Saturday, January 22, 2011

Greenhouse Life And Facts~

Using a greenhouse to supplement a growers demand in a business or for the enjoyment of a hobby project, either is an experience that requires some basic knowledge and a learning period to get comfortable with the things that do and do not work.

There are easy ways to search for the information that best fits your needs, but I will share a few basic facts that apply to most any user.

First determine your needs based on the size greenhouse you have.

Small, medium, and large spaces seem to work well as a guideline.

Small houses are usually considered to be a hobby house...but, I use the largest of the small selection and it provides space to produce 100's of plants at any given time. This is about 180 sq ft of workable space.

So, for any home gardener, hobbyist, or small business...this is good.

A small propane heater is enough heat for this size house unless you are in a very cold climate for the full winter months.
A good thermostat is a must.

Plants in a greenhouse must have fresh air without a blast of cold air striking them.
Install a evaporative water cooler.
Hot and cold water should be available with a mixing faucet.

The floor of your greenhouse should be winterized with a good foundation of material designed for this purpose. On top of that a good layer of pea gravel or flagstone...adding a layer along the soil line around the greenhouse.

Electricity is an option, but not a demand if using propane for heat. it can however double the growing space in your house.

When watering in the Gh, I always do this early in the day.

The night temp's in your Gh is best at 45* for most all plants.....many people I know use as much as 65 and 50 is pretty acceptable...but 45 is just right in all of my experiences.

Sage Hill will be starting flats in the Gh by the end of February...this will give us plants ready for the spring planting by early to mid May.

Looking forward to spring...how about you ?

Bea Kunz
Sage Hill Farms