Do you have a small greenhouse but big growing plans? Or maybe it is quite spacious but you don’t know how to organize a greenhouse?
Then you ended up in the right place! I am going to share with you my tops tips on organizing the inside of your beloved greenhouse.
My rule is to make the most of what you have. If your greenhouse sits on the soil foundation you can grow the plants directly on the ground and hang the flower pots and so on.
Try to be creative and practical. If not in your garden, where else you can realize your potential?! Okay, let’s jump straight to the ideas.
Tip #1 – Planning is a key
Just as you were planning which frame to get and glazing to use, plan which plants you are going to grow.
This will help to organize your greenhouse efficiently. Ask yourself the following questions:
- which plants/flowers I am going to grow?
- what about the temperature zones?
- how much space my plants need?
- how much time the plants need from sprout to fruit?
Once you answered these questions and wrote the detailed plan on a piece of paper, you are ready to start the organization.
Tip #2 – Separate your greenhouse into zones
And the best way to start is to separate the space inside your greenhouse into zones.
Not only it helps to maximize the available space but makes it easier to find what you need.
The most common way is to separate the space inside your greenhouse into following zones:
- Potting area
- Storage area
- Edible plants area
- Non-edible plants area
These are the main zoning aspects. You can obviously modify it according to your needs.
For example, make a zone for flowers, propagation zone, worktop area, area for cuttings and an area for planting.
Another good idea is to separate the zones according to the plants types, harvest time, watering and temperature requirements.
Draw a diagram on a piece of paper and highlight your zones. Think about using the height of your greenhouse, flower beds and the orientation of your greenhouse.
Tip #3 – Always set up a guttering system
The reason I always recommend to have a guttering system is because you can collect the rainwater into water tanks and use it to water your plants. The perfect watering system to connect to rainwater barrel is misting or drip irrigation system. Alternatively, you can always fill up a watering can from the barrel or connect a water hose.
Keep a big water butt outside of the greenhouse and connect a gutter to harvest a surprising volume of rainwater from the roof. I have put together a guide on how to build a greenhouse rainwater catchment system in just 8 easy steps.
Also, did you know that rainwater is actually better than tap water for plants? In addition, you can make a zone for watering and feeding equipment next to the door so you can easily access the outside water tank. That way you can maximize the use of the available space.
Tip #4 – Plan the location of plant benches
Benches actually allow you to use the vertical space and not just a floor space for your plants. You can choose from wood, metal or plastic benches.
I would stay away from the wooden benches though because insects and pests prefer to overwinter in wood.
When setting up your benches allow at least 18 inches from one side to another for walking.
Tip #5 – Master greenhouse shelving
Choose shelves which can fit lower and higher areas of your greenhouse. Assess your space and decide whether you need multiple rows of shelves with walking room between them.
Go for slatted shelving because it allows adequate water drainage. Set up lower shelving parallel to the eaves (edges of the roof that overhang the walls of a greenhouse) and install the higher shelves near the center.
Use your shelves not only for display but for storage as well. If you have a small greenhouse, it is a good idea to purchase removable shelves.You have to be able to take them down in case these are shading on plants located below.
Using shelves is a great opportunity to use the height of your greenhouse. There are usually two options of shelving: freestanding shelves and wall-mounted. The later is mostly suitable for lean-to structures.
Tip #6 – All you need to know about staging
Staging is a great way to help plants to reach the much needed light. You can either get built in and removable staging options.
I would go for the latter one because you can take it out in the summer for border crops. Use staging for propagation and growing on plants.
Check with the manufacturer of your greenhouse if they do a purpose built staging.
Staging is quite a strong construction and gives a plenty of surface area so you can store seedlings and plants.
If you are planning to grow lots of seedlings inside a small greenhouse, a specialist seed rack, which stacks vertically, is a great option.
Tip #7 – Hang, hang and hang!
If you don’t have space to place it somewhere – hang it! It is another life saving tip I have been using for years.
You can hang absolutely anything! Hang your flower pots, small tools, watering cans, gloves, seed packets and herbs.
How to make it happen? Simply use a space underneath your roof. Fix some hooks to rafters of your wooden greenhouse.
For the aluminum greenhouse stick hooks directly onto the frame. I have seen some gardeners hanging their plants on the outside of the greenhouse. That is not only very practical but is also very attractive.
Tip #8 – Make use of greenhouse storage
You can use shelves, staging and benches to store things more efficiently. A good idea is to invest into clear plastic boxes which you can label and can actually see what is inside.
Moreover, your items will be kept dry and easy to reach. That way you will keep all of your surfaces clean and tidy and free of clutter.
Tip #9 – Organize according to the season
I love this one! I found it recently and already seeing good results. This winter I actually tried to organize my plants to get the best sun exposure.
The first thing I did was to put the short plants near the wall of the greenhouse which is facing south.
Then, I moved taller plants, the hanging pots and plants located on the higher shelves along the northern wall.
That way you are making sure that both taller and shorter plants are getting enough light without blocking each other.
Tip #10 – Design a perfect workstation
Your workspace should be suitable for potting, seeding and planting as well as keeping your tools and equipment nearby.
I think it is the best option to have a workspace near the entrance. The simplest workstation is basically a potting bench.
These benches usually have a storage space and separate tool rack. A workstation should be used to store your gardening tools, watering cans and other supplies.
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Tip #11 – Take care of the rubbish
Usually, people tend to leave rubbish unattended. I think it should be other way round.
Purchase 3 bins or make these out of empty buckets and separate your rubbish into compostable material, general waste and recycling.
If you have enough space inside your greenhouse you can mount these on the wall next to the entrance.
If your greenhouse is quite small, you can keep them outside. Also, it is a good idea to make or buy a little rubbish bin on wheels which you can take with you as you work in your greenhouse.
That way you can ensure that your greenhouse stays clean, tidy and organized at all times.
Tip #12 – Raised garden beds
These raised planter boxes are a good alternative to keep your plants closer together because you don’t need to leave space for walking room.
Raised garden beds are also very good in draining away the excess moisture in comparison to standard garden beds.
Go for raised garden beds which are at least 30 inches tall so you don’t need to bend down and lean over whilst working.
Tip #13 – Don’t forget about that under space!
You put all of your plants on a display on top of the benches and shelves and now are running out of space.
You can actually store pots, compost bags and potting soil underneath the shelves and benches.
If you’re reading this article but still haven’t actually established your own greenhouse, you don’t need to go invest in something expensive to get started. There are a variety of free greenhouse plans available online that will guide you through building your own at home! There’s a greenhouse for everyone including an upcycled one made out of railroad ties, miniature row cover greenhouses, and more traditional lean-to greenhouses.
