The beginner's guide to purchasing and cultivating your own greenhouse, including advice on soil irrigation, lighting, heat and humidity. Created by http://www.watermateirrigation.co.uk/

1. A Brief Introductory Guide

2. The Fundamentals...
 It’s important to remember that greenhouse gardening
is different from outdoor gardening.
 It is more controlled and convenient, but is also more
demanding.
 You will relying on environmental control to a greater
extent than outdoor gardening.
 So remember...with great power, comes great
responsibility!

3. Temperature
 You will need to make sure that conditions are
optimal, both inside and outside the greenhouse.
 Auxiliary heat will be needed on cold, cloudy days to
keep temperatures at optimum levels.
 Vents and fans are your allies in keeping the
greenhouse cool.
 Remember that freestanding greenhouses will also
need a way for heating to escape.
 You will need to adjust temperature according to the
level of light getting into your greenhouse.

4. Temperature (continued)
 Investigate what different plants will need before you
start growing.

5. Air circulation
 Air circulation, as we have already touched on, is vital
for plant health.
 Space is key to good circulation; it is important that
your plant growth is not too dense, as this will cause
excess relative humidity.
 Air circulation is key to ensuring that carbon dioxide is
not depleted; the air supply will need to be changed at
least once a month.
 Screen windows and doors can be used to give your
greenhouse cross-ventilation.

6. Humidity
 Humidity can cause problems for plant growth if it is
not adequately controlled.
 During periods of high plant growth, your optimum
humidity needs to be between 70 and 85%.
 If humidity levels become higher than this, plant
growth will be severely impeded, and fungal diseases
become a real problem.
 Keeping the greenhouse warm during cooler periods
will help to control moisture.

7. Light
 Your greenhouse design will, ultimately, determine
how much light it receives.
 You will need to ensure that shade is not too great in
your greenhouse, when planning where to build it.
 Fluorescent and ornamental lighting are always a good
idea if you are growing seedlings, or growing in a
cloudy climate.
 Artificial lighting can also mimic the conditions of
sunlight during winter months.

8. Light (continued)
 If you are growing plants that require a lot of direct
sunlight (e.g. Tomatoes) then lights with high
intensity discharges are always a good idea.
 Similarly, your plants can also find themselves with too
much light, especially in summer months.
 It is important to ensure that your greenhouse is
designed to give your plants the shade that they need.

9. Soil
It is vital that good soil must:
 Drain fast
 Hold moisture well.
 Contain plenty of organic nutrients
 Have a slightly acidic PH.
 If you are growing soil in containers or pots, then this
soil needs to be lighter and more fertile than common
garden soil.

10. Soil (continued)
 Make sure that your soil gets plenty of compost and
vermiculite as well as other mid-season fertilisers such
as compost tea, seaweed and earthworm castings.
 It is a good idea to fertilise less in winter, as the lower
temperatures will mean less microbial activity.

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