I’ve dreamt of having a greenhouse for years, and this winter my dream is finally coming true (hopefully). I’ve picked out the greenhouse, I have the perfect spot to put it, now it’s time to buy it and build it before the winter weather hits.
But you can’t just add a greenhouse to your yard and start growing. There are some basic supplies for greenhouse gardening that you need to help plants thrive throughout the colder months. That’s why I’ve put together this starter kit for all the other novice greenhouse gardeners out there who want to get the most out of their greenhouse during their first season.
This list includes the bare necessities for a proper greenhouse gardening experience. I’ve scoured Amazon for the most reliable products at the best prices – or in other words, the ones I would actually buy. So start adding these items to your cart or your holiday wish list for a fantastic first winter in your new greenhouse.
What I’m Growing in My Greenhouse
Depending on your own personal gardening goals and the type of greenhouse you have, the tools you require may differ slightly. But the items on the list below cover pretty much all the bases for any gardening needs.
Whether you want to grow a vegetable garden from seed, start a cutting garden, overwinter annuals, or propagate your favorite plants, the items on this list will help you do just that.
My goal is to fill the yard at my new house with perennials, shrubs, and native plants to replace the honeysuckle that used to fill my yard. I’m trying to do this on a budget, so I’m interested in starting plants from seed or by propagating plants from cuttings.
Eventually, I’d like to grow a raised bed vegetable garden as well. So the products I’m buying now will help me do that later in the winter and early spring as well.
Greenhouse Gardening Starter Kit
As you gain experience growing in your new greenhouse and want to try new techniques, you can add to your arsenal of tools and storage. But for first time greenhouse gardeners, these are the absolute basics for a successful first year.
Here’s what I’m putting in my new greenhouse for a successful first year of growing:
This heater does double duty. It not only heats your greenhouse during those cold winter nights, but it also functions as a fan. Ventilation in a greenhouse is key for good growing. The heat and humidity that accumulate inside a greenhouse during the day can cause major problems for plants if there’s not enough airflow.
If you live in a warmer USDA growing zone, you can get by with just a fan. But if you live in the Midwest, like I do, or anywhere else with frozen winters then you need a heater to keep tender plants alive overnight as temperatures drop.
Every greenhouse needs a potting bench. A sturdy tabletop devoted to planting and potting makes starