How to Run a Greenhouse
Figuring out that you want a greenhouse is just the beginning. Next, there are the questions of which type of greenhouse to build or buy, and how to run a greenhouse once you get it built. Your climate, the location, amount of direct sunlight, type of plants you wish to grow and convenience to water and electricity will all play a factor in your decisions. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Greenhouse
- Electrical wiring (or drop cord)
- PVC water pipes (or water hose)
- Sprinkler/misting system
- Greenhouse heaters/space heaters
- Heat mats
- Roof venting system
- Fans
- Thermometers to measure room and microclimate temperatures
- Rain barrels
- Shading material/shades
Instructions
-
-
1
Decide how to bring electricity into your greenhouse. The electricity will be used to power overhead lights, heaters, sprinkler systems and fans. If you are on a strict budget, you may opt just to pull a drop cord from your home or barn to the greenhouse. This of course limits the amount of power you will have to draw from; however it does work. If you require full electricity with outlets in your greenhouse, contact a licensed electrician to handle this for you. Check with your city or township officials to ensure that you are building everything up to code and to find out whether you need a special permit.
-
2
Install fans. Running a greenhouse requires fans to circulate the air. It is important to keep the greenhouse from getting too hot on warmer days, which will cause your plants to wilt or die. You may use one large fan or several smaller fans. Ceiling fans are also an option.
-
-
3
Put a water system in place. Sprinkler systems are nice for watering your plants and for cooling them down. However, they are not absolutely necessary. You can just use a water hose or a bucket of water. You may find it convenient to collect rain water in barrels to conserve water.
If you plan to grow commercially, you may find that installing a sprinkler system will save you much time and effort. Contact a licensed plumber to install your sprinkler system.
-
4
Install lighting. Overhead lights are important if you plan to work in the greenhouse after dusk. It is possible to bring lamps into the greenhouse and plug them into a drop cord if you don't have the greenhouse wired. Again, for commercial production, you probably need the greenhouse to have both professional wiring and plumbing.
-
5
Install a heating system. During winter months, especially in colder climates, the greenhouse should be heated so your plants won't freeze. One option is small space heaters plugged into a heavy duty extension cord from your home or barn. For larger production areas, have the greenhouse professionally wired and install a larger heater to cover the full area. A wood heater or outside wood furnace for the greenhouse is an excellent idea if you have access to free or cheap wood.
-
6
Take advantage of microclimates. These are areas which will be hotter or cooler depending upon the amount of sunlight they're receiving. Use shade cloth and fans in areas that are very hot. In these areas you may want to grow tropical or heat-loving plants. A microclimate that is cooler is advantageous for growing plants that are more cold-tolerant. You can use heat mats, propagation chambers and small space heaters to manage microclimates. You may even preplan microclimates or "chambers" within the greenhouse, each with ideal temperature, moisture, soil and sunlight for the particular plants you wish to grow.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Insulating the greenhouse will save on heating and cooling needs. Winter gardening in very cold climates will require an insulated foundation, insulating shades, buried power and water lines, double glazing and a heavy-duty heating system. Hot climates in summer may require shading, a misting system and several fans. Plan ahead what type of plants to grow in your greenhouse based on your climate and conditions. While you may love tropical flowers, is it feasible for you to grow them? They will require warm temperatures and lots of moisture and sunlight. Similarly, some plants are cold-loving and will need a cooler climate to survive. If you intend to run a greenhouse with a wide variety of plants, you will need to create a plan outlining the different temperatures, soil, sunlight and moisture needs of each plant. Then group the plants with similar needs together and create the ideal microclimates for them.
