Everything You Need to Grow Thriving Plants in Your Backyard Greenhouse
Updated: Mar. 07, 2023Greenhouses are becoming increasingly popular for lawn and garden buffs. Here’s what you need to help your own backyard greenhouse thrive.
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When it comes to current lawn and garden trends, backyard greenhouses are the latest obsession—and for good reason. The structure allows you to cultivate vegetables and other plants in a temperature-controlled, enclosed environment that’s safe from harsh weather conditions and pesky pests.
Different types of greenhouses are suitable for different types of yards. If you have the space for it, a large glass greenhouse could be the way to go. But if you’re working with a small yard (or just beginning as a greenhouse gardener), then this portable greenhouse on Amazon might be the one for you. Portable greenhouses and cold-frame greenhouses are smart options for those with smaller living spaces, like apartments.
Whichever greenhouse route you decide to go, there are a few essential things you’ll need to get your greens growing. From a greenhouse heater to outdoor grow lights for a greenhouse, we’ve rounded up all the essentials you’ll need for your backyard greenhouse to take off.
Greenhouse Heater
To keep a greenhouse frost-free, the temperature must remain above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. During colder months, it’s wise to use a greenhouse heater to keep plants from freezing. This Bio Green heater heats spaces up to 120 square feet and comes with a digital thermostat. It’s made of durable stainless steel and is splash-proof, so you don’t have to worry about watering around it. Best of all, it’s inexpensive to operate!
Plant Shelving
You’re going to need a place to put your potted plants in your greenhouse. We like this freestanding metal shelving unit for stacking all your outdoor plant pots. It’s simple, takes up minimal space and you can check on all your plants without moving them around, thanks to the three, four or five tiered shelving options.
Pots
Pick up affordable, strong and weather-resistant planters to stock your greenhouse. These black resin planters have drainage holes to help with root rot, and a UV inhibitor to protect against fading. They’re also super-lightweight and easy to move around, so you can take plants out of the greenhouse when they’re ready to be put in the ground without hassle.
Gardening Toolbox
This professional gardening tool set has everything you need to get started in your greenhouse—all in one convenient toolbox. The 10-piece kit comes with pruning shears, hedge shears, multiple shovel types, other small gardening tools and more. Each tool has an ergonomic, non-slip handle for a comfy grip.
Greenhouse Thermometer
This greenhouse thermometer on Amazon measures current, high and low temperatures in your greenhouse, so you can stay in control of the climate. It’s super-affordable and easy to operate—just add the AAA battery that’s included and place the thermometer inside your greenhouse. The thermometer is housed in a green case with an adorable little roof to protect the screen.
Watering Can
This easy-pour watering can holds a little over 2.5 gallons of water, and has an adjustable waterspout that rotates for a light shower or heavy pour. Buyers love this watering can on Amazon because it has thick walls, so you don’t have to worry about dents or leaks. It also has a dual handle design, which means no more awkward grabbing and reaching to water your plants (no matter where they’re situated in your greenhouse).
Outdoor Grow Light
A waterproof LED grow light will make sure your greenhouse plants get all the light they need, even on cloudy days. This one offers a sun-like full spectrum of light, and can be used on plants at any growth stage. There’s no fan on this grow light, and it doesn’t make any noise, so you can give your plants the nourishment they need without disruption. Just in case you’re in the market, there are also indoor grow lights.
Shade Cloth
Shade cloths keep your greenhouse cooler and protect plants from too much direct sunlight while allowing water and air to filter through. This shade cloth comes in eight different sizes and is made of lightweight, durable material that resists tearing and fraying. It even comes with clips for installation, so it’s very easy to put up.
Ground Cover
These interlocking tile mats work in wet or dry areas, and are just the right product for covering the ground your backyard greenhouse. They come in a range of colors, including black, gray, green and red. The modular tile mats provide dependable traction on slick ground, and you can cut them to fit under individual plant pots.
Plant Labels
Once you begin filling up your greenhouse with plant life, you’ll need a way to keep track of what you’ve potted. These plastic plant labels are reusable and waterproof. We like the way the black labels look because they don’t take away from the plants, but there are also white and multicolor packs of 100. Best of all, they have a T-shape design so as not to harm the roots of your plants.
Seeds
If you’re not sure which plants to grow in a greenhouse, you could start with ones that are practical and can be harvested for cooking. The good news is that many vegetables tend to thrive in greenhouse environments. This salsa grow kit offers seeds for all the fixings you’ll need to make fresh salsa: Roma tomatoes, jalapeños, verde tomatillos, cilantro, scallions and beefsteak tomatoes. They come in a recycled egg carton and can be transferred to larger pots once they outgrow their initial home.
Self-Watering Seedling Starter
Similar in design to an egg carton, this self-watering seedling starter allows you to start your garden patch from scratch. Simply put the soil and seeds in each well and pour a little water into the base. The porous terracotta wicks water from the base reservoir to give the seedlings just the right amount of water—and you only have to refill the base about once a week to grow plants from seed.
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