If you enjoy growing plants and flowers but live in a cold climate, maintaining a garden throughout the winter can be difficult. Another option you may have considered is growing in a greenhouse during the winter. Before you decide to buy a greenhouse, here are some important things to consider.
A cool greenhouse is the easiest type to maintain because it does not require you to provide heat. A cool greenhouse is protected from the elements and can absorb a great deal of heat from the sun if it is positioned correctly.
You can grow cool weather plants in a greenhouse in the winter. A greenhouse that is below 50 degrees at night will still be warmer than the outside air during the winter. Many types of vegetables and plants can be grown in a greenhouse in the winter, including beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, leaks, lettuce, radishes, spinach, turnips, and several species of herbs and flowers.
Growing in a greenhouse during the winter offers several benefits. It can give a gardener the satisfaction of growing plants and vegetables and being able to enjoy them year-round. Walking into a greenhouse filled with vibrant plants on a cold winter day can be enough to lift anyone’s spirits. A greenhouse can also let you get started early on preparing bedding plants for spring.
A greenhouse can be expensive, so it is a significant investment. However, many people believe the money saved by growing plants themselves and the joy they get from it is worth the cost.
If you choose a warm, or heated, greenhouse, it can raise your winter heating bills. However, you can get around this by attaching the greenhouse to your house so heat can be transferred from the house to the greenhouse and vice versa.
It is important to choose the right site for your greenhouse. Pick a location that is level and has good exposure to the winter sun. Put it far enough away from trees and other buildings so it will not get unwanted shade. Try to put the greenhouse in a location where the long side will have a southern exposure.
Choose a greenhouse that is large enough to grow your plants and also to give you enough space to work. You will need a bench for potting and enough space to store tools, seeds, and other items. Think about how to arrange your plants to make the best use of the space.