The Guide to Greenhouse Growing
Set up right in your backyard, greenhouses provide a stable, warm environment where plants can be grown throughout the year. They can also be used to get a head start on the growing season, by planting new seasons crops early. Or try “force growing” your spring bulbs in pots to bring inside the house when flower buds are showing. Greenhouses come in all different shapes, sizes and styles, so there’s something for everyone and every backyard.
Before you get started, you need to figure out how much growing space you need, both now and in the future – you don’t want to limit yourself in the years to come! The Trulux glasshouses we range in store are built to last and can survive virtually anything nature throws their way (as their structural 20 year warranty can attest).
So where is the best place to put your greenhouse? If it’s closer to your house or garden, you’re much more likely to use it. This also makes it so much easier to get access to electricity and water – both of which will be very useful.
Ensure the area you choose has maximum exposure to the sun. Ideally the greenhouse will get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Avoid placing your greenhouse near trees or other objects that will cast a shadow during winter months. Deciduous trees are the exception, however as they can provide much needed shade in summer, and lose their leaves in winter, allowing sunlight to get through.
Our Top Tips
Water – Water in the morning to avoid burning the plants leaves and water low down at the soil level rather than wetting the leaves to reduce risk of fungal or bacterial outbreak.
Ventilation – Your greenhouse really must have a roof vent to allow for air flow. Keep this vent and your door open during the day and close at night.
Pests & bugs – Control of whitefly can be achieved with non toxic whitefly traps that the bugs are attracted to. Hang these above your plants. Planting borage in your greenhouse will also deter whitefly and if things get carried away then use neem oil to manage an outbreak of bugs.
Too much summer sun – In the heat of the summer you can literally cook your plants. Glass is the best glazing material for greenhouses when it comes to letting sunlight and its warmth in, while keeping the elements out. Trulux greenhouses use toughened safety glass exclusively, so you’ll get great performance while still ensuring safety.
Too much wind – Your greenhouse needs to be in the sunniest, winter sun location for best growing results. This will give you the longer season time planting that is the benefit to growing indoors. Site your greenhouse where it is protected from wind and plant some great fast growing hedging like feijoa, griselinia littoralis or corokia to slow down the wind intensity. While your hedging plants are young then a simple trellis panel screen will act as some protection to your little shed.
Trulux greenhouses are available at Palmers Albany, St James, Bethlehem, Rotorua and Plimmerton.