manual for novices on cultivating a plants-filled greenhouse garden

Greenhouse Gardening for Cold Climates: A Comprehensive Guide

Greenhouses offer a fantastic opportunity to extend the growing season and cultivate a variety of plants, even in cold climates. Here's a guide to setting up and maintaining a successful greenhouse garden in a cold climate.

Choosing and Setting Up Your Greenhouse

When choosing a greenhouse, consider a south-facing location with full sun exposure and good drainage to ensure at least 6 hours of direct winter sunlight. A foundation like gravel, wood, or concrete can improve drainage and stability. Opt for materials that insulate well in cold weather, such as wood frames, or aluminum frames if wet winters are common. Use UV-resistant plastic or glass panels rated for longevity to capture maximum sunlight and protect plants.

Inside the Greenhouse

Managing light, temperature, water, air circulation, and soil quality is crucial. Supplement natural light with grow lights in winter and use shade cloths in summer to balance light intensity. For temperature control, use heating systems to protect plants from cold nights and ventilation—such as roof vents, fans, or automatic vents—to prevent overheating and mold. Water plants regularly, employing drip irrigation if possible, since rain won't reach them. Ensure good air circulation to reduce high humidity and fungal diseases. Use high-quality soil rich in organic matter, either in raised beds or containers, for optimal growth.

Plant Selection

Choose hardy, early-maturing plant varieties suited for cold climates to maximize your greenhouse’s productivity. Cool-weather crops like peas can be planted in early spring, while heat-loving plants like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplants can be replanted closer to the last frost day. Herbs, such as basil, ginger, stevia, and lemongrass, are a must for the greenhouse garden. Day-neutral strawberries start producing earlier in a greenhouse garden and continue until late autumn. Tropical plants like figs and lemons can be grown in a greenhouse garden, but may need to be moved indoors during cold months. Grapes and kiwi can also be grown, but more experimentation is needed to determine their success.

Maintenance and Care

At the end of the growing season, it's a good idea to wash the entire greenhouse from top to bottom. Avoid placing the greenhouse near trees with shallow roots like Willow, Aspen, Pin Oak, and Beech. A shade cloth is a must, especially in spring for young plants, to regulate temperature. Irrigating a greenhouse with well or tap water can shock tender plants, so consider using rainwater if available.

Innovative Growing Methods

Greenhouse gardens can be grown without soil, using methods like grow bags, wicking beds, and raised window protected gardens. Hydroponics can also be used to grow a greenhouse garden. The water in a greenhouse should not be too cold, and a stagnant water source can serve as a thermal mass and for watering plants.

In summary, the best approach for cold climate greenhouses combines optimal location, durable insulating materials, integrated temperature and ventilation control, efficient watering, and thoughtful soil and plant selection to extend growing seasons and maintain healthy plants year-round.

In cold climates, a greenhouse can be an excellent venue for planting a variety of plants, enhancing the home-and-garden lifestyle and the productivity of one's family.
To ensure the best results, choose a site for your greenhouse with full sun exposure, good drainage, and a south-facing location for maximum winter sunlight.
For maximum insulation, opt for materials like wood frames or aluminum frames if wet winters are common, and use UV-resistant plastic or glass panels.
Inside the greenhouse, manage light, temperature, water, air circulation, and soil quality to promote optimal growth.
In winter, supplement natural light with grow lights, and use shade cloths in summer to balance light intensity.
Water plants regularly, employing drip irrigation if possible, and ensure good air circulation to reduce high humidity and fungal diseases.
Select hardy, early-maturing plant varieties for cold climates, including cool-weather crops, herbs, and day-neutral strawberries.
Experiment with innovative growing methods like no-till gardening, hydroponics, and geodome or greenhouse design to optimize space, water, and soil usage.