The backyard greenhouse comes in all sizes and is usually made from glass or plastic to allow heat and light to reach the plants inside.
If you are lucky enough to have a nice size garden, a large greenhouse will mean you can put benches, shelves and watering systems inside.
Smaller greenhouses, even ones that stand against a wall, however, can still be a valuable accessory for growing seedlings ready to be transplanted into the garden when the weather permits.
The great thing about the greenhouse is that you can exert a great amount of control about what grows in them. Certain vegetables, such as radishes, carrots, and spinach like cooler temperatures but need some sort of protection from frosts. Fruits like oranges and lemons, however, need warmth and in cooler climates can only survive in a conservatory or greenhouse.
Like all things, the climate must be considered before choosing what is best to grow in the greenhouse. Tomatoes, for example, love the heat of the greenhouse but they must be frequently watered at the base to prevent extreme wilting.
Similarly, orchids thrive in greenhouses. Placed higher up near a fan will simulate natural growing conditions. Using the greenhouse to grown orchids is a less expensive (although time consuming) practise which leaves beautiful, lasting results.
It is easy to get carried away in the greenhouse, filling it with seedlings and plants that take up much more space as they grow. Plan your greenhouse activity first, to get the most success from it.
When the contents of your backyard greenhouse have been planted out in the garden, give the greenhouse a thorough clean to rid it of any unwanted bugs and leave it ready to be used again next year.
Birdhouses
