The Complete Greenhouse Gardening Guide

Liv Butler
Authored by Liv Butler
Posted Thursday, November 24, 2022 - 9:55am

A greenhouse is an excellent investment for your outside space. Perfect for starting seeds, growing tomatoes and cucumbers, and bringing sensitive plants inside for the winter.

Greenhouses are ideal for growing tropical plants or other exotics that need constant temperatures and humidity due to their tropical climates. Read on if you're an avid home gardener who's always been fascinated by greenhouse gardening.

What is Greenhouse Gardening?

Greenhouse gardening is cultivating plants such as vegetables or flowers in a protected, artificial greenhouse environment where the growing season is extended and pests are kept at bay.

Huge greenhouses are used for industrial-scale cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and grains. For most private residences, however, this means erecting a greenhouse in the backyard.

A greenhouse allows a gardener to create a climate for their plants that is isolated from the exterior climate and can be carefully managed to optimise plant development. A greenhouse is much more than just a plastic or glass enclosure in which plants may be grown.

How Does a Greenhouse Work?

One way to think about what goes on inside a greenhouse is the conversion of radiant energy from sunlight into thermal energy.

A greenhouse gets its heat from the sun's rays being absorbed by plants and other greenhouse contents, which in turn radiate it, consequently warming the air within the greenhouse. The colours of the plants and other things in a greenhouse will affect how they respond to the sun's light.

Darker objects warm up faster because they take in more light. Items with lighter colours don't become as hot since they reflect most of the sunlight instead of absorbing it.

Reasons Why Heat is Trapped Within a Greenhouse

Greenhouses are able to retain heat from the sun for an extended period because the plants and other items inside them slowly release the heat energy they have absorbed from the sun. It doesn't take long for something dark to heat up when left out in the sun, but it will take a long time to cool back down again.

The second factor keeping the heat within is that, unlike light, heat energy is not transmitted through glass and plastic. So, what happens to the energy inside when a hot object cools down? In this case, the energy is dissipated as heat into the atmosphere. The hot air rises through convection as it is lighter than cold air. Because heat energy does not move through glass or plastic sheeting as easily as light energy, the warm air in the greenhouse is effectively trapped in the greenhouse.

Varieties of Greenhouses

Greenhouses may be found in a broad range of shapes and sizes, with some being more suited to cultivating certain kinds of plants. However, despite there being different types of greenhouses, they share some similarities. Among the things they share are:

  • Framing: Greenhouse frameworks often consist of lightweight materials that can withstand weather elements and general wear and tear. Wood, metal, or plastic PVC pipe are common materials for frame construction. Wood is the most robust and wind-proof material to use when planning and constructing a greenhouse. However, the wood has to be sealed to avoid dry rot, and termite infestation must be checked often.
  • Foundation: This should be constructed from a water- and insect-proof substance that also serves to secure the building's walls. Wood and concrete are two of the best materials to use. Oftentimes, metal flooring is included in prefab greenhouse packages.
  • Material: Typical greenhouse walls and roofing are made of glass, polycarbonate, acrylic, or fibreglass because of their transparency or semitransparency and the need to allow light to pass through.

Conclusion

When plants are kept in a greenhouse, they benefit from an extended growing season. A greenhouse might be your lifeline if you want to cultivate your own food. Greenhouse gardening is beneficial in many ways, and those benefits increase when you have a well-built greenhouse. If you've been thinking about trying greenhouse gardening, you're in luck because Hall Green House is here to help you get started. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned gardener, Halls Green Houses has the greenhouse that will help you realise your dreams at a price you can afford.

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