Before the harvest comes the planning - or to put it more simply, if you want to set up a greenhouse, you should first clarify a few important questions.
Winter seems to be slowly saying goodbye and many hobby gardeners are already in the starting blocks for the new gardening season. Anyone who attaches great importance to growing their own vegetables in addition to flowers and shrubs will not wait until the ground is actually frost-free before sowing and planting. The more intense the love for the garden becomes, the more likely it is that at some point a greenhouse will move in in the garden. Irrespective of the season and the weather, you can garden here - almost all year round.
Whether newcomer or old hand, working in the greenhouse is always exciting. So that it stays that way, I have put together a few tips in this little guide to help you find the right greenhouse and use it optimally.
Buy a greenhouse - which one is right for me?
Anyone who already has a greenhouse may have come to the point that the choice of model wasn't quite the right one. A roof, a few panes, that's not all! The selection or purchase should be well thought out. "You have to be involved with the construction," says Andreas Berger, Managing Director at gfp-international.com, whose main focus is on recognizing the wishes of the customers. For example, you have the choice between a free-standing and a lean-to greenhouse. With the latter, the greenhouse is screwed to a free house wall - the best solution, especially when there is little space. Other criteria that play an important role:
- the height of the greenhouse must be chosen so that you can stand comfortably in it. Plan at least 6 feet.
- the optimal location for the greenhouse is in a sunny spot. Also keep in mind that the greenhouse is not too far from the house. Long walks quickly spoil the desire to get some fresh vegetables.
➔ Foundation - yes or no?
My recommendation is clearly YES, if only to give the greenhouse a certain stability. In addition, a foundation insulates from below and protects you from soaking wetfeet. Everyone can imagine how quickly the ground softens after a heavy rain shower, because water is known to find its way - even into the greenhouse.
➔ Create sidewalks
Once the greenhouse is set up, you want to get started right away. However, in order to avoid later chaos, you should think about what and where you want to find space in the greenhouse. By the way, I will explain in a moment how you can use this optimally. Lay out paths first so that radishes and the like are not accidentally trampled on later. From my point of view, so-called rollable garden paths made of wood are best suited because, firstly, they can be laid flexibly, and secondly, coarse dirt from your garden shoes falls directly through the wooden lattice. An example is the rollable garden path from biber.de, whose slats are even made of Russian birch wood. It remains to be seen whether the wood has to travel that far, the taxiway definitely serves its purpose.
➔ Setting up the greenhouse optimally
But now it really starts, you can plan the space in the greenhouse. Surely you already have a clear idea of what should be planted in the greenhouse. So that cucumber, tomato and pepper do not get in each other's way and you can handle them optimally, plan several levels. Shelves, raised beds and also hanging systems bring a lot of additional growing space. You just have to be careful not to overshadow the plants underneath.
➔ Heat the greenhouse - is that necessary?
Yes, if you want to use your greenhouse all year round - i.e. also in the winter months. Ideally, temperatures in the greenhouse should be between 15 and 24 degrees. From autumn at the latest, this can no longer be guaranteed. If you want to continue growing in the greenhouse afterwards, you need a heat source. The following possibilities are conceivable:
- Compost heater - expert bio-kilns, ecologically produce energy that can be used to heat the greenhouse. Exactly how an organic kiln works is explained on energieleben.at.
- House heating - if the greenhouse is close to your house, a pipe system can be installed later and the existing heating system can be used.
- mobile heaters - are set up with little effort. They can be fueled by oil, gas or electricity (e.g. electric fireplace), similar to camping.
- electric heating mats - are placed under the plant pots to protect the root ball. When buying on enoughPay attention to the supply cable!
In small greenhouses, heating does not require a great deal of effort. Several candles or so-called wax burners also do their job, but should be set up in such a way that there is no risk of fire.