Even though we are coming into the Winter months and gardening has slowed down, now is actually the perfect time of year to think ahead and plan your garden and any accessories you may want to purchase for the year ahead. The types of vegetables and fruits you want to plant in the Spring, any new items you want to purchase to help you grow your produce such as shed, greenhouses…etc.

Your greenhouse should be placed in a location where it will get the most possible sunlight. This will almost always mean that you will want to build your greenhouse so that it is sitting south or southwest on your property. This will allow for the most direct light each day. It is essential that you position your greenhouse near a water supply of some kind so you can water your plants with ease.

Greenhouses allow you to grow plants and crops that may require warmer more sheltered conditions than our UK gardens may offer. Installing a thermometer will ensure you can effectively monitor the Greenhouse temperature. Ideally greenhouse should be frost free with a temperature from at least 2 degrees centigrade, or for delicate plants, the temperature needs to be above 13 degrees. You could use heaters to warm your greenhouse, a layer of bubble wrap on the inside of your Greenhouse can protect from winter chill and draft.

Circulation and ventilation are important if you want to avoid fungi attacking your plants and heating your Greenhouse can increase the risk of this. In the summer even with our unpredictable British weather it can be difficult to maintain good ventilation. Keeping wall and roof vents open should help. You could install a small fan if needs be.

Leaving adequate space between plants also helps avoid poor circulation of air. Reducing moisture in the air also prevents damage to benches – ideally use metal or treated wood benches if possible.

The normal sowing period in UK is typically March to April. Start off with starter pots, cardboard egg cartons, tubes or even egg shells are all great containers to get things growing! Now is a good time to do some Greenhouse maintenance, clean your shelves and pots. Clean the outside of your Greenhouse and remove muck and debris and maximise light for your growing season.

A Greenhouse is a great addition to any garden and will extend your gardening calendar through the winter months, or at least give you a good head start! When deciding what type or size greenhouse to go for, make sure you have measured up well beforehand and that the area you have in mind get sufficient sunlight for your veggies. The average size is 6×8 greenhouses for sale although they do come in a variety of shapes and sizes.