardening websites:

Raw Garden
rawgarden3 – 3% off any orders

GardenCentre.co.uk
WGA5APR – 5% off all purchases

Gardens and Homes Direct
GHDPC150 – 5% off all purchases

Suttons Seeds
Free packet of Spinach seeds – SPINACH8
Save £3.00 on Bulbs – BULB8

If you missed my previous post, here’s the Unwins details:

Unwins
UNWINS2.50 – £2.50 off £25 spend
UNWINS5% – 5% off all purchases
UNWINS5.00 – £5 off £50 spend

Happy shopping!

I’ve just heard that Unwins are offering some discounts on their complete range of products at the moment.

Make use of these discount codes:

UNWINS2.50 – £2.50 of £25 spend
UNWINS5% – 5% off all purchases
UNWINS5.00 – £5 off £50 spend

For those of you that don’t know about Unwins, they are are one of the UK’s leading Seed & Plant Suppliers. They offer a wide range of Gardening products such as Flower & Vegetable Seeds, Flower Bulbs & Plants, Sweet Peas, Fruit Plants and Trees. Unwins have an excellent website, with a wide range of products with comprehensive growing guides, making gardening easier for both new & experienced gardeners.

Grab these discounts now, whilst they are still available.

The plants you start in the garden must not be planted until after the last frost is over. The ground must be warm and ready for growing. If you plant too soon the seeds will only rot and not germinate. The most successful way is to start the seeds indoors. This way there is no chance of the weather turning and having the seeds die.

To start the seeds indoors, it is best to use gardening trays. You can mark each tray with the seed variety you have planted in them. This makes it easy to know which is which. At an early stage they will all look the same. The trays can be purchased in either a self watering variety or you can maintain a constant watering source for them.  

You will want to use a sterile medium for starting seeds. This can be as simple as a good potting soil. One that is full of sticks and other debris may still hold contaminates. This is not a good potting soil to start the seeds in

You can use this soil later use when potting the plants, but do not use it to start your seeds. Some people have had success with it, and some have had major disappointments. It is always safer to just buy a good potting soil with no contaminates.

The soil can be put into the trays for the seeds at about two inches deep. This will allow the new plants to generate a good rooting system. The plant’s life is in its roots. You need to make sure the roots will be able to expand.

Watering of a new planting system can be hard. This is why I recommend a self watering system. The soil does not dry out nor does it get too moist. The moisture stays just right for the seeds to germinate.

Some people put the seed trays on heat pads to keep the soil warm. This is not necessary for germination. You should cover the trays with some sort of lid. Many of the trays come with lids. If your tray does not have one you can make one out of plastic wrap. Just make sure to remove the plastic once the plants start appearing.

Source: gardening tray

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After you decide that you want to build a greenhouse, you have to decide next what type to build. This should not be a difficult one to address, provided you know what kinds of plants you want to grow. You will need to answer questions such as:

• What will my greenhouse be principally used for?
• Do I want a large or small greenhouse?
• Will the greenhouse be the main attraction of my garden?
• Is my garden exposed to strong winds?
• Are there young children or wild animals in the area?

Factors such as cost and space will determine the type of greenhouse you build. If you do live in a windy area, it may be worth to spend the extra money for a solid and sturdy greenhouse. If you live near a large hardware store or a nursery, or even a do-it-yourself home center, go and visit some models. The customer service representative should be able to provide you with valuable information before you make a final decision.

So as not to mislead you, while there may be different types of greenhouse designs, we’re talking about the same greenhouse. You get to decide which type you want it to be.

For example, if temperature is the main factor, because of the plant varieties you want to grow, then there are three types in terms of temperature control. There are also different types of greenhouses based on structural design. We’ll start with temperature control factors.

For temperature control purposes, three types of greenhouses exist:

• a hot greenhouse
• a warm greenhouse
• a cool greenhouse.

Hot Greenhouse

A hot greenhouse’s inside temperature is maintained at a minimum of sixty five degrees. You can at some future date increase the temperature, but a hot greenhouse is intended for growing tropical and exotic plants. If you live in a very cold region, you will need to install heating and lighting equipment to satisfy the requirements of tropical and exotic plant species.

