If you have a greenhouse in your garden, you might get some inspiration from our tips below on how to use it in the most effective way. These 6 tips include heating of the greenhouse, dealing with pests, watering your plants, lighting your greenhouse, working with hydroponics and cleaning your greenhouse.
1. Heating of the greenhouse - buckets with water?
When growing plants in a greenhouse you need to keep temperature in mind. For plants to grow well they have to have a certain temperature so knowing how to heat and cool your greenhouse proves to be very helpful.
Firstly, you need to check whether your greenhouse is insulated. This can be done with normal insulation or just newspaper. To heat the area you can choose from electrical or gas heaters. Of course for low intensity heating you can simply place buckets of water in the greenhouse that have lids and have been painted black on one side and white on the other. The white side needs to face inwards to reflect the light energy.
2. Dealing with pests - adding some more pests?
You don't have to use an insect repellent or pesticide to combat pests in your greenhouse. There is a more creative way to deal with the pests and that is using 'good' pests to get rid of the bad ones. What you need to know about these creatures is that the majority of them can actually help you. Of course you will have to be careful when doing this as there are some predatory pests that will only attack certain other pests. You will also have to make sure that your greenhouse provides a pleasant environment for the good pests or else the entire process will be a waste of time.
3. Watering your plants - using rainwater?
As plants in a greenhouse have to be kept well watered many think this will be a pricy task. However, it is not the case as you can use rainwater to water your plants. Of course it is a good idea to have a backup water supply as well in case you do not get a lot of rain (is this ever possible in Ireland?). To use rain water, you will need a barrel to catch and contain the water. The best way to collect the water is using your houses gutters and putting the barrel under them to catch all the water.
4. Lighting your greenhouse - florescent lights?
When you are looking at how your greenhouse will be lit it is important to remember that natural light is the best for your plants. Of course there are other options that you can look at as well. One of them is using florescent lights. These lights are normally recommended for small greenhouses and people who are just starting out. However if you are going to grow a plant that needs bright light then you should look at getting HID lighting.
5. Working with hydroponics - no soil in the greenhouse?
Something that has been gaining popularity with greenhouse owners is the use of hydroponics. There are many starter kits available for you to buy when you first start. These kits will set you up with everything you are going to need. Of course you can make your hydroponics system yourself if you feel up to it. The reason why so many people are using hydroponics is that certain problems that come from using soil are eliminated.
6. Cleaning your greenhouse - just sweeping is enough?
It is important that you keep your greenhouse clean and sanitary. This will help your plants as diseases are less likely to survive in a clean environment. However, you must keep in mind that the products you use should not be harmful to the plants. The floor of your greenhouse can be swept or hosed to clear away any of the debris that is on it. You should keep in mind that many people find just doing this is an effective way of keeping the greenhouse healthy.
When looking after your greenhouse there are many things you can do to use it in a creative way. Many of these ideas will actually end up being cheaper than conventional methods, and thus more effective for you. Enjoy!
Looking to buy a greenhouse? Click here for a range of polycarbonate greenhouses we recommend.