What is best for beginners to plant in a greenhouse?
Greenhouses are a great addition to any garden and are perfect for those who want to extend the window in which they can grow crops. With a greenhouse, fruit, veg, and flowers can thrive, even when the weather outside isn’t ideal.
Plus, for those avid gardeners amongst us, it means you can get outside and practice your hobby during the colder months.
We’ve put together our tips on which crops are best for a beginner greenhouse. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and chillies are staples and are great if you are just starting out on your growing journey thanks to their love of warmth and sun.
How to start a greenhouse
What you grow in your greenhouse depends on its size. A walk-in greenhouse will naturally fit more in it, but you can still start your growing journey with something more compact too.
The idea is that a greenhouse traps heat from the sun and creates a warmer, more humid environment for your crops to thrive in.
Make a note of how many plants will fit inside your new greenhouse and what you’d like to grow throughout the year. Considering harvest times and flowering periods will help you plan what to grow and maximise the space you have.
What you’ll need:
Once you’ve chosen and built your greenhouse (don’t forget to check if you need planning permission before you start!), it’s time to get to the fun stuff – planting and growing!
What can beginners’ plant in a greenhouse?
What you grow in your greenhouse depends on what time of year you’re starting, although technically you can grow plants in a greenhouse all year round.
Salad crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers are an ideal place to start (and, bonus, you can eat what you grow!). Greenhouses can also be a great place to start flower seeds and tubers before moving them outside.
What to plant in a greenhouse in spring
Greenhouses can be used for growing all year round, but if you’re beginning in spring (late March–May), we’d recommend:
Start with leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, and rocket. They’re fast-growing and can be harvested multiple times.
Begin sowing your flower seeds for a brilliant summer display. Summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias and begonias can be started in pots now too.
In early spring, the following hardy plants can be sown ready to plant outside when the weather begins to warm up:
- Cabbages
- Brussels sprouts
- Onions
- Leeks
- Peas
If you’re lucky enough to have a heated greenhouse, you can sow more tender plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.
Mid-spring is the perfect time to sow the following for planting outside towards the end of May:
- Courgettes
- Squashes
- Pumpkins
- French beans
- Runner beans
- Sweetcorn
As days get longer and temperatures increase, keep your plants healthy by watering regularly and ensuring good air circulation using your greenhouse’s vents.
Plant in greenhouse in summer
Summer usually brings the first flush of many of the crops you planted in spring, but it’s also a great time for planting traditional greenhouse crops that need more heat in their final position, such as:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers (sweet and chilli)
- Melons
- Cucumbers
- Plus, if you’re planning to have potatoes on your Christmas dinner table, late summer is the time to pot them.
If you’ve started your plants in a greenhouse, early summer is the best time to start hardening them off. Place your plants outside during the day for a few hours at first, gradually increasing the time until they are acclimatised to outdoor conditions. After a couple of weeks, they can be planted out permanently.
The main thing to focus on in your greenhouse during summer is maintenance. With the sun out for longer and the weather getting warmer, it’s important to open greenhouse windows or vents to support good air circulation.
In really warm conditions, it may be best to leave your greenhouse door open entirely and use a wire screen to keep out unwelcome critters.
Watering is also key during this season. Greenhouse crops usually need watering more regularly than plants in your house or garden, but from late May to early September it’s especially important to check that the soil isn’t drying out in the heat. Watering is best done early in the morning or late in the evening, avoiding the hottest part of the day to prevent scorching.
What to plant in a greenhouse in autumn
Late summer to early autumn is all about harvesting the crops you’ve grown this season and bringing tender plants indoors to protect them over winter. Some perennials can also benefit from the warmth of a greenhouse when colder weather arrives.
You can also clear out old potting soil and get your pots and trays ready for the next round of plants.
If you’re still using your greenhouse to grow in autumn, you can:
- Plant calabrese, French beans, and parsley seedlings, which can mature indoors.
- Sow broad beans and peas, which can be planted outside in early spring.
- Sow hardy lettuces and pea shoots.
- Move herb pots indoors.
Can you use a greenhouse in winter?
Yes, you can use a greenhouse in winter! The key is to regulate the temperature inside. Insulating with cloches or fleece — or even using a greenhouse heater — will help keep temperatures above those outside. When the weather becomes colder and drier, you won’t need to water your plants as much either.
Then once winter ends, it’s time to do it all again!
What are the benefits of using a greenhouse?
There are many reasons why a greenhouse might suit you better than simply planting outdoors.
- Enjoy an extended growing season with the ability to cultivate crops year-round.
- Once you’ve established your green fingers (or if you’re already there!), you can grow more exotic fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
- Tender crops are better protected in greenhouses, and you can often enjoy earlier harvests than if they were planted outside.
What’s the best type of greenhouse?
Which greenhouse you choose depends entirely on your available space and what you’d like to grow.
Mini green and grow houses , as well as cold frames, are ideal for compact spaces or patios. They let you exercise your green thumb without needing a large garden or a full greenhouse structure, although you’ll naturally be more limited in what you can grow.
For more experienced growers, or those with a larger space to work with, walk-in greenhouses or freestanding greenhouses offer more shelf space and can even include borders to extend your planting displays.
While we’d recommend avoiding storing pesticides or tools inside your greenhouse, having some extra storage space can be useful for keeping compost and spare pots close to hand.
If you’re unsure, our expert Green Team are always on hand to help in-store – plus you can use it as an opportunity to see some of our greenhouses for yourself or browse the full range of green and grow houses online.