A Contributed Post: Going Greener with a Greenhouse–How to Get Started

There are plenty of ways to offset your carbon emissions. You can switch to an electric car and lower the amount of carbon you produce by a long way. You can also start a garden in the back yard and grow plants that will help absorb carbon monoxide and release oxygen. Even better, you can take advantage of the latest greenhouse technologies and kits to help you start a productive garden without any hassle.

Getting started may seem confusing at first, but greenhouse gardening is much easier than you think. We are going to cover some of the best getting-started tips in this post.

The Right Greenhouse for the Job

Before you can start growing plants and flowers, you need to first shop for the right greenhouse to use. There are a few important aspects to consider at this stage. Depending on how big your backyard is and the types of plants you want to grow, you can choose a suitable greenhouse from a wide variety of options available on the market.

Greenhouses now come in kits. You get the basic skeleton or frame and the glasses or Plexiglas layer for the exterior. There is a kit for every need and budget; all you have to do to find a suitable one is carefully compare the available options.

Some greenhouses come with extra features. Other kits allow you to add smart greenhouse devices to boost productivity or make greenhouse gardening a lot easier. An automatic sprinkler is one of the best add-ons to get if you want to automate most of the work around the garden. Newer kits also come with a comprehensive light deprivation system, which is useful for boosting produce and helping flowers grow faster.

The last thing you need to consider before choosing a greenhouse kit is the strength. Different areas have different weather challenges to deal with, so it is important that you take them into account when selecting a greenhouse kit for your garden. While most products are strong enough to withstand wind and heavy rain, not all of them are made for extra durability.

Adding the Elements

Next, you need to create the right conditions for plants to grow healthily. The soil you use is very important in this case. Most greenhouse gardening experts now recommend a mixture of rich garden soil with compost, since it will provide the most nutrients for plants without introducing any negative side effects. You can also add manure and wood ash to prepare the soil for the seeds you’ll be planting.

It is also important to control the amount of sun that enters the greenhouse. The light deprivation system we talked about earlier is just one example of how sunlight intensity can be managed for different purposes. Before you do anything, however, make sure you know the types of plants you want to grow. Some plants prefer a lot of sunlight, while others grow faster during the darker months of fall and winter.

You don’t always have to rely on complicated solutions to manage the intensity of sunlight. That tree growing in the backyard can provide some shade. You can also use netting, window film or even paint to control the amount of light entering the greenhouse.

More Tips to Remember

At this point, you should have everything you need to start growing plants. You may even get results in as little as a couple of weeks with certain plants. Remember that the goal of greenhouse gardening is extended productivity, so there are a few more things to attend to.

Space is another key point to keep in mind. When you see leaves of different plants touching each other, it is time to introduce more space between the pots. The use of pots will make organizing your greenhouse a lot easier in the future, so stick to them unless you want a more permanent setup with benches or racks.

Consider the use of artificial light or other temperature control methods to further boost your greenhouse garden’s productivity. Certain light bulbs can help keep the interior of your greenhouse humid enough for plants to grow efficiently. Other climate control methods such as sprinklers that produce mist at certain times can also help.

With these tips in mind, getting started with greenhouse gardening should not be difficult at all. All you have to do now is find a suitable kit for your backyard and start working on your greenhouse garden. You’ll be surprised to find just how wonderful greenhouse gardening can be once you get started.