Greenhouse Plants List: Everything You Need To Know!

Do you want to know some greenhouse plants list? The list of plants to grow in summer in the greenhouse is vast, so year-round productivity is achievable.

You can grow various plants such as peppers, herbs, squash, eggplants, green onions, okras, melons, beans, greens, and tomatoes. The summer season doesn’t have to be a problem for farmers because the greenhouse makes it possible to grow these various crops.

Can You Use A Greenhouse In The Summer?

You don’t need to halt the productivity in your greenhouse when summer starts. Actually, a lot of crops would thrive well in the heat. However, make sure that you still check the greenhouse conditions as very high temperatures can affect the plants’ health. 

Here’s the greenhouse plants list:

 

Tomatoes

Crops like tomatoes originate in warm places, making them suitable to grow in the greenhouse in summer. They came from South A

America, where the temperatures get high. Therefore, they’ll still grow healthily inside the greenhouse during warm summers. 

 

Peppers

Pepper varieties such as hot peppers and bell peppers also originate in warm regions. In fact, hot pepper seeds even prefer a warm temperature to germinate. What’s great about peppers is that depending on how hot it is in your greenhouse, you can harvest them fresh or dried. 

 

Greens

Most greens that you use in a salad grow well in the greenhouse in summer. They include heat-tolerant varieties of lettuce, romaine, cabbage, watercress, and asparagus. They can grow quickly as long as you give them good hydration by targeting their roots with water. 

 

Herbs

A lot of herbs ranging from dill, parsley, chives, thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage, rosemary, and basil, thrive in a greenhouse during summer. However, do note that herbs like thyme and oregano do not need as much water as plants like basil. Nevertheless, the heat in the greenhouse can help you preserve the cuttings of these herbs.

 

Beans

Varieties of beans like yard-long beans and green beans grow well in the heat. They make great crops for the greenhouse in the summer because of their productivity. If you want to achieve a good harvest every summer, beans are an excellent choice. 

 

Squash and zucchinis

The warm condition in the greenhouse during summer is great for squash and zucchini. Varieties like the Trombetta will go well with the other summer crops in the greenhouse. 

 

Eggplants

Some varieties of eggplants came from Southeast Asia. These long and narrow eggplants flourish well in the summer. Just make sure to harvest them immediately once you notice that the fruits’ skins are getting dull. 

 

Okras

Okras came from Africa, which makes them a good candidate to plant in the greenhouse during summer. Depending on the variety, you can even harvest the pods frequently. 

 

Green onions

With proper care, green onions will grow well in the greenhouse in summer. Just make sure the seedlings are spaced well in loosened soil with fertilizer. 

 

Melons

Melon varieties like watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe are productive fruits to grow in the greenhouse during summer. However, you still need to check if the inside’s condition provides proper ventilation so that they don’t overheat. 

 

Can You Use A Greenhouse In The Summer?

The beauty of greenhouse farming is that you can still use it in the summer. Compared to field growing, you always have some control over the conditions inside the greenhouse. You just have to know how do you keep a greenhouse cool in the summer and what crops will thrive well in this condition. 

Using a greenhouse in the summer means making sure that the conditions inside will still be habitable for the summer crops you’ve chosen. This can mean checking the ventilation and humidity, adding shade, and examining for pests.  

 

How Do You Keep A Greenhouse Cool In The Summer?

Crops such as tomatoes, peppers, greens, herbs, beans, squash and zucchinis, eggplants, okras, green onions, and melons grow well in the greenhouse during summer. However, you still need to keep the greenhouse cool by using shade cloth, proper ventilation, cooling system, and thermostat. You must always maintain the proper temperature inside the greenhouse during the summer.  

 

Shade cloth

The easiest way to cool your greenhouse in the summer is by using shade cloth. This will help lessen the intensity of the light that penetrates the greenhouse. In turn, you can prevent overheating of plants from getting very intense direct sunlight. 

Sunlight is essential for photosynthesis, so you should understand that you’re not aiming for total darkness in the greenhouse. You can regulate the light intensity by putting the cover during the hottest hours, and then remove it once it’s not as intense. 

 

Proper ventilation

The ventilation in the greenhouse plays a significant role in keeping it cool in the summer. You can do this by using natural or mechanical ventilation systems. Proper ventilation will make sure you can let cool air inside and then take the hot air outside from the greenhouse. 

Natural or manual ventilation is through the use of air vents, mesh cloth or screen. Or, if you want, you can also use mechanical ventilation systems that will automatically work the vents and exhaust fans for you. Both natural and mechanical ventilation systems will ensure that you can manage the summer temperature in your greenhouse. 

 

Cooling system

In some areas, you will need to install a cooling system in terms of fans and evaporative cooling systems to regulate your greenhouse temperature. Your location may have a more intense heat during the summer compared to other regions, so you need to reinforce a cooling system in the greenhouse. 

 

Thermostat

To keep the greenhouse cool in the summer, you can also place a thermostat in your greenhouse. What this does is that it will help you monitor the conditions inside your greenhouse. This way, you will know if you need to make adjustments and reinforcements in the greenhouse. 

 

How Can I Cool My Greenhouse Without Electricity?

