Are you planning to plant but don’t know how to grow vegetables in a greenhouse year-round? The process depends upon the season you’ll be planting. Well, it is already common knowledge to all that greenhouses create a controlled environment that best suits your plants.
But not all plants require the same temperature. Generally speaking, plants’ ideal temperature is at 80oF to 85 oF or 26 oC to 29 oC. But if we go to the specifics, then the ideal temperature will vary; that’s why you can grow different vegetables every season.
The first thing you need to do is determine what group your vegetable belongs to so you will know how to grow vegetables in a greenhouse year-round. There are four groups of plants: very tender, tender, semi-hardy, and hardy plants. Let’s discuss it!
Contents
Group Of Vegetables
We will briefly describe each to give you an idea as to which group the vegetable belongs to and discuss the perfect condition and temperature to grow in the best. In this way, you will know how to grow vegetables in a greenhouse year-round.
1. Very tender plants
Very tender plants are those plants that grow well in very warm weather and need 8 to 12 hours of sunlight daily. They love the sun and seem to can’t get enough of it. These are the types of plants that have longer growing seasons. Examples of very tender vegetables are cantaloupe, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes.
2. Tender plant
Tender plants are the ones that will not survive in temperatures below 60 oF (15 oC). Cucumber, Celery, and Summer Squash are a couple of examples for tender plants. They need a minimum of 8 hours of sunlight exposure, and they cannot handle the frost. Plants in this group grow in warmer weather.
3. Semi-hardy plants
The next group of plants is semi-hardy plants. The perfect temperature for them to grow and flourish is at 50 oF to 55 oF (10 oC to 12 oC). They are tougher than the tender plants because they can handle light frosts and only need 6 hours of sunlight exposure.
Vegetables that can handle temperatures within that range are beets, lettuce, and carrots.
4. Hardy plants
Hard plants are the last group. They are the toughest among the four, with the capacity to grow in temperatures as low as 45 oF (7 oC). These plants are amazing because apart from handling stronger frosts, they can even taste sweeter after.
As for this group, the vegetables that belong here are broccoli, asparagus, and peas. As you read this, a question might have popped into your mind like, “How do these vegetables handle the very cold temperature?” Well, to answer your question, these vegetables go into a dormant phase during the cold season.
Instead of bringing harm to the vegetables, the dormant phase brings out a positive growth towards them. When the warmer seasons come, these hard plants yield much better results.
Best Time for Planting Based on Temperature
The greenhouse can provide you a controlled environment, but there are still perfect times to plant your vegetables. Here are ways on how to grow vegetables in a greenhouse year-round:
#1 Winter/early spring
This is the best time for semi-hardy and hardy vegetables to be planted in your greenhouse. Since they can tolerate lower temperatures, you do not need to insulate or heat your greenhouse for them to have the perfect condition.
#2 Mid-spring
Spring is the best time to plant most crops. People consider it as the official season for planting. Vegetables such as your melons, squash, and cucumbers are perfect candidates to be grown in this season. They are the ones that require a minimum of 8 hours of sunlight.
#3 Summer
The temperature during this season is very warm. And no other group of plants loves this condition than the very tender plants. Your peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes will enjoy basking under the summer for a good 8 hours.
But, take note that a very warm greenhouse is not suitable for any plant. Install a ventilation system inside to keep the airflow going and cool things down when the temperature rises higher than ideal.
#4 Autumn
Turnips, kale, and snow peas love the autumn season. These are the not too hot and not too cold kind of weather, which means your greenhouse will not be too humid or need a heater to warm things up.
How To Control Temperature In A Greenhouse
Two factors that affect the temperature inside your greenhouse are ventilation and sunshine. The temperature inside increases when the greenhouse traps the heat produced by the sun. For it to go down, a ventilation system must be installed, or simply open up the windows and doors to bring cool air in.
There are tools like heaters and air circulators that help in evening out the distribution of air inside your greenhouse. Here is a list of the best greenhouse heaters you can find in the market today.
Other than heaters and air circulators, there are more expensive but effective tools to help control your greenhouse temperature. If you have the extra cash, you can purchase a wireless greenhouse temperature monitoring system. This lets you track humidity fluctuations and temperature through online means.
Conclusion
Always keep in mind that not all plants grow at the same temperature. It is better to do a little research before you start planting your vegetables. With that, you can be confident that your plants can grow healthy and strong. Hopefully, you already know how to grow vegetables in a greenhouse year-round.