Setting up your greenhouse

Setting up your Greenhouse

• Unless you are restricting yourself to growing greenhouse crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers, you will need a bench down at least one side of the greenhouse.
• A shelf above the bench is a useful spot for seedlings
• If you want to sow from seed and overwinter tender plants in the greenhouse you will need a power source for a propagator and possibly a heated bench and fan heater
• If you are going to grow greenhouse crops you will need at least one bed, or a space for growbags; growbags can be stood on a bed to maintain a flexible space
• Ventilation is essential both in the roof (autovents are simplest) and in the sides; latched windows or louvres allow cross ventilation which helps keep the greenhouse cool in hot weather
• A maximum/minimum thermometer will help you keep an eye on the temperature
• Internal or external blinds allow flexible shading
• A paved pathway down the centre of the greenhouse provides easy access; watering it in hot weather causes evaporation which rapidly cools the greenhouse air
• If you choose a greenhouse with gutters you can harvest the rainwater to use in the greenhouse; it also helps to have a tap in the greenhouse or nearby as a back up
• A gravel soakaway around the base of the greenhouse will drain excess water away from the building
• A paved area around the greenhouse will make it easy to maintain, this page by Cultivar shows you some popular choices for greenhouse bases.