You may think about how it wouldn’t be cost-effective to rely on electricity for cooling the greenhouse every summer. How can I cool my greenhouse without electricity? Shading, manual ventilation, and misting are effective ways to cool the greenhouse every summer without electricity. 

 

Shading

By having the proper amount of shade, you can control the greenhouse temperature and ensure the growth of quality crops.  You can do this by adding a shade cloth or shade paint, and both of which do not require electricity to work.

Plants require light for photosynthesis, so you must know when should you add shade and how much is needed by your plants. The climate in your region is also a significant factor to know how much light your crops will get every summer.

 

Shade cloth

The concept of shading with shade cloth is as straightforward as using a big curtain that you can open or close in the greenhouse. You can either have it inside or outside, depending on your climate. For example, having the shade cloth outside every summer will reduce the intense heat more efficiently. 

 

Shade paint

Shade paint is a paint that is capable of blocking solar radiation from penetrating the greenhouse. You will use it outside the greenhouse, and it’ll need reapplication every year. However, because it’s painted, you can’t really adjust the amount of sunlight you’re blocking. 

 

Manual ventilation

The effect of ventilation on the airflow is the reason why it plays a role in cooling the greenhouse. However, you have the option to have a manual ventilation system if you don’t want to use electricity. With a manual ventilation system, you’ll be the one who’s in charge of opening and closing the vents. 

It’s a straightforward concept because you’re opening them when it’s hot, and then closing them when it gets cooler. Therefore, you want to open the vents after sunrise and then close them at nighttime. For maximum efficiency, remember to have both the sidewall vent area and ridge vent area at 15 to 20% of the floor area. 

 

Misting

Just like us humans, you can cool your greenhouse by damping it down. You’ll only need to spray down on the hard surfaces every time the temperature gets very hot. This results in a moist and humid environment that will be helpful for the plants to survive the heat of the summer. 

There is no exact number that you must abide by regarding how often or how much you need to mist your greenhouse. However, it’s good that you do it simultaneously when you’re opening and closing the vents. 

 

What Is Too Hot For A Greenhouse?

It’s too hot for the greenhouse if it reaches a temperature above 40°C. This temperature will be too critical for photosynthesis, and the damage will already be irreversible at this point. Getting at this temperature and above it will be detrimental to your plants, so it’s important to cool the greenhouse, especially in the summer. 

 

Do Greenhouses Need To Be Heated?

Greenhouses need to be heated if it is winter or if you live in a region with a cold climate. Just like with very high temperatures, very low temperatures can cause damages to your crops. You can identify the appropriate heating system for your greenhouse by calculating its heating requirements

 

How Do You Keep A Small Greenhouse Warm?

With a small greenhouse, you have the option of relying on insulation, solar energy, and an electric heater to keep it warm. Choosing a heating system depends on which matches your ideal needs and requirements. Consider how much you’re willing to invest in the costs, and which system will be convenient for you in the long run. 

Insulation

Insulating your greenhouse is a simple yet effective way to keep it warm when needed. In particular, a well-insulated greenhouse will not have any problems even though it might get very cold at night. You can check for air leaks and use bubble wrap or plastic sheets to your greenhouse walls to keep them insulated. 

Solar energy

You can keep a small greenhouse warm by designing it in such a way that it will get hit by solar energy directly. Position your greenhouse so that its north wall is opposing the south border of your home. Then, add a water-filled barrel inside the greenhouse, which will serve as a target for the sun’s electromagnetic radiation. 

Electric heater

The beauty with a small greenhouse is that even though you use an electric heater, it wouldn’t be too expensive. It’s small enough that using the heater for a few hours will already be effective in keeping the temperature warm. Use an electric heater with a timer for a more convenient way of heating your small greenhouse. 

Electric heaters with a built-in thermostat will even make the job easier. After all, it will only turn on when the temperature gets too cold. This lessens costs and adds to the convenience, especially when you’re away. 

 

What Can I Grow In A Heated Greenhouse?

The crops you can grow in a heated greenhouse are similar to those you can grow in summer. These plants include vegetables that thrive in heat, such as tomatoes and pepper varieties like bell peppers and jalapeno. You can also grow beans, squash, okras, and cucumbers in the heated greenhouse. 

 

Bottom Line

The list of plants to grow in summer in the greenhouse is composed of tomatoes, peppers, greens, herbs, beans, squash and zucchinis, eggplants, okras, green onions, and melons. These crops have varieties that can tolerate the heat, so you can still grow them in your greenhouse year-round.  However, it’s crucial to maintain the conditions inside the greenhouse to keep the plants healthy. 

So how do you keep a greenhouse cool in the summer? You can cool the greenhouse in the summer using shade cloth, proper ventilation, cooling system, or with a thermostat. Adding these reinforcements will help you minimize the heat during the summertime. 

Overall, always check the temperature in the greenhouse during the year when it gets extreme. You don’t want the greenhouse to reach 40°C because it damages the plants’ capacity to perform photosynthesis. On the other hand, you also have to heat the greenhouse during winter to keep the area habitable for your crops. 

Hopefully, you’ve learned from this greenhouse plants list!

Leave a Comment