If you ever thought of “how to grow leafy greens in my greenhouse?” you’ll be pleased to know that it only takes four sections to get started and successfully harvest them. Four questions composed of what, where, when, and how will get you covered, and you should be prepared to have your supply of healthy greens soon. More than a productive endeavor, who would want to miss out on fresh crops that can beat disease?
Leafy greens are not only nutritious by protecting and strengthening our bodies against diseases. Sadly, it’s not always possible to get a fresh supply of them, so growing them yourself is a more definite approach to living a healthy lifestyle. You might also be surprised by the profit benefits that leafy greens can give you because of their high demand.
How To Grow Leafy Greens In My Greenhouse: Here’s What You’ll Need To Know
What to grow?
Check your growing zone
The University of Massachusetts Amherst mentioned an extensive list of leafy greens that you can grow. When one says leafy greens, it can be overwhelming for the newbie farmer to determine which crops are best for his greenhouse. To cull your list of options, you can always choose leafy greens that will thrive in your state’s growing zone.
This way, you’re less likely to face drawbacks in planting because your garden vegetables are hardy enough for your location’s conditions. It will also always be a productive garden because you can create a growing calendar based on these crops that match your hardiness zone. Still, you are already ahead with using a greenhouse since it makes it possible to adjust the temperatures and other factors indoors for optimal crop growth.
Leafy greens for the greenhouse
You have your usual greens such as lettuce, cabbage, kale, spinach, and arugula to choose from. These vegetables’ demands are high from people looking into including them in their diet because of the tagline, miracle foods.
Spinach, Swiss chard, Collard greens, lettuce, and some cabbage varieties are hardy, and even kale benefits from “frost kiss” to improve its taste. However, just because you can consider them as winter vegetables doesn’t mean you can be less involved in growing them in cold weather. Check the temperature indoor regularly to prevent damage, bolting, or even slow growth.
When to grow?
After listing the leafy greens suitable for your greenhouse, the next step is planning before starting to grow them. Because of the varying conditions and seasons per region, it’s difficult to say a definite month when to start growing leafy greens. Instead, remember that you aim to plant enough crops early to harvest efficiently once the cold season begins.
Using the greenhouse makes it possible to seed early before short days start, which will also slow the growth rate. As you have more experience in growing greens in the greenhouse, you can develop your planting schedule with expected harvest dates. For example, you may plan to grow spinach in September and October to pick them through February and still be productive.
Where to grow?
Depending on your greens’ greenhouse and space requirements, you can choose to plant them in containers or directly in the bed. You can start greens in open seed flats or nursery flats and then transfer them when they’re mature enough. But more than the container per se, what makes up the growing media is also crucial for success.
You can use soil or soilless media such as peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. If you opted to use soil, fertile and well-draining soil should support your crops’ growth. Additionally, dont forget to fumigate them to prevent diseases in the greenhouse.
How to maintain the greenhouse for greens?
Every leafy green has its fertilizer and water requirements, so the information below should be your general guideline. Some greens may require less fertilizer and water, while some are heavy feeders and drinkers. Just remember to jot down your plant needs and avoid over- and under-fertilizing and watering.
Over-fertilizing can lead to aphid infestation, while plants in an overwatered medium are prone to developing diseases. What about the maintenance of temperature and light in the greenhouse? Again, the optimal growing conditions of leafy greens vary, so you can plant those with similarities simultaneously to avoid drawbacks.
Otherwise, invest in cooling and heating systems, humidity control, and ventilation to ensure continuous plant growth. Light may also be necessary because its decline can cause unsatisfactory flavor and development on the green. Learn when to use a growing light depending on your greens’ growth stage and put it at a recommended distance from the crops.
Conclusion
It’s possible to have your own supply of healthy crops and possibly use them as an income source. One of the best vegetables to grow in the greenhouse is greens, so researching how to grow leafy greens in my greenhouse is probably worth investing time and effort to. After all, you only need to know what to grow, when to grow, where to grow, and how to maintain the greenhouse.
Your main takeaway here is that each crop has requirements, but using a greenhouse already makes it more convenient for you to adjust if necessary. Proper planning and dedication should get your leafy greens ready on your plate or at the market.