Using Greenhouse Borders

Pots and planters would seem to be the obvious choice for growing in the greenhouse, but the roots of heavy-cropping or large plants are much less restricted when grown out in the open soil.

Most amateur gardeners who own a greenhouse will want to grow a variety of plants, both ornamental types and food crops. Most ornamental plants do well in containers where their individual needs can be monitored and regulated carefully, and for these you will need shelving or staging, perhaps with capillary matting. Growing plants in containers also allows you to move them around the greenhouse as light or temperature conditions demand.

The single biggest limitation of growing plants in containers, however, is the restriction imposed on root growth and hence water and nutrient uptake. It is vital to attend to watering and feeding during the growing season to avoid loss of vigour. Some fruit and vegetable crops, however, can suffer badly from restricted root growth — they may run to seed, give reduced yields or produce tough-textured crops. It is common practice, therefore, to grow crops and large plants in an open greenhouse border. Ideally, you should use a crop rotation system, with free-standing, moveable staging, so that tomatoes, for example, are grown in the east border one year and in the west border the following year.

Greenhouse borders are suitable for growing tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, lettuces, sweet peppers, aubergines, radishes, spring onions, French beans, strawberries, vines, peaches and nectarines and all climbing or shrubby ornamentals.

For more tips and information on soil preparation for the greenhouse border, click here!