Greenhouse Production Of Perennial
Plants
Consider greenhouse production of
perennial plants for growing strong, healthy perennials. Once established,
you'll plant them once and enjoy a gorgeous flowering garden for decades!
Perennials
are plants that live three years or longer. Perennials are grown for their
beautifully colored flower blooms, and are commonly planted as borders. Many are
perfect for cut flowers.
Greenhouse production of perennial
plants has been on the rise in recent years, with good reason. If the perennial
will survive winters in your planting
zone, it is said to be "hardy" to that zone.
If the perennial plant is not hardy in your zone, they are said to be
"tender" perennials. These tender plants can be wintered in your
greenhouse by digging up their roots and storing them at cool temperatures.
Perennial flowers all vary as to
their needs. It's a good idea to group your perennials as needing:
As you start perennials from seeds
or as seedlings, they may not be established enough to take much freezing. This
is one instance when resorting to greenhouse production of perennial plants has
been a real boost to gardeners.
When
To Apply Greenhouse
Production of Perennial Plants
Some perennials need cold winter
temperatures, while others do not. Keep your greenhouse temperature around 40°F
(5°C) or even a little lower while you're establishing them over the winter
months. This will give them the cold they need, which helps their blooms.
If your local temperature rises
above freezing during the winter months, a good option for perennials is a
greenhouse with roll-up sides. This feature allows the perennials to be kept at
the same temperature inside as it is outside.
Begin by heating the greenhouse to
50°F until all of your plants are well rooted. Slowly lower the temperature to
35°F. This cool, above-freezing temperature during the winter will improve
plant development and flowering during the growing season.
More
About Growing Plants
in a Greenhouse
For
small-scale perennial gardening, the proper use of cold frames can result in the
exact same effects as with greenhouse production of perennial plants.
The longer days of spring get
perennial plants growing again, so the sooner in the fall you can give them cool
temperatures, the better. Keep them fairly cool even when they start growing,
otherwise they might grow too fast, or bloom before you can safely set them out.
Perennials
come up year after year, as long as conditions for their blooming are favorable.
Find out more about greenhouse
production of perennial plants - and learn how easy it is to get started
growing plants in a greenhouse.
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