Detailing the Interior of Your Greenhouse
If you are anything like me you most likely easily excited by the approach of the spring season. If you are a procrastinator, the interior of your greenhouse most likely needs a good clean out before you should start taking your seedlings in for the spring. Most gardeners will clean out their greenhouse as the winter months are approaching while others let everything we can in the greenhouse continue to grow until the coldest freezing temperatures come.

Posted Thursday, April 6, 2006

If you are cleaning out for the new spring season, or are starting with a brand new greenhouse, you will need to make a plan this new year. Where will you put your supplies, where you will put your garbage and where you are going to do your repotting? Creating space now for specific projects in the greenhouse will save you time and energy later during the busy garden-planting season.

One thing that you may not have thought to make room for before, is a chair or stool. When you are busy working in the greenhouse, planting, replanting, and enjoying your flowers or cutting off your vegetables you will find that you may need a "knee" break and the opportunity to rest your feet for a minute. A chair in your greenhouse is also a good place for your visitor to sit while you are busy at work. Many times your chair will function as an extra shelf, or become your catch all when you have your hand full on your way in and out of the greenhouse.

Some other accessories to add to your greenhouse include a radio or a small cooler where you can keep drinks or snacks. Snacks hidden in the greenhouse are often a great way to occupy children who visit in your greenhouse and need a distraction. Speaking of comfort, keep your racks and shelving to a space where you will still be able to walk through the aisle when you hands are fullest or when you are carrying the largest container you own. There is nothing worse than trying to get to the back of the greenhouse only to find that you can't fit without lifting the item above your head!

Don't forget about safety in the greenhouse. No matter how careful you are, electricity, water, and plastics can cause trouble. Keep your water containers away from the electric outlets and keep your heaters away from the sidewalls of your greenhouse. Many heaters will state right on the container how far you need to keep it from shelving and from walls in order to be safe and not start a fire. Read and follow all the instructions that come with your heater. Keeping your plants as far back as recommended by the manufacturer will also mean that your soil in these plants will not dry out faster than they should be. Keep a fire extinguisher in the greenhouse if you ever feel unsafe about leaving your heaters on all the time. You can easily put out a fire if one should start, but without it you won't have a chance with wood benches and polycarbonate walls.