If you are a gardener, you may wonder which one is better – greenhouse or garden. That’s exactly what we’ll be talking about in this article and provide you with all the related information you should know so keep on reading to find out.
First, let’s define each and the purpose they have. A garden is an outdoor area that contains one or several types of plants, which are usually grown for ornamental purposes or food. A greenhouse is a building that is usually made of glass, but it can also be made from plastics like polyethylene. In a greenhouse, plants grow more rapidly than outside because the carbon dioxide content is higher and the temperature is more controlled, both of which are crucially important for plant growth.
Is A Greenhouse Better Than A Garden?
1. Temperature Control
Outdoor temperature swings vary between day and night. The plants subjected to extreme heat or cold during a twenty-four-hour period don’t grow as well as greenhouse plants. This makes them stressed and stunts their growth over time. But the enclosed indoor space a greenhouse provides is temperature-controlled with heaters as well as air ventilation for certain plant species like food crops. The timers connected to heaters let you alter temperature settings as well. By following the specific plant species’ temperature preferences, the flowers, foliage, and fruit will flourish throughout a controlled space.
2. Carbon Dioxide Factor
Since the indoor air movement is controlled, greenhouse plants have a constant supply of carbon dioxide that they require for sugar production. Even though outdoor plants have adequate carbon dioxide levels, horizontal fans throughout the greenhouse allow air to press closer to foliage for the peak photosynthesis action. Concentrated carbon dioxide usually results in stronger plant stems, larger leaves, and possible early fruiting and flowering.
3. Reduced Disease And Pest Exposure
Greenhouse plants grow in containers with specially chosen soil. Unlike the outdoor garden, the greenhouse container soil won’t be as much affected by harmful pests and diseases. Therefore, a greenhouse is sterile to most fungi, pests, and bacteria. Without pests and pathogens, plants concentrate on healthy growth instead of repair and defense.
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Greenhouse?
1. You’ll Need Expensive Heating And Ventilating Systems And Won’t Be Able To Grow The Different Plant Species
Since a greenhouse is designed for holding in warmth throughout cold seasons, it can also become a heat trap when the weather is warm. When temperatures exceed healthy levels, the plants may be cooked to death. And during cold seasons, plants may freeze to death when temperatures drop too low. In order to successfully manage temperature and avoid these issues, you’ll require heating as well as ventilating systems which are quite expensive. Even though the majority of greenhouse plants need night temperatures between fifty and seventy degrees Fahrenheit, the ideal growing temperatures vary and depend on a specific plant. This means that you may not have the opportunity to grow the different plant species in the same greenhouse.
2. Disease And Pest Problems
Although a greenhouse can significantly reduce disease and pest exposure, the same barrier it provides to efficiently keep out undesirable weather can also keep in diseases and pests. Greenhouse whiteflies are the primary pests that love feeding on sap, attacking more than 250 plant species. They can be hard to control since they are resistant to most pesticides.
Before reaching maturity, the whiteflies progress through 7 life stages. Eggs and pupae don’t succumb to insecticides that kill nymphs and adults. Humid greenhouse conditions that the majority of plants prefer also promote diseases, which means you have another reason to install an adequate ventilation system.
3. Pollination Issues in Greenhouses
Certain greenhouse plants like tomatoes require to be pollinated before they’ll be able to set fruit. Greenhouse fans that keep foliage dry and circulate air don’t usually create enough wind that is needed for pollination. Manually tapping flowers for releasing pollen grains can be a problem when you aren’t able to fit it into your schedule. Although you can use the battery-operated pollinating tools for speeding up this task, they still need the operator. Some bumblebees are specially bred as greenhouse pollinators. But costs for using such bees include a hive or box of bees and prepackaged nectar as the supplemental food source for them. Remember, pesticides that control diseases and other insects can kill bees, so consider this while deciding how to control the pests. Learn more about bees in this post.
4. It Has Special Site Requirements
The greenhouse needs to be placed where it can capture the full sun, particularly in winter. Deciduous trees shade the greenhouse plants from the intense sunlight throughout warm seasons, and they allow more sun to easily reach plants during cool seasons once they shed their leaves.
Is It Better To Build Or Buy A Greenhouse?
There is no definitive answer to whether it’s better to build or buy a greenhouse because it depends on a person. If you want to save money, you should build a greenhouse by yourself. In this case, it’s better to build a standard wooden greenhouse that has a few features. You’ll also need recyclable glass as well as wood materials for lowering the cost. Additionally, before you begin building, you’ll need to gather information on how to build the greenhouse and determine the tools the building process requires. But if you want to have a big greenhouse with unique features and a distinctive design, it’s better to buy a manufactured greenhouse kit.
As you can see, the greenhouse has some benefits but it comes with a few disadvantages as well. So at the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide which is better for your plants – a greenhouse or a garden.
