There are obvious benefits to growing your own herbs, and it’s easy to read the tips and tricks from the Herb Cottage and believe you can live that fresh, green life. Unfortunately, many of us simply can’t. You might live in a region not conducive to a lush garden, and you might not have enough natural light in your home to grow your herbs indoors. Whatever the obstacles may be, you shouldn’t give up hope; instead, you should try greenhouse gardening.
For millennia, humans have built specialized structures to facilitate agriculture. Today, the best greenhouses are exceedingly technologically advanced, allowing growers the world over to raise crops that would otherwise wilt and die in the natural climate. However, your greenhouse doesn’t have to have smart soil sensors and automated sprinkler systems; in fact, if you need it to, it can fit into an unused corner of your yard or patio and still produce bushels of healthy herbs. If you need more convincing, here is a straightforward guide to greenhouse herb gardening, filled with tips and tricks for growing all the herbs you could ever want.
The Benefits of Greenhouses in Herb Gardening
Greenhouses are advantageous for herb growing for the same reasons greenhouses facilitate other types of gardening and agriculture: They offer unprecedented control over the environment. Naturally, wild plants are reliant on unpredictable predictable factors, such as sunshine, rainfall and soil composition. Worse, they are subject to destructive forces, like pests and wind. This makes healthy growth difficult if not impossible in some regions.
Gardeners seek to control as many of these factors as they can. For example, gardens typically contain manufactured soils designed to accelerate growth, and gardeners typically build sprinkler systems or regularly supply additional water to their crops. However, with the help of a greenhouse, gardeners can control every aspect of the environment, from the amount of light each herb receives to the humidity in the air and soil. Plus, because most greenhouses are fully enclosed, pests and wind have no way in to destroy precious crops. As a result, greenhouse herbs tend to grow bigger and faster than herbs grown in less-controlled environments.
Types of Greenhouses
Greenhouses come in all shapes and sizes to accommodate the needs of all gardeners and growers. Some types you might consider include:
- Window. Window greenhouses are small boxes attached to windows and filled with relatively small crops, like herbs. They transform a typical window into a lush garden, and they make it exceedingly convenient to access your herbs while cooking or crafting.
- Lean-tos. Also called half-greenhouses, lean-tos look like teepees or half-structures that use another building for support. If you lack space — or like having your herbs close-by — you can use your home as one wall for your greenhouse. This also helps provide more heat and shelter to your herbs while limiting sunlight.
- A-frame. The A-frame is a popular style because it is easy to construct. The walls and roof comb together to create a straightforward triangular structure. Ultimately, you use less material to gain sufficient growing space.
- Hoop house. Growing in popularity, hoop houses also make for easy construction. Instead of a triangle, these structures are half-circles typically covered in sheets of plastic. This is perhaps the least expensive freestanding greenhouse option, but you must be careful to build it properly.
- Gothic arch. Inarguably the most aesthetic greenhouse style, the gothic arch is a stunning addition to a property, and it provides ample space to grow nearly any type of crop. However, it is difficult to build a gothic arch without a kit, so it isn’t an ideal option for the first-time greenhouse grower.
To make the construction process simpler, you can buy a greenhouse kit, which includes all the structural components of your desired greenhouse as well as any systems you want or need.
Herb Greenhouse Tips and Tricks
Because greenhouses allow you acute control over the environment, the best herbs to grow in a greenhouse are those most sensitive to temperature and water. Your first greenhouse herbs should be those that often struggle to flourish, including:
- Basil
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Parsley
- Chamomile
- Catnip
Typically, greenhouse herb growing is most successful when plants receive a steady supply of moisture, which might require you to install a misting system or automatic drip hoses if you aren’t prepared to water your herbs every day. Additionally, you might add shades to your greenhouse to block light for some of the day if your greenhouse is not already situated under partial shade. With the right herbs, the right tools and the right attitude, you should finally be able to grow the herb garden of your dreams.
Submitted by:
Jackie Roberson
jackier@seekvisibility.com