July 6, 2017

Tips for the Greenhouse

The greenhouse is a little place where most of us can escape to and forget about the world on the other side of the glass! Here are a few tips from ROOT!T on how to get the best out of your greenhouse.

– Position the greenhouse so that you can utilise as much natural light as possible. The sun is the fuel for plant function. Full sun is a bonus in the winter months to warm and light the greenhouse but use shading in the summer months to protect your delicate plants from burning.

– Watch out for clear sunny days even when is very cold outside, as the heat will build up inside quickly and ventilation may be required. Try to keep a balanced even temperature and use greenhouse heaters to ensure temperatures do not drop too low, especially at night time.

– Don’t let your plants dry out. Ensure that the soil is always kept moist and if you are going to leave the plants for a few days, invest in automated watering systems.

– Make sure you keep the greenhouse well ventilated with fresh air. Although you think this may let unwanted pests in, it will ensure that you keep mildew, fungi and diseases at bay by preventing a moist environment. Also, use oscillating fans all year to keep the air moving and help prevent both hot and cold spots developing and damaging plants.

– Plan which plants you wish to grow and where you will go on to plant them. Look ahead and create a calendar for when you need to start germinating different varieties and give them enough time to establish before planting out.

– Ensure that you thoroughly clean your greenhouse at least once a year. Keeping on top of hygiene will go towards ensuring the next batch of plants will be healthy.

– Make the most of nature and irrigate the greenhouse guttering into a barrel and collect the rainwater to use in your garden/allotment