Warm Greenhouse

The temperature inside a warm greenhouse, on the other hand, is at about fifty-five degrees F. At this temperature, a larger variety of plants can be grown, perhaps as many as you would in your outdoor garden. You may still need to resort to the use of additional heat and light during the winter months.

Cool Greenhouse

A cool greenhouse (frost-free greenhouse) is maintained at a temperature ranging from forty to forty five degrees F. This temperature is ideal for growing seedlings or any plants that do not need warmer temperatures to survive. A cool greenhouse is perfect for starting your plants and vegetables in anticipation of the summer months. Generally, the use of heat or lights isn’t required for a cool greenhouse.

As for structure, there are generally three types:

• lean-to
• detached
• ridge and furrow or gutter connected.
• Lean-To

The lean-to type of greenhouse is rarely used for commercial purposes because of size restrictions, but is the most popular among hobbyists.

Detached

Detached greenhouses – as the name suggests – are independent and are stand alone structures. However, they may still be attached to a work area or else provide access to another greenhouse via a passageway.

The Quonset is the most common type of detached greenhouse used for commercial production. They are built from arched rafters and have solid walls for support. Quonset greenhouses are ideal for producing most crops, although the growing area is limited to the areas around the side walls, which diminishes efficiency and productivity.

Ridge/Furrow

Ridge and furrow greenhouses are attached at the lower edges of the roof by a gutter. The absence of an inside wall below the gutter allows for increased efficiency. Ridge and furrow greenhouses may be built with gabled or curved arches. Gabled houses are appropriate for heavy coverings (i.e. glass, fiberglass) while curved arch houses are covered with lighter materials (i.e. polyethylene, polycarbonates).

You may encounter different classifications in your readings on greenhouses. For example, another classification, which is similar to the ones just mentioned are:

Cold frame type

Roof cover may be poly or shade, end wall covering is either poly or rigid, available lengths come in 12 feet increments, and no gutter connections or vents.

Ground-to-ground

Roof covering is either poly or shade, wall covering may be poly or rigid, lengths available in 12 feet increments, no gutters, roof vents are available.

Gutter-connected, Gothic arch

Load rating may be either 10, 15 or 20 pounds, roof covering is poly, sidewall and endwall either poly or rigid, lengths available in 12 feet increments while heights available in 8, 10 or 12 feet, gutter connection and roof vents both available.

Gutter-connected Cable

Load rating 10, 20 or 30 pounds, roof covering either poly or rigid, endwall and sidewall covering may be either poly or rigid, lengths in 12 feet increments, gutter connection and roof vents available.

Gutter-connected Arch

Load rating may be 10, 20 or 30 pounds, roof covering and sidewall/endwall is rigid, lengths come in 12 feet increments, gutter connection and roof vents available.

Another way of looking at greenhouse types is the material they are made of; that is, glass, fiberglass, or plastic. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. Whatever you choose, make sure you leave the installation and irrigation systems to professionals.

Glass

Glass type greenhouses are the most traditional covering used. They may be constructed with slanted sides, straight sides and eaves. Aluminum, glass buildings provide low maintenance and have aesthetic lines, as well as ensuring that you get a weather-tight structure. Pre-fabricated glass kits are available for easy installation by hobbyists and amateur gardeners. They come in different models to meet budget and space restrictions.

The disadvantages of glass are its fragile condition (glass breaks easily) and high costs.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass greenhouses – they are light, strong and hail-proof. Be careful, though. Low quality fiberglass will discolor, thus reducing penetration of light. Using a good quality fiberglass will however make it as expensive as building a glass one. If you decide to go for fiberglass, go for the most expensive grade, and do not buy colored fiberglass.

Plastic

Plastic greenhouses are becoming very popular for the following reasons:

• Low cost (about 1/6 the cost of glass)
• Absorbs sufficient heat
• Plastic

• Fruits and vegetables and other plants under plastic are comparable in quality to that of glass-grown  varieties

Lower tax liabilities

Choice of polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), copolymers of these materials, and other readily available clear films.

