So, what about the plants themselves? Certain crops may be more attuned to someone who’s only just now dipping their toes into the dirt. Or perhaps you’re an experienced gardener, who wants to try something new. Regardless, a new greenhouse is a new beginning, and the opportunities are limited only by your imagination and resources.
A Place to Start:
- If you’ve been a serial houseplant killer, or simply want to hone your skills before moving onto more involved projects, there are many hardy and undemanding plants to choose from.
- Radishes: These are some of the fastest growing vegetables and they thrive in anywhere from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If these root vegetables don’t get too warm and have access to six hours of sunlight a day, they’ll do just fine. This is a quickly rewarding plant and can be an excellent way to build your confidence while you get started.
- Tomatoes: There’s little things as rewarding, or as delicious, as a plump tomato straight from your backyard. These dynamic fruits/vegetables are happiest in warm climates, and benefit greatly from the warm, humid environment of a greenhouse. While these are thirsty plants, they are also sensitive to moisture, and may thrive in soilless mediums. With literally thousands of varieties to choose from, you’ll be hard pressed not to find a kind of tomato that’s perfect for you.
- Mushrooms: A charming, yet different option might be to start your own fungal colony. A little family of bright, healthy shiitake or oyster mushrooms can be a delicious addition to a home cooked meal. Many mushroom species have also been proven to have numerous health benefits, from easing anxiety to boosting the immune system. Despite their reputation, many mushrooms can grow happily in at least partial light, and come back faithfully thanks to their mycelium resting underneath the earth.
Once you’ve chosen a few plants to start with, there’s even more decisions to make. While it’s always a fair option to grab your seeds and start digging up the ground -- there’s some real advantages to thinking about the most ideal home for your new tenants. There’s a variety of ways to ‘plant’ your plants.
- Grow Media: Any old dirt will work, but it might not be what’s best for your crop. Your growing media refers to the material in which your plant takes root within and sprouts from. Your particular “recipe”, so to speak, will depend on what’s near you, what’s in your compost bin, and what you’re planting. For traditional soil-agriculture, the media can contain any mixture of peat moss, shredded bark, sawdust, pumice, vermiculite, etc. Organic additions help provide nutrition and structure for the plant, while inorganic materials leave space for water and air to reach the root structure.
- Plants will have their own favorite conditions. Strawberries, for instance, love nutrient-rich, acidic soils with high concentrations of organic matter. Potatoes like their soil to be a little more sandy. Some special projects, like in the case of mushrooms, may require more nutrition to grow well. The mycelium which powers mushroom growth is happiest in nutrient-rich soil and a healthy layer of substrate (mushroom food).
- Containers: Typically, trays, pots, or other containers offer a wide array of benefits for plant growth. Combined with the use of shelves or other raised platforms, stacked or staggered containers can make the most out of your available space. It’s easier to transport and sanitize plants within a container, and plant’s health concerns are more easily addressed. Additionally, aeration and drainage are easier to manage and monitor when handling individual containers, with their own drainage systems.
