Greenhouse Vegetable Production - expect great things

My top reason for having greenhouses is to enjoy exceptional greenhouse vegetable production, the likes of which you just can't get in a traditional garden. Does a greenhouse make a difference in vegetable production? You bet, a big difference.

If we're going to discuss the difference between production (yield) from outdoor vegetable gardens and greenhouse vegetable gardens, then let's get down to numbers. The numbers will tell the story.

What the Numbers Say

I planted 12 winter squash plants inside one of my greenhouses. The area occupied by these plants was about 110 square feet. How many pounds of winter squash do you suppose those 12 plants provided me at the end of the season?

Would you believe 175 pounds?

I planted 12 summer squash plants inside the same greenhouse, again using about 110 square feet of space. How many pounds of summer squash do you suppose I harvested during the season?

Would you believe well over 300 pounds?

These figures show a tremendous advantage to greenhouse vegetable production.

What Makes the Difference?

Perhaps you live in an area where such results wouldn't be considered uncommon. Good for you. I live in an area where the climate is dry, we seldom get rain, our growing season is short, and our wind makes it hard for vegetable gardening as the plants give up moisture to the passing wind instead of putting it towards plant growth and fruit production.

As a point of comparison, I grew the same type of squash outdoors, and the plants didn't even come close to providing half the yield. So, the protection of the greenhouse and the concentration of warmth within the greenhouse made the difference.

I was also able to start sooner and extend the season as well, so that supported both early and late harvesting. A few more weeks of harvest means a few more weeks of yields.

Clearly, greenhouse vegetable production is longer and more robust that it's outdoor cousins because of all the benefits that greenhouses offer.

Additional Factors to Consider

If you desire higher vegetable production in your greenhouse, you'll need to know what influences it, in addition to the greenhouse. Here are the factors to consider:

Select vegetables that are known to be big producers. Summer squash is a good example. Many are very prolific, and you'll get more yield if you let them grow bigger in size.

On one plant, I counted as many as 12 fruits in various stages of growth. Now, that's a plant that's trying to kick out some produce for your table.

Next, to enhance greenhouse vegetable production, select heat-loving vegetable types because that's what the greenhouse can provide for you in abundance - lots of heat for your vegetable gardening.

Again, squash is a good example. They like it hot! They'll wilt on you like they're going to die, but they don't seem to be permanently affected by heat. There are other heat-loving plants like tomatoes, eggplant and peppers.

The next tip for enhanced greenhouse vegetable production is to use greenhouse varieties of vegetable types. For example, use cucumbers that don't need pollination. That means they'll have nearly all female blossoms, and that means each blossom has a fruit waiting to set and grow.

We planted six Telegraph cucumbers, and they provided us with all the cucumbers we cared to eat. In fact, we had many more than we wanted.

You'll also want to stay away from vegetables that require lots of space for the yield they offer. Peas come to mind. I enjoy peas, and they can be grown vertically, so they don't take up much space, but they provide very limited yield.

Also, select varieties that are continuous producers. Summer squash falls into this category. Romaine style lettuce and Swiss chard does also. Both can be harvested by the stalk or leaves, and the core of the plant will continue to produce additional leaves for future consumption.

Don't Forget "Off-Season" Usage

Lastly, greenhouse vegetable production is enhanced because you can vegetable garden year round in an unheated greenhouse. That means the growing area that would normally be unproductive in the winter can be providing a wide range of food for you throughout the winter.

Certainly, you can dig onions, carrots, parsnips and such out of the traditional garden bed, but the greenhouse allows you to have lettuce, bok choi, Swiss chard and many other above ground plants providing you with yields in space that normally wouldn't provide anything for all the winter months.

Eliminating downtime during the "off-season" greatly enhances your greenhouse vegetable production, and this is quite a boon to your vegetable gardening interests.

Done with Greenhouse Vegetable Production, take me back to Greenhouse Gardening

Done with Greenhouse Vegetable Production, take me back to Greenhouses