Do you live where the growing season is short because of long spells of cold weather?

Have you ever considered a hobby greenhouse to lengthen your growing season?

• This is a great way to be able to grow things not only earlier in the season than usual, but also later after the regular growing season is over. What is this type of greenhouse all about? Read on to find out.

Why is this style of structure called hobby greenhouse?

One it is used for your own pleasure. You are not growing plants to sell to others. Therefore your gardening is a hobby not a business. Just for fun!

Also this style is not always that large.

• It easily fits into your backyard.
• Whether it is a lean-to or freestanding model, it does not overwhelm the location it has been placed.
• You will have room for some flowers and some vegetables.
• Tomatoes are one of the good choices for vegetables in this size of growing structure.

If you are going to buy one of these greenhouses make sure you know what styles are being sold today.

Some are so small that you cannot walk into them. These are mainly for just starting seeds to grow them to seedlings. They would not be ideal to lengthen your growing season that much though, because you would have to remove the seedlings to a larger growing area for them to fully thrive.

Then you have the ones that are somewhat larger about the size of a small closet.

• These hold a few more plants and can begin to extend your growing season.
• Be aware though, there is not that much room in these.

Now the full, walk-in hobby greenhouses are really nice and roomy

Some of them are large enough to have benches, which can hold a number of pots or trays. The styles of these ranges from hoop style to Victorian style.

Another good style for hobby use is the lean-to greenhouse kit

If you have limited space, take a look at it. It uses a side of building for one of its sides. Think of it as half a full-size greenhouse. The wall of the building can be that of a gardening shed or your house. It can have a door of its own and be entered into from the building it adjoins with.

After you have decided which one fits your yard, then stock it full of whatever will fit comfortably.

• Do not overcrowd a greenhouse.
• The plants need room to spread out and up so they can grow correctly.

Make sure you leave enough room for your gardening tools and supplies too

• You will have plant food, growing medium, empty trays and pots among other things.

Just think with a hobby greenhouse all stocked up you can start your seeds months before you can do it outside in the ground

Also, you can possibly work in at least two harvests of vegetables, since the greenhouse will keep them growing into cool weather.

• You could have anywhere from 3 to 5 months more of growing time at least.
• With the right plants you could grow them year round in hobby greenhouses.
• Look into these today!

Whitney Segura is an expert in hobby greenhouse gardening and horticulture practices, he is also the owner of one of the largest distributors of hobby greenhouses and portable greenhouse supplies, in the United States.

Related articles

• Functioning Lego Greenhouse (makezine.com)
• Four Amazing Green Greenhouses Built 40 Years Ago By Michael Jantzen (treehugger.com)
• LED grow light – -Lighting your greenhouse (joycexie.wordpress.com)