Updated at: 26-04-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

What if you could grow vegetables all year round in a greenhouse? You may grow your own food in a greenhouse and avoid pests and rodents as well as enjoy a longer growing season in a controlled environment. The greatest benefit of building your own greenhouse is being able to cultivate your favorite plants year-round in your own home.

There are a number of variables that must be taken into consideration in order to achieve this goal, including temperature, lighting, water usage, and humidity. Also, keep in mind that the amount of sunshine that your greenhouse plants receive, as well as the type of veggies you wish to cultivate, will all influence how well your greenhouse conditions can be optimized for them.

What are the Easiest Vegetables to Grow in a Greenhouse?

The time of year influences which veggies are the easiest to cultivate in a greenhouse. This time of year is ideal for growing Brussel sprouts, cabbage, winter squash, and potatoes. The greatest spring veggies to grow are radishes, spinaches, broccolies, and asparaguses, though.

5 Considerations for Year-Round Greenhouse Growing – Mother Earth News

In the summer, if you want to cultivate vegetables, zucchini, cucumbers, maize, and tomatoes are good options. Mushrooms, kale, onions, and bell peppers are good fall vegetables to grow.

How Do You Grow in a Greenhouse?

For year-round greenhouse gardening to succeed, you must select veggies that thrive in the same settings, choose containers and soil, and maintain control over the growth conditions.

Pick out vegetables that you want to grow each season

It’s common for greenhouse growers to begin by deciding the veggies they want to raise each season. Select your favorite vegetables first, and then sort them into groups based on the way they grow best. Make sure that you plant veggies that grow in comparable climatic conditions so that you can better control the temperature, lighting, watering, and humidity levels.

Select the right containers and soil

The containers and soil you use to cultivate your vegetables will depend on the plants you’ve chosen to produce. Your containers must have adequate room for your vegetables to flourish without any interference from other plants. Make certain that the containers you select are also able to drain excess water.

Finally, the type of crop you wish to produce must influence the type of growth container you select. You must also decide whether or not to grow this crop in a pot or straight in the ground.

It’s great if you grow your crops in soil that is rich and fertile. Compost-mixed soil is highly recommended by gardening experts since it not only adds nutrients to the soil, but it also insulates your plants from the cold of winter.

Learn to control and monitor the growing environment

Lighting, temperature, humidity, and watering should all be adjusted according to the seasons to ensure that your plants have the best possible growing conditions.

Lighting

Consider turning off your lights in the summer, when the sun will provide more than enough light. It’s preferable to switch it on during the fall and winter months if you want your plants to flourish at their peak performance.

Temperature

Use a thermometer in your greenhouse that can measure both the temperature inside and outside of your enclosed space. You’ll be able to adjust the temperature in your greenhouse based on the data from your thermometer.

When it’s hot outside, you’ll want to run your air conditioning or open the vents in your greenhouse to keep it cool. In the winter, you may need to insulate or utilize electric heat if the temperature drops too low.

Humidity

To avoid having to provide your vegetables with the amount of humidity they’d require if you reside in a location that sees dry weather most of the time, try growing plants that can survive in this type of climate. If you didn’t know, one of the simplest methods to raise the humidity in your greenhouse is by spraying it. The moisture on your plants can tell you if they require more or less humid air.

Watering

In the summer, it’s evident that you’ll need to water your vegetables more frequently. If you opt to install an automatic watering system, you’ll find it much easier to do this.

To avoid overwatering your plants, learn how to tell when it’s time to cut back. You can tell if the soil is still wet by doing this. You don’t need to water the plant any longer if the dirt clings to your finger when you touch it.

Getting Started: Pick Your Vegetables

Decide the vegetables you wish to produce as a first step. In the meanwhile, make sure you’re planting stuff you enjoy and kinds that will thrive in your climate and at this time of year. I’ll go into more detail on seasonal veggies later. Growing food that you like to eat will help you succeed. In order to find out what your customers want to buy, you need survey your current and potential clients.

Deep winter' greenhouse grows veggies year-round | MPR News

Group your vegetables according on how well they grow once you’ve picked them out. You’ll be able to better regulate your lighting, temperature, humidity, and watering if you choose plants that thrive in similar environments.

As trendy as eating and gardening seasonally is, it will help you get the most out of your greenhouse each season as well. Planting veggies that thrive in the current season will reduce your need for air conditioning and lights.

Each season has a different crop of vegetables that thrive at that time of year:

This is by no means a comprehensive list, and there are plenty of veggies that do well in a variety of climates.

