By setting up a greenhouse in your garden you’ll be able to grow vegetables all year round! Vegetables and fruit will thrive and taste just as those grown outside in the garden, with the added protection from seasonal elements.
There are various types and sizes of greenhouse available, from small plastic mini greenhouses to large glass or polycarbonate types, so you can select one that will fit in your garden.
When siting a greenhouse it will need to receive plenty of light, and some shade in the afternoon. Ventilation is important too, so vents and fans will control temperature in a large greenhouse. Water plants in the evening to prevent them drying out.
Always use good quality compost when growing edibles in a greenhouse to encourage strong, healthy growth and leave room for plants to stretch by not planting too closely together. Keep checking for pests and use an organic, home-made pest repellent to remove them
Greenhouses can be situated directly on to level soil, with a base of gravel to keep weeds at bay, or sited on slabs.
A hydroponic greenhouse differs from conventional greenhouses as vegetables and fruit are grown without any soil. Plants are grown either using just air and water , or by using a mixture of perlite, vermiculite, rockwall or coconut fibres. These methods reduce soil usage and plants grow faster with fewer pests.
However, setting up a hydroponic system is a far more complex method, although, once setup, produces amazing results.
Most vegetables will grow happily in a greenhouse including tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, spinach, kale, carrots, zucchini, peppers, strawberries, lettuce, peas, beans, pak choi, french beans, chillies and aubergines. Some herbs will also thrive in a greenhouse environment.
Why not experiment with different varieties of produce, you may be pleasantly surprised!
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We at village gardens have a knowledge of all of your local edible plants here in South Africa. We can happily plant up your garden with edibles of all varieties from Mediterranean herbs and local indigenous edibles. We are surrounded by such stunning hardy indigenous plants, let’s get back to nature and have our own garden of local goodness.
