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rockydog101

How to use greenhouses properly

rockydog101
9 years ago

Hi all,

I'm still pretty new to gardening. I'm in zone 9a (Lake Charles, LA) where we get a handful of freezing days during the winter, just enough to kill most things off.

I am interested to learn what all I can use a greenhouse for. I know I could start seeds early and then get a headstart for the season. But I'm more interested in what I can use it for in terms of long term fruit/citrus/vegetable production.

For example, I would like to grow limes and lemons. Both of those are very hard to grow in my area due to freezes. If I had them in large pots, could I grow them in a greenhouse year around? (I understand I would probably have to shade them and ventilate the greenhouse in the hottest of the summer.)

And what about bellpeppers? Could I grow them outside and move them into the greenhouse once it starts to get hot? Or just grow them year around in the greenhouse?

Thank you

Comment (1)

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    9 years ago

    rockydog:

    It would be reasonable to protect citrus with a greenhouse. I didn't say easy because that depends. I've had both potted and inground in mine. I like inground best but I have a tall greenhouse with very good heating and cooling. All you need in your location for citrus is protection for about 3 months in winter. So I'd be thinking about a greenhouse that is covered only from Nov to March. Then remove the covering for the rest of the yr. You'd need a heater in winter. A greenhouse without heat isn't much protection.

    You also need ventillation even in winter for those warm spells between freezes. That means you need to have roll up sides or another means to allow lots of warm air out the top and cool air in down low.

    Adding other crops is possible but if the crops have widely different needs it might be difficult. Choose your highest priority crop and design the structure around that crop.