How to Layout your Greenhouse? A helpful guide.
18th Nov 2024
You may want to start by creating a path down the centre of the greenhouse to give good access for watering and collecting fruit. You can use pavers, which will reflect heat back into the growing space. They also absorb the heat from the sun to be released back into the growing space in the evening to keep the temperature up. Another option is a gravel pathway, which allows good drainage.
How you layout your greenhouse depends on what you want to grow. Plants can grow huge in a green house so allow plenty of room! If you need maximum height for growing, planting straight into the soil is an option. However, your soil will be slightly cooler than if you grow in bags or tubs. You’ll also need to dig over the soil thoroughly and rotate your crops. Building a mini raised bed using timber or blocks will confine the soil.
Growing in bags, tubs or pots gives you more flexibility. You can move the plants around and the soil will be slightly warmer. You can also easily dump the soil into your compost to rejuvenate the soil at the end of each season. Using a combination of both in ground beds and bags/pots works well.
Greenhouse staging is the ultimate shelving solution. Purpose built staging/shelving for potted plants and seedlings helps bring plants up to the light and warmth and maximises your growing space. Any shelving you use should provide good drainage and allow light through to the plants beneath. View our range of greenhouse staging and shelving here.
Hanging brackets can be used to create vertical string lines for growing tomatoes or beans etc. Placing a hanging flower basket near the entrance to the greenhouse will entice bees in to help pollinate the plants within. Hanging brackets suited for use in your greenhouse are available to purchase here.
Ideas and examples of Typical Greenhouse Layouts
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| Central paving path and room for potted plants down the sides, hanging shelving for seedlings on the back wall. | Ground bed on right with a timber surround, a paving path down the middle. Also includes a watering system. | Shelf for seedlings up high on the right, full height plants can grow in the ground bed and room for potted plants on the paving. |
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| Ground bed around the outside, gravel area in the centre for working. | Pavers down the centre to soak up the suns heat and release at night. | Ground bed with pots and bags placed over soil to maximise heat. |
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| Potted plants on a gravel base. Gravel is great for drainage. | Classic greenhouse layout with 2 ground beds down both side and seedlings on back wall. | Ground bed on the left hand side and area for potted plants on the right |