Greenhouses are a great addition to any garden as they allow you to grow plants with protection from the inevitably cool and wet British weather. However, it isn’t necessarily as simple as putting the plants into the greenhouse and leaving them to grow- you must take care of your greenhouse and the plants within it. If you aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to looking after your greenhouse, this guide could be your helping hand!
Choose The Right One
Selecting the correct type of greenhouse for both you and your garden is the first step to being able to take the best care of it. You should take into account the size, material, shape and where you place it. Choosing one that isn’t right will only lead to problems further down the line.
Support Your Plants
If your greenhouse is doing its job properly, your plants will be growing to their fullest potential. This means that, as certain plants grow tall, they will require extra support as their stems may not be strong enough to hold themselves, and their fruit, standing tall. This can be done simply by tying garden cane, with garden string, to the stems of the plants. Tomato and melon plants are some of the most common greenhouse plants that require extra support.
Treat The Wood
Whilst wooden-framed greenhouses often smell divine , and do tend to have a fairly long lifespan, they will eventually succumb to rot, given the wet British weather. Of course, this can’t be avoided entirely, but treating the wood with a wood protector, such as Protek Wood Preserver. However, if you would rather avoid the worry of rotting wood in your greenhouse, you should opt for a greenhouse with an aluminium frame.
Increase Humidity Levels
A common problem with greenhouses is that, because it is a confined space, plants grown in them are susceptible to pests and disease. Often, it is the warm and dry atmosphere of a greenhouse that can promote these issues, such as red spider mite. Regularly spraying the floor of your greenhouse can help to avoid these problems, especially during the warmer summer months. Keeping a tray of water in your greenhouse may also be a solution.
Keep It Clean
Regularly washing the interior glass of your greenhouse with a mild solution of soap and warm water will help to keep mould at bay inside your greenhouse, which could potentially be damaging to the plants. Keeping the exterior glass clean is also useful because it means that your plants are exposed to as much sunlight as possible, which helps to promotes their growth.
Keep It Ventilated
Failure to ventilate your greenhouse properly could result in it becoming overheated during the summer months and could increase the risk of condensation which leads to mould. Ideally, ventilation should equate to at least 20% of the floor area of your greenhouse.
Do you have any more tips on how to look after a greenhouse? Share your ideas!