Polythylene

Polyethylene: lightweight and inexpensive. It stands up well during the seasons of fall, winter and spring, but tends to deteriorate during the summer when it gets constant exposure to the sun. It breaks down due to ultraviolet rays and the deterioration begins along the rafters and along the creases. This problem can be avoided by using UV-inhibited polyethylene, which is available in two and six ml thickness and is up to 40 feet wide and 100 feet long.

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC or Vinyl) – like polyethylene, PVCs are soft and flexible. You can have transparent ones. Vinyl costs two to five times more than polyethylene. When properly installed, they can last as long as five years. Because it attracts dust and dirt from the air, it has to be washed from time to time.

Source: types of greenhouses

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If you have a green thumb, you will love greenhouse gardening. In a greenhouse, you have complete control over the conditions that your plants grow in. You can grow some of the most beautiful plants available in a greenhouse. It doesn’t take a massive building to have a successful greenhouse. The space can be small or large, depending on your needs. If you have had a successful backyard garden, you will probably find even more success in a greenhouse. Being able to control the temperature is the largest advantage to growing in a greenhouse.

You may wonder how a greenhouse can really help you. One of the main reasons is so you can grow plants during the winter. Being able to produce flowers in this time of year that is often grey and dull can lift your spirits very quickly. It?s amazing what colorful flowers can do. In addition, a greenhouse can protect plants through the winter that will be used to grow more plants in the spring to populate and outdoor garden.

Greenhouse Gardening – Great and Beautiful Rewards

If you want to start growing plants directly from seeds, the controlled environment of a greenhouse is the perfect place to try. Starting from seeds will save money while providing you with the same end result. A greenhouse is also the best place to grow rare exotic plants, since you can mimic their natural conditions. There is no need to fight against cold, harsh weather or dry conditions.

If you want to be able to provide fresh vegetables all year long, a greenhouse may be the way to make that a reality. You can produce top quality vegetables, even in the winter. It is fulfilling to grow your own food.

If you want to experiment or teach children about gardening along with some tips on houseplant care, the greenhouse is a great option. You will be amazed with the high quality plants you can cultivate. If you are serious about gardening, building a greenhouse will be a great asset to you.

Source: Plants

One of the things I like best about gardening is that it’s seasonal. I love the sense of anticipation I feel when the spring bulb leaves first break the ground. I love the smell of sweet spring flowers, the pride I get from eating food that I grew, and the satisfaction that comes with clearing the beds and putting away the tools until next spring. And then I love taking a break from gardening all winter long.

But not everyone is like me. I realize that a lot of you love gardening so much that you want to do it year-round. Gardening with a greenhouse will extend your growing season and allow you to “winter over” many plants that would otherwise perish during the winter.

If gardening all winter long appeals to you, then greenhouse gardening is for you.

No Room For A Greenhouse?

Would you love to have a greenhouse and do gardening all year long, but you don’t have room for a greenhouse? That’s not surprising. The average residential home lot size dropped by more than 500 feet between 2001 and 2003, and lots are getting smaller all the time.

Twenty-six percent of new residential home lots are only 4,000 square feet in size. Put a 2,500 square foot home, a deck, a couple trees and some flowerbeds on that lot, and you don’t have the kind of room that traditional greenhouse gardening requires.

With a small scale greenhouse, you can have your own greenhouse garden on a small lot or even on a deck or patio.

Lean-To Greenhouse

A lean-to greenhouse makes gardening year-round possible on a small scale. This size of greenhouse is perfect if you just want to grow some winter salad crops in pots, winter over some potted plants, or start seeds early in the year.

A lean-to greenhouse is a three-sided structure made of clear, unbreakable polycarbonate panels set into an aluminum frame. The structure attaches to the exterior wall of a home, a shed, a garage, or a fence.

The structure is 51 inches wide, 26 inches deep, and 77 inches tall – tall enough for to fit three shelves. If you also put plants on the base of the greenhouse, you get 32 square feet of greenhouse space for gardening.

Juliana Greenhouse offers a lean-to greenhouse for gardening all year long. The price ranges from $308 to $430. A larger model, with the same depth and height, but measuring 75 inches wide for gardeners who can handle a seven-foot wide greenhouse.

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Source: gardening