Greenhouse gardening can be an easy and enjoyable activity if one makes some good basic planning decisions and organizes properly. If you haven't yet, place your greenhouse so that it will get the maximum hours of sunlight per day, this is very important in winter. Whatever space you have must be organized to get the maximum usage. Plan where to place any tables, trays, shelves, sink, etc. If you can get by without something, that's more space for plants.

The average temperature of the greenhouse is pivotal in determining what types of plants you can best grow. Place a thermometer in a shaded area of your homemade greenhouse and record the temperature during the day on different days. Think about how hot your greenhouse will be on average during different times of the year. Many types of plants grow well in the 80-90 degrees or higher temperature range, while other types grow best in a 60-80 degree range. This will determine what types of plants you can best grow during different times of the year.

Place your plants in the greenhouse so that air can flow freely for proper ventilation. Plan on how much ventilation you will need for cooling. If you need to cool the greenhouse quickly, hose down the floor and open doors and vents. Ventilate mornings and/or afternoons as needed.

Potting soil is fine for greenhouses, especially if growing vegetables. Any soil you use should have the proper mixture of peat moss, perlite, sand, vermiculite, and fir bark.

With the price of food going up, greenhouse gardening is a better idea than ever. Many people who have greenhouses get a high percentage of their diet from greenhouse produce, free of chemicals or other additives. Some greenhouse growers are able to sell a percentage of their harvest, oftentimes adding impressively to their income.

Building a greenhouse does not need to be a major undertaking. If you just want to get a head start on the growing season you can put up a small, simple greenhouse from common materials like PVC pipe and plastic sheeting. Free simple greenhouse plans are available on the internet. If you want a larger, more permanent greenhouse with a foundation and/or plumbing and sink fixtures, you may consider purchasing some plans or getting professional help. It all depends on what you want to accomplish, what you want to grow and how much of it. Attached or permanent structure greenhouses can be an attractive addition to your home, adding value and supplying healthy a source of food.

Many people have turned greenhouse gardening into a profitable business, greenhouse gardening does not require a large amount of time or a great amount of scientific knowledge and the sun does a lot of the work. Joe Bifano, who has developed several unique designs and strategies for greenhouse gardening, has developed a system; The Ultimate Greenhouse Package that has enabled himself and others to grow and sell large amounts of vegetables, especially tomatoes for profit. Considering the low cost of soil and materials, the return on investment with greenhouse gardening is very high. Joe says:

"The crazy thing is I now make more in 5 months than a school teacher makes working for an entire year. I can remember not too long ago when I was 3 payments behind on my mortgage and 2 payments behind on my old car. I hardly had enough money to buy a hamburger at McDonalds. Life is so much different now that I am making money with my greenhouse".

More and more people are turning to gardening and greenhouse gardening to provide healthy food and even supplement their income. Whatever your greenhouse gardening goals are, with careful planning and dedication, you can be assured your work will provide a bountiful harvest.