Greenhouse Supplies

1. As a human being with a homeostatic body temperature of 98.6 degrees F, it's important to remember that greenhouse plants are going to need a little outside help controlling the temperature. Greenhouse thermometers are small but vital pieces of gardening equipment that will help you maintain a comfortable environment for your plants.

2. Greenhouse staging is a general term for benches, shelves, and other structures that provide support to growing plants. Staging may be constructed from wood, metal, or polyresin. If you prefer wood, we recommend cedar for its insect- and rot-resistant qualities. Resin offers a good combination of affordability and durability.

3. Greenhouse ventilation is vital for two reasons: plants need fresh air to survive and thrive, and a poorly ventilated greenhouse - or one that lacks adequate cooling - can become a plant oven on a hot day. Some of the greenhouse ventilation systems available include exhaust fans and automatic vent openers.

4. A cost-effective way to protect plants from excessive heat or sunlight is with greenhouse shading. Greenhouse shades are available in varying densities, so we recommend researching which shade density number would be best for your climate and plants. A greenhouse light meter would help you monitor the lighting conditions of your shaded plants.

5. Depending on whether your greenhouse will be used for hardening off seedlings or for year-round growing, you may need to employ one of our greenhouse heaters at night while the sun's visiting other gardens. Many of our greenhouses at JustGreenhouses.com come with a portable greenhouse heater.

6. Watering cans may work just fine for small greenhouses, but maintaining an adequate humidity level in large greenhouses will likely require something a little more advanced. Greenhouse watering systems such as misters, overhead sprinklers, and drip systems each offer different ways of humidifying and cooling your greenhouse.

7. Greenhouse covers give your plants an extra layer of protection from the seasonal elements. A high-quality greenhouse cover will not only protect plants, but will also provide excellent light transmission. A greenhouse cover also diffuses light to prevent overheating and provide a more consistent climate.

8. If the potential heating costs of a greenhouse are worrying you, look for heat-efficient designs such as lean to greenhouses, which could draw from an existing heating source. Materials also have a big impact on the cost of running a greenhouse heater, e.g. metal frames conduct cold and heat more than PVC resin.

9. Evaporative coolers are a smart, effective, low-cost climate control solution for serious greenhouse gardeners. They're much less expensive to purchase and operate than air conditioners. An evaporative cooler basically uses water to lower the air temperature, and then blows this cooled air into the greenhouse while expelling hot air through vents or shutters.

10. An automated greenhouse ventilation system is definitely the best choice for larger hobby greenhouses. Automatic greenhouse vent openers don't even need to use electricity. Instead, they contain materials which expand and contract in response to temperature changes, causing the greenhouse roof or wall vent to open or close.

Find more information in our Greenhouse Supplies Helpful Information section!