Each season should be maximized by selecting veggies that naturally thrive at that time of year. Research the growing seasons of the veggies you wish to plant, and then organize them into groups based on that information.

Containers and Soil

Once you’ve chosen your vegetables, it’s time to choose the pots and soil for your garden.

Containers should be able to drain excess water and have enough room for your plants to grow without being hampered. Whether you choose to grow your vegetables in the ground or in a container will have a direct impact on the type of container you use.

Standard vs. Cold Frame Greenhouses

Prior to anything else, you must identify the type of greenhouse you’re dealing with. Understanding your structure’s capabilities will allow you to better care for the plants you intend to grow. Standard greenhouses are ideal for growing sensitive, heat-loving plants or crops that need to be grown outside of the season. No matter what the weather is like outside, these shelters keep a comfortable temperature within.

When the weather outside is more steady and ideal, many gardeners start their plants in a greenhouse and later move them to their garden. Even in the summer, extreme temperature swings are possible in some places. It may be best to maintain the plants in the greenhouse all year round in certain circumstances. Because of its unique design, cold frame greenhouses are distinct from the more common greenhouses. It is possible to create a microclimate in your garden with the help of buildings that harness solar energy and insulate against the elements.

You can either utilize a cold frame to protect sensitive plants from the winter cold, keep planting soil warm, extend the growing season for cool-season veggies, or sow seeds immediately in the spring, depending on your preference. Cold-frame greenhouses shield plants from the elements without causing them to overheat. In this page, you may learn more about these structures.

Potting is a fantastic way to get started because it doesn’t necessitate any further construction. It’s up to you what kind of pot you buy, however potting trays are available to make transporting your plants easier. Fiber, plastic, and biodegradable wood all have their advantages and disadvantages. You’ve picked the appropriate pot if it gives your plants enough room to expand.

You’ll also want to utilize a soil that’s rich in organic matter, such as compost. Compost not only improves soil fertility, but it also acts as a heat storage material, saving you money on your heating bill.

Controlling the greenhouse environment: Lighting, temperature, humidity, and watering

Keeping an eye on the lighting, temperature, humidity, and watering in your greenhouse now can help you prepare it for the upcoming changes in the weather.

Lighting

When it’s hot outside, you can turn off your lighting system or wait until the days become shorter before installing it. Your lighting system will play a major role in the success of your plants in the fall and winter.

Take advantage of the abundant natural light as a starting point. Even on cloudy days, your plants will still benefit from natural light if you arrange them in areas that get the most sunlight. Afterwards, you’ll have to rely on your lighting system to supplement the amount of sunlight your plants would normally receive.

Since LED lights are inexpensive but produce a significant amount of light, I strongly suggest them for any home or business. You’ll want an efficient lighting system that won’t break the bank if you reside somewhere with few sunny winter days. Warming lamps can also be purchased to offer the plants with the additional light and heat they require.

Monitoring temperature in your greenhouse

To ensure that everything is operating as it should, it is best to keep a thermometer in your greenhouse, one that monitors both the temperature inside and outside. Using this device, you’ll be able to keep tabs on the greenhouse’s temperature and make necessary adjustments to ensure the health of your plants.

To keep your greenhouse warm during the fall and winter months, you’ll need to invest in a heating system. Some gardeners prefer to have a cooling system in the summer, but others prefer to just use vents to circulate the air during the hottest months. However, throughout the winter, you’ll want to be sure you have a working heating system.

By insulating your home, you can save money on your home’s electric heating bill. Bubble wrap can be used to insulate the walls of your greenhouse. A heating system may also be necessary, depending on where you live and the severity of the winters.

For example, if you grow veggies seasonally, you won’t need to use much heat in the winter because your vegetables will thrive even if it’s cold outside.

For the most part, the goal is to keep your greenhouse at a comfortable temperature during the summer and a comfortable temperature during the winter.

Humidity

There are many factors to consider when determining how much humidity your plants need. If you live in a dry climate, it’s preferable to grow plants that do well without a lot of moisture. In the same way, growing plants that flourish in humid regions would make your life easier if you live in a humid area.

Humidity can be provided by misting. Just by feeling the moisture on the plants and by using your senses, you’ll be able to tell when you need more or less humidity. Just spend a few minutes in your greenhouse, and you’ll know if it’s too humid!

Watering

In the summer, your plants will require more water, whereas in the winter, they will require less. With an autonomous watering system, all you have to do is change the settings.

