Regardless of how long you’ve been a greenhouse gardener or the size of your operation, every grower still needs the same essentials to be successful.
Of course, some of your necessary greenhouse supplies will be dictated by your local climate, your growing goals and even what you’re planting, but these basics will never go out of style.
While preparing for a new planting season, put these must-haves on your supplies list (or check to see if you need to replace or upgrade what you’ve got on hand!):
Pots/Containers: A must whether you’re just getting seedlings started or you’re creating a container garden. A wide range of everything from seedling trays to plastic pots to biodegradable growing mediums are available to meet every gardening need.
Gardening Tools/Rack: Trowels, hand forks, pruners up to wheelbarrows and rakes may be necessary to tend to your greenhouse growing. Just as important as the tools themselves will be a rack or storage area to keep everything organized.
Potting Bench: A dedicated space to prepare your pots with seeds to flourish is essential to working efficiently. Consider one that is easily portable, yet provides a large, flat surface and is sturdy enough to support the weight of your plants.
Benches or Shelves: Maximize the space in your greenhouse by organizing pots on benches or shelves. Either will do to get plants off the floor. Painting wooden surfaces with a semi-gloss paint to protect against mold and make cleaning easier is recommended.
Sinks/Washing Tubs: Speaking of cleaning, bring a sink or washtub in the greenhouse to wash veggies, rinse garden tools and soak pots on the spot. That will not only help prevent the growth of fungus and bacteria, but also boost efficiency of your gardening tasks.
Cleaning Supplies: Insecticidal soaps, bleach and disinfectant spray should also be on hand to help prevent pest growth and damage. Keeping the greenhouse and your gardening tools clean is an important step to avoiding pest problems.
Irrigation System and Drainage: Plants need water to thrive, whether a larger operation using drip irrigation system or a hobby gardener using a watering can. In addition to proper irrigation, adequate drainage is necessary to prevent water buildup, which can become stagnant and lead to algae, disease and insect growth.
Ventilation: Prevent plants from getting too hot or too cool by installing vents or even fans to help release built-up heat and humidity during the summer or bring in warmer air on sunny days during the winter.
Heating/Cooling: Maintaining the proper balance between heating and cooling by using heaters or evaporative coolers will be the single most important thing you can do to get the most out of your greenhouse—especially if you intend to extend your growing season. Of course, what you use will be determined by your local climate.
Thermometer: Having a good thermometer is the single most important tool you will need to have precise control over your greenhouse temperature. A high-low thermometer—one that shares the lowest temperature at night and the highest one during the day—can be especially useful in determining your heating and cooling needs.
Lighting: If your plants aren’t getting enough sunlight or they need the benefit of longer days, consider bringing in artificial light. Many greenhouses need extra lighting. Fluorescent lighting is an option, particularly for smaller operations if greenhouse lights are cost-prohibitive.
Shade Covers: Often used by commercial operations, shade covers help keep large greenhouses cool during long, hot summers. But shade may be needed, especially to nurture plants that don’t need a lot of light to flourish.
Flooring: This can serve both an aesthetic and functional purpose. For example, the walkways should allow for easy walking and cleaning, while underneath the benches can be a porous material to help add humidity if needed and/or allow for easy drainage of water.
Have more questions about which basics you should buy? Call our friendly, knowledgeable representatives today toll-free at 1-800-531-4769 or visit our website, www.GothicArchGreenhouses.com, and let us put our more than 70 years of experience to work for you!