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Greenhouses help extend the growing season, writes Ginny Clark

GREENHOUSES are not just for commercial growers and very serious gardeners; they’re for all home gardeners and you’ll be amazed by the many uses of a backyard greenhouse.

For those of you who have joined the huge resurgence in gardening, it may be time to consider taking the step into greenhouse gardening.

More and more of us are becoming interested in growing our own food — both for health and cost savings — and a greenhouse allows us to extend the growing season of many edibles by growing them undercover for part of the year.

Greenhouses provide protection for your plants from elements such as frost, wind and hail. You can grow virtually anything in a greenhouse and grow a wider variety of plants than you would normally be able to grow outside or thought possible.

My main reason to have a greenhouse would be so I could grow, for longer periods, salad veges and herbs like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum, basil and so much more. No longer would I be reliant on trips to the supermarket for overpriced fresh produce.

Propagating seeds and cuttings is much easier in a greenhouse too and for those of us with an interest in specific plants which aren’t suitable for outside growing, we can now indulge in growing them.

Many indoor plants like orchid (especially Phalaenopsis - Moth Orchids, which I adore) pretty begonias, and many of the indoor foliage treasures like Calatheas, Ficus, Hoyas and cacti can be grown with success through the winter months in a greenhouse.

When deciding on what type of greenhouse to install, remember to think about what size is going to suit you best and choose a brand that will last the distance.

Top quality and super-strong Wintergardenz greenhouses and glasshouses are now very popular. They’re designed to withstand strong winds, hail and snow and there’s a wide range of sizes to suit your space and budget. Best of all, they are New Zealand made.