Growing Flowers and Fruit in Your Greenhouse

Greenhouses offer gardening enthusiasts the ability to grow their favorite plants year-round. Though, it is often a common misconception that flowers and fruit cannot be grown in the same environment, through proper planning a greenhouse environment can be created where both flowers and fruit can thrive.

Growing both flowers and fruit may be as simple as designating a set of benches for flowers and another set for fruit trees, or as complex as creating independent zones in your greenhouse. The designation of greenhouse zones should take place during the greenhouse planning phase to prevent complications in the future. Zones are areas within a greenhouse that have their own specific temperature and climate; they are created by using interior walls to form sections in the greenhouse. Various temperature and humidity levels can be maintained by an automatic control system.

The use of grow lights can assist in the propagation of both flower and fruiting plants. For example, strawberries thrive when grown under a grow light; just be sure to utilize the "everbearing" strand, as "June bearing" strawberries will not grow indoors. High pressure sodium (HPS) grow lights are ideal for both fruits and flowering plants, and provide a high efficiency yellow glow with a life expectancy of approximately five years or 24,000 hours.

Every plant has its own growing requirements; some key factors to take into consideration when growing both flowers and fruit in your greenhouse include: lighting, humidity, and temperature. Lighting requirements for plants can range from full sunlight to heavily shaded environments. Some fruit, such as strawberries, need direct sunlight to grow while flowers, such as begonias, do well in shaded areas.

The level of humidity required by plants can differ greatly throughout the year. At first glance, growing calla lilies and tomatoes in the same area may seem like a good idea because they both require a similar humidity range of 80 to 90 percent, but a second look shows that tomatoes require a lower humidity level (65 to 75 percent) at night in order to thrive. Temperature range should also be taken into consideration. Most fruits will grow best in the warmer temperature ranges, while flowers can flourish in cooler temperatures.

Flowers and fruit can be grown together successfully with proper planning; including lighting, humidity, and temperature ranges. Contact a greenhouse expert for more information about how you can grow both flowers and fruits in your greenhouse.

If you are interested in more information on Solar Innovations, Inc.'s product line, please contact the marketing department at skylight@solarinnovations.com or by calling 800-618-0669.

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