From MrGreenhouse
Produce you can Grow in Your Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a great place to start vegetables. And you are able to start much earlier than you could if just using outside. You are also able to produce some types of vegetables that would be impossible to grow out doors alone. One of your primary decisions to make is whether you are going to heat the greenhouse, whilst heating the greenhouse will allow you to produce crops earlier, in the majority of cases the cost out weighs the advantages. For most amateur or hobby gardeners it is probably most sensible to use a small heated area for propagation. You can buy self contained propagators these days, or alternatively you could use part of the staging which can be cut off from the rest by using polythene curtains, this will save the cost of heating the entire greenhouse.
Cheaper still, young plants could be raised indoors and transferred to the unheated greenhouse later to improve quality and advance harvesting. Timing is very important.
You can also buy seeds direct from a variety of companies, below is just one that can supply all year round:
[Nickys Seeds and Garden games]
- Purveyor of quality seeds worldwide of all your favourite, rare and unusual seeds, Garden Sundries and Garden Games
Tomatoes
This has to be one of the most popular greenhouse vegetables. You will easily be able to have a supply throughout the summer months and also you should be able to have an early supply, when tomatoes in the shops are at their most expensive.
Aubergines
Aubergines can be grown in the same greenhouse as tomatoes and peppers, and in much the same way. However, they are bigger and more vigorous plants than peppers.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers used to create problems which have been overcome by the plant breeders. These new F1 hybrids have the advantage of increased vigour so that there is now no problem with growing them in the same greenhouse as the tomatoes. As a consequence you should start by purchasing the all-female F1 variety.
Sweet Peppers
Sweet peppers are quite easy to grow but not quite so prolific as tomatoes. They will also live quite happily in the same greenhouse as the tomatoes.
French Beans
Dwarf French beans can be sown in the greenhouse at the beginning and the end of the season to prolong harvesting. At the beginning and end of season whilst the harvest is being prolonged you will notice the increase in price in the supermarket for these vegetables.
Potatoes
The very earliest crop of potatoes can be produced in the greenhouse. Though please note that it is not a very good idea to put them in the same border as they are subject to similar diseases.
Herbs
If you enjoy your kitchen garden, especially a variety of herbs, then you are able to bring your herbs into the greenhouse over the winter months. This will supply you with a fresh supply during some of the coldest months.
Lettuce
There are really only two seasons for growing lettuce in the greenhouse. They can be planted directly into the border soil in the autumn and over wintered for spring harvesting, or alternatively you are able to pot a few plants in early spring for the earliest harvest of the year.
Greenhouse Fruits
There are several fruiting plants that can be grown in a cool greenhouse, and other than frost protection they need very little attention. If you are considering citrus fruits, they adore being put outside during the summer months, which will free up valueable space inside the greenhouse.
Citrus Fruits
Lets look at citrus fruits – oranges, lemons and grapefruit can all be grown from their pips, however, there is no guarantee’s that they will flower or indeed what the fruit will be like. Taking this into consideration it is a much better idea to buy a specialised variety form a specialist garden centre, or these days you mail order plants are easily accessible. These varieties tend to be quite easy to grow, but do need to be kept cool, so putting them outside during those summer months is the best place for them. During winter months, all they need is to be kept away from the nippy frosts that we experience, and then water as necessary. Remember to feed once a week during the summer season and prune out overcrowded or crossing branches through the winter.
Strawberries
This is one of my favourite fruits, and whilst they appear to be so expensive in the supermarkets, this fruit is ideal to be grown at home, and you can have an abundance of strawberries for a fraction of the cost. Strawberries is a fruit that can be forced under glass for the earliest crops of the year. Pot up your runners in summer and leave them outside. In the autumn turn the pots on their side, this allows the plants to keep dry. Finally bring them inside in late winter once they have been subjected to a frost. With this fruit It is a good idea to hand pollinate. This can be done by dabbing each of the flowers with a brush (make sure it is soft), this will increase pollination.
Peaches
Another beautiful fruit, and if you are able to grow these, they will truly reward you with the delicious fruits. Peaches are grown in very much the same way as peaches outside, that are fan trained, however, there is one variation. These plants will flower early, as a consequence there will be very few, if any insects around to pollinate them. So again using a soft brush you will have to transfer the pollen by hand. Using the soft brush to move the pollen from flower to flower.
Grapes
A fantastic greenhouse fruit, they are very popular and good producers year after year as they are not at the mercy of the weather.