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Greenhouse Growing Hints and Tips

greenhouseGreenhouse owners listen up. Finding out how to best grow your plants comes with experience but there are a few handy hints and tips that novices may not yet have picked up which will have your crops looking luscious in no time. Check out our tips below to help you turn over a new leaf and get to the bottom of your cultivation troubles.

Temperature

One of the most crucial things which helps your plants to grow is the temperature and ventilation being right inside your greenhouse. It’s important to make sure your greenhouse is positioned in your garden in a place which gets the optimum amount of sunlight. This helps to ensure a toasty temperature perfect for growing crops and vegetables. Some people choose to buy electric heaters to put inside their greenhouse which can be useful in the winter months, although if you don’t plan on growing anything too exotic sunlight is just fine. In the winter, covering plants with a fleece overnight helps to protect them from frost and fixing bubblewrap to the insides also helps keep the heat in and the cold out.

Ventilation

The hot temperature does bring with it some downfalls so remember it’s important to ensure that insects, fungi and mildew don’t get to your plants as a result of there being such a close atmosphere. These window openers provide a great solution to common problems with poor ventilation and are really useful in summer when it’s important to ensure that enough cool air is getting in. Good ventilation means your crops will stand a much better chance of surviving. In the summer months propping open the door with a brick or stone is a good way to keep the fresh air circulating.

insidegreenhouseProvide the best compost

For the best results a good quality seed compost should be used such as John Innes Seed Compost which contains the correct level of nutrients for early development. This can also be used for rooting soft cuttings. Once the seedlings are ready for pricking out use John Innes Potting Compost No.1, or similar, which contains balanced nutrients to suit young plants. As the plants develop begin using a compost which contains more nutrients to ensure plenty of food for the growing plants. Potting Compost No. 2 is best for vegetables and smaller plants but No. 3 should be used if the plants are to be kept in containers for any length of time.

By following these few tips you should be well on your way to a much more fruitful season.