For years now, the first thing my husband and I do when we move
to a new location is put up a greenhouse. Actually, for the last two
homes one of the main criteria when house-hunting was where a
greenhouse could be placed.
For me this structure is not a luxury, but a necessity for many reasons
from getting a jump on spring veggies to housing my collection of
cacti that need protection from our occasional rain events.
Greenhouses don’t have to be fancy. You can frame out a small one
using cedar (what I have now), buy a kit or just borrow a pipe bender
and create your own hoops from metal pipe. I have even made inex-
pensive cold frames out of PVC, bent over a frame and covered in
plastic for winter, shade cloth for summer.
The internet is full of plans for greenhouses from the very basic to
the most elaborate. An unused shed can even be converted by repla-
cing the metal roof with fiberglass. Follow this link for a myriad
One reason that every gardener should have a greenhouse is that
you are able to save money by growing your own plant starts. Con-
trolling your environment allows you to turn a few dollars worth of
seeds into a beautiful vegetable garden or bed of flowering annuals.
Many seeds need light to germinate and even those that don’t can
stretch immediately if they don’t have enough light right out of the
shoot. Too much sun, on the other hand, can burn the tender seed-
lings, especially in the summer time. A greenhouse with a shade
cloth allows you the perfect environment for seedlings to grow
strong and healthy.
Cuttings of pass-along plants are also easier to start as many need
a good humid environment for their leaves to stay plump until they
begin to set roots. A mist system can even be set up that makes root-
ing cuttings even easier.
Getting a jump on spring and fall veggies is another great reason to
own a greenhouse. In a greenhouse you can protect your tender vege-
table starts from too much heat in the summer (using a shade cloth
and fan) and from freezing temps in the winter using a heater and
the solar heat from having the greenhouse closed up during the day.
Many seeds will not germinate if it is too cold and so keeping them
toasty warm in January means early tomato transplants out by late-
February (with protection of course) and a longer, healthier tomato
growing season.
I also use my greenhouse as an excuse to collect more orchids, cacti
and other winter tender plants than I probably don’t need. Many
orchids need a certain amount of humidity to thrive as well as a little
shade. My cacti don’t mind the extra humidity and also need a little
shade, but they can’t tolerate the heavy rain storms that we can get
here.
So for both, the greenhouse is the perfect place to showcase them.
In winter I also stuff my greenhouse with my citrus trees for cold
protection but with sun still available. It keeps them just warm
enough that I haven’t lost one yet- even when we dropped down
into the low teens a few years ago.
Lastly, my greenhouse is my ‘man cave.’ It is some place that I can
go and just be. It is quiet and peaceful and I am surrounded by beauty.
To me, that is the most important reason that every backyard gardener
should own one. Happy gardening everyone! ❦
