Greenhouse gardening is an easy way to ensure a raw foodie's kitchen stays fully stocked with homegrown fruits and vegetables.
Greenhouses provide optimal growing conditions
If you have never heard of or seen a greenhouse, it's an outdoor structure made out of materials such as wood, glass, plastic, metal and netting. Greenhouses are an invaluable tool for raw foodies or anyone who's interested in growing fruits and vegetables as they create the ideal environment for plants to flourish. Their warmth and humidity make them a perfect space for both small- and large-scale gardening and almost everything can be grown in a greenhouse.
Where to set up to your greenhouse
Ideally, you want to install your greenhouse in a south- or west-facing location that offers either full sun or minimal shade in the afternoons. If you don't have the best light exposure for your greenhouse, you can always use artificial lighting and heating systems, which can be either basic or elaborate, but natural light is always the best for growing.
Keep in mind that you can grow your produce in or above ground in a greenhouse, so you may want to consider if the ground is flat and well-drained.
Scan the site to ensure that you do not have any surrounding tree cover or even any risk of damage due to surrounding structures. You may also want to consider if you can easily access water and hookup electricity to your greenhouse if you intend to use a heating or lighting system.
Benefits To Growing Your Own Produce in a Greenhouse
There are plenty of benefits to greenhouse gardening, whether you are growing fruits, vegetables, herbs or more.
Greenhouses provide a protected growing environment
Greenhouses create a safe, stable environment where your fruit and vegetable plants are protected from pests and inclement weather. You won't need to consider environmental factors such as the threat of overnight ground frost or curious animals looking for a snack, which gives greenhouse gardening a major advantage over outdoor gardens.
Greenhouse gardening saves you money
A wonderful benefit to growing your produce at home in your greenhouse is control over costs. You can choose the variety and number of plants you want to grow, so your garden can be very simple or very elaborate depending on your needs.
Since your greenhouse will provide you with a controlled environment, your growing season is extended by many months, which is invaluable in colder climates such as Canada where the growing season can be very short and unpredictable year to year. Your greenhouse will ensure that fresh produce keeps flowing into your kitchen and your bill at the grocery store (where prices can fluctuate greatly one week to the next) is manageable. On top of it, you will know exactly how your produce was grown, which is important to many raw foodies who are choosing organic foods.
Greenhouse gardening is convenient
Greenhouses offer a one-stop gardening shop in that you do not need to worry about the compatibility of plants as you would in an outdoor garden. In a greenhouse, you can easily mix the varieties of plants while not having to consider soil compatibility. From planting seeds to harvesting, a greenhouse will keep your plates full of delicious raw food.