During the winter months, if you plan to water your plants manually, you’ll discover that you need to water less. Touching your plants is the greatest method to see if they need water! You don’t need to water if you can feel the soil and your finger has earth on it; basically, if you touch the soil and your finger has soil on it, you don’t need to.

When it comes to watering, it’s also crucial to understand that different plants require varying quantities.

Manual watering has the advantage of allowing you to give each plant exactly what it needs.

Automatic watering systems, on the other hand, save time and relieve you of the burden of monitoring irrigation schedules. This difficulty can be solved if you’re using an automatic watering system, by picking veggies that require similar amounts of water, or by changing the water for separate zones.

You’re ready to grow!

In the end, the most important thing to remember is that you’ll be a success if you work with the area in which you reside and take advantage of diverse climates.

To become a great gardener year-round, you need to experiment, fail, and learn from your mistakes, then keep going. More failures mean more lessons learned, which means better results the next time around!

Deep winter' greenhouse grows veggies year-round | MPR News

What Can You Grow in a Greenhouse?

When you have a greenhouse, you may plant in a variety of climates and seasons. Here are a few suggestions for year-round greenhouse plants.*

Winter to Early Spring

Sow spinach, cabbage, lettuce, and broccoli in an unheated greenhouse in the beginning of the year. A few weeks before your last frost date, you’ll be allowed to plant these plants in the ground. Frozen ground or unusually cold evenings will not stop you from planting them early if you use your greenhouse. When the nighttime temperatures are consistently above 30 degrees, it is time to transplant plants outside to the garden.

Mid-Spring

As soon as spring and the “formal” planting season approach, you can begin to grow more delicate plants in your greenhouses. Warmer and more controlled conditions with at least 8 hours of sunlight per day are required for these plants to thrive. Tender plants like melons, cucumbers, and squash can be started in the greenhouse and transplanted early this summer. Before you move these plants, make sure they won’t be exposed to any frost. Frost will kill them.

Summer to Late Summer

Make way in your greenhouse for mid-summer harvests by removing the plants of the previous season. Sow heat-loving plants such as hot peppers and eggplant at the height of the greenhouse’s external and internal temperatures. However, overheating your greenhouse may not be appropriate for some plants. Mold and mildew thrive in a greenhouse that is too hot. When possible, include a vent kit in your greenhouse to provide adequate circulation and keep your plants cool even on the hottest days of the summer.

Autumn

Utilize your greenhouse to complete summer plantings and start your second crop of cool-season veggies when the heat of the summer fades and the weather cools. It’s unnecessary to heat your greenhouse for cold-season crops, since they are the most tolerant to cold weather. Try kale, snow peas, and turnips as new additions this time around. In the run-up to the holiday season, expect gradual but consistent growth, with plenty of fresh produce to eat and enjoy.

Follow Our Grower’s Guide Series for More Planting Tips and Tools

It’s possible to tailor the plants you cultivate in a greenhouse to suit your location and level of competence, as well as the foods you prefer. You may get more gardening advice and tools by following our Grower’s Guide series. We provide a wide variety of greenhouses, raised beds, and other gardening supplies to choose from.

The Conclusion After Knowing How to Grow Vegetables in a Greenhouse Year-Round

The ability to grow veggies year-round in a greenhouse is essential if you want to get the most out of your area. Don’t overlook the advantages of greenhouse gardening! Use your garden to its full potential!

Related Questions

What are the best materials for a year-round greenhouse?

In the earliest stages of greenhouse construction or renovation, the materials you use will have an enormous impact. Weather-resistant materials will last longer and be more cost-effective if you live somewhere with a lot of rain. It’s a good idea to consider both thick plastic and glass as long-term choices.

How do I make a growing schedule?

As a general guideline, I recommend planting your winter and fall crops at the end of December or the beginning of January. Plants that flourish in chilly climates tend to take longer to germinate than those that thrive in warmer climates.

One of the secrets to greenhouse gardening success is knowing when to begin planting. Do some research on the germination times of the crops you’ve chosen to grow. You can use this information to determine when to begin planting.

How do I protect my plants from frost?

One or two layers of horticultural fleece can be used as a nighttime blanket for your plants, but be sure to remove it in the morning to avoid overheating. You can also save money on electricity by using horticultural fleece in your normal heating plan!

If you live in a cold climate, you may wish to supplement your heating system’s protection for your plants on the coldest nights of the year.