Essential Greenhouse Gardening Accessories

There are a number of garden accessories that can help make any greenhouse gardening more successful. No one gardener needs them all, but even a couple of well chosen items can raise productivity in your garden.

Automatic function items like vent openers, greenhouse lights and heaters can be great for extending the growing season in areas where the days are short in the winter.
• Other items that are useful for everyone include seed starting trays, self watering containers, and thermostats.
• Other items are more specialized and might be useful for certain plants. This includes misting systems, drip systems, and even hydroponic trays.
• When trying to select garden accessories you should look at the plants you are growing and the conditions you have in your garden.
• Invest first in those items that will help you the most.

Greenhouse misting systems can be a great addition for those plants that do not suffer from leaf rot when water gets on them (do not use with African violets and furry leaved plants unless you take great care in placement of the misters).
• In areas that are hot and dry misters can help maintain raised humidity within the greenhouse, reduce temperatures to safe levels, and balance water needs by the plants.
• Misters can keep the plants healthy and reduce stress by providing a more even and consistent micro-climate.
• Alte atives to misting systems include spraying down the floor of the greenhouse or installing a soaker hose to release water onto the floor via a timer.
• The heat will cause the water to evaporate.

Plants need water, and greenhouse plants are no exception to this.
• While garden plants may get rainwater, a greenhouse will shed off this natural water source. Because of this you need a watering system.
• This system can range from a good watering can and consistent watering by hand to complicated self watering setups.

Watering cans work for small greenhouses and growing shelves. Another method is using a hose, either a soaker version snaked through the greenhouse beds or a sprinkler. Heaver misting systems can apply effective waterings, but at a higher cost.

Another option is the drip irrigation system.

Like a soaker hose, these systems deliver to the plant's roots.

They use the least amount of water and nearly eliminate soil erosion and runoff.

The trade off is that the system itself must be monitored to ensure it remains in working order.

Other important accessories to consider are fans for temperature regulation and air movement. In many cases a common box fan works perfectly when installed near the ceiling for venting. A heater can be useful in cold winters. Although passive systems work too. Storage of water containers painted black can absorb excess heat in the daytime and release it at night. Still having a backup heater is wise. Automatic greenhouse window openers can be useful for timed venting. An assortment of benches and shelves can be very useful also. When needed a shade curtain can be very helpful in controlling the amount of light and heat that enters the greenhouse.