Greenhouse plants for beginners

Choose a practical and attractive greenhouse that fits in your garden, on your balcony or in other places with limited space. The greenhouse gives your plants more heat and higher humidity - you simply create the best possible climate for what you want to grow. It is almost only your imagination that sets the limits to what you can grow in your greenhouse.

• Bell peppers and chili peppers
  Both bell peppers and chili peppers are well-suited for growing in greenhouses. You sow seeds in spring when it is 20°C or more. When the sprouts appear, you move them into small pots where they can grow before planting them in larger containers. You can harvest in late summer and early autumn.
  
  
• Citrus fruit
  These are often considered difficult to grow, but in reality they are easy to care for and are excellent for frost-free greenhouses where the white flowers will emit a sweet fragrance. For fruits to form and ripen, the temperature must be at least 10°C. Do not plant cuttings. They will not bear fruit until they are too large to keep in the greenhouse. Instead, buy a young tree and place it either in special compost for citrus trees or in compost mixed with coarse sand. Water generously in the summer, but more sparingly from autumn to spring. That is also the time for pruning.
  
  
• Cucumber
  Until recently, we most often grew cucumbers in greenhouses, but now there are hardy hybrids that can also be grown outdoors. However, it is easier to grow the traditional cucumber in the protected environment that a greenhouse provides. Then you can also start harvesting as early as midsummer. The seeds should be sown lying on their side at 20°C, and they should grow at a minimum temperature of 15°C. Later, you plant them out in greenhouse beds or special bags. The vines need to be tied to tall sticks or hung up attached to strings from the ceiling.
  
  
• Tomato
  Being able to harvest homegrown, sweet, and sun-warmed tomatoes is one of the best things about growing in a greenhouse! There are many different varieties of tomatoes, so it's just a matter of trying until you find your favorites. You can sow tomato seeds in containers or directly in the soil. Remember that the soil for tomato plants must never dry out. Side shoots must be removed regularly, and the main stem must be supported by string or sticks. The main stem should be cut off when it has five to six flower clusters.
  
  
• Herbs
  Herbs are a delicious flavor enhancer for almost all kinds of food, and the greenhouse is perfect for less hardy herbs, e.g. lemongrass, which is a popular ingredient in Thai cuisine. When the herb plant stops being productive, you can dig it up and put it in a pot. With a steady temperature and plenty of light, warmth and water, you can make it grow again.
  
  
• Basil
  Basil grows particularly well in greenhouses as it needs a protected place, warmth and light. Feel free to buy some fully grown plants that you can use immediately, while also trying out some more unusual varieties that can be tested when they are fully grown. Basil should be fertilized with free-draining compost, and they should be watered in the morning. To make them lush, you should harvest by picking from the top of the stems.
  
  
• Lettuce leaves
  Lettuce is easy to grow, and it comes in many different varieties. Lettuce can be sown early, and can withstand temperatures as low as minus 5 degrees Celsius. Start by sowing 15-25 seeds with 3-4 cm spacing. When the lettuce has grown 4-5 cm high, you should plant them in rows with about 25 cm spacing. As you eat the lettuce, you plant new ones. Then you have lettuce for the family throughout the summer.
  
  
• Strawberries
  When strawberries are grown in greenhouses, you avoid the threat from snails and other pest attacks. They also do not rot due to too wet soil. This also gives a better yield and the berries tend to have a better taste. However, the plants must be replaced every year. The plants in pots are placed in the greenhouse late in winter or early in spring. When they bloom, they must be pollinated by hand using a brush. Later, the plants should be fertilized weekly with liquid special fertilizer until the fruits begin to turn red. They should be picked when they are evenly red.

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