If you have some gardening experience with open tillage, raised beds, or pots on your patio, you will be able to apply much of your knowledge to greenhouse gardening with just a bit of variation to gardening under glass.  A greenhouse is not in all cases a “hot house,” as it is sometimes called.  Some species of plants do best at slightly lower temperatures and with a much higher humidity than is usually maintained in a natural outdoor garden or inside your home.  The temperature and humidity levels inside a greenhouse can be regulated fairly easily.

There are a number of reasons why gardeners may choose to garden inside a greenhouse.  The most common reason is usually a desire to extend the traditional growing season into the winter months.  The use of a greenhouse also enables the gardener to retain plants in the fall and throughout the winter for spring seeding or planting use.  When starting new plants from seed, a greenhouse allows you to plant the seedlings sooner than you would if they were sowed directly in the outdoor garden.  Starting plants from seed is also a very economical option, as opposed to the expense of purchasing young plants from a nursery.  Other common reasons for greenhouse gardening include growing tropical or exotic plants, growing vegetables for winter use, and experimenting with hybridization of plants as a hobby or for home science experiments.

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