With few exceptions, any plants that can be grown in soil will grow in a properly designed greenhouse, while exotic flowers, fruits, vegetables and other crops that are sensitive to temperature, light and weather conditions should thrive under controlled greenhouse conditions. For example, leafy greens, tomatoes, citrus fruits and tropical plants do extremely well under the monitored and controlled conditions of a contemporary greenhouse. Flowers, fast-growing herbs and sprouts produce well, and plants that are normally not in season can be locally-grown and freshly-harvested from greenhouses. The proliferation of alternative agricultural methods is an exciting development for greenhouse growing, and the future of agricultural development is likely to depend less upon nature than on controlled environment growing conditions.
Not only can production time sometimes be shortened, but the availability of vine-ripened tomatoes and "picked fresh" fruits and vegetables is a highly attractive selling point for many consumers. Additionally, greenhouse growing eliminates the need for heavy use of pesticides and nutritional supplements, reduces transportation costs for getting produce to market, and offers more variety, less spoilage and more choice to the public. In addition to higher efficiency and better profitability for growers, large-scale greenhouse agriculture is destined to continue evolving as new products become available and new methods gain acceptance. The future looks bright for successful greenhouse operation, and for the farmer of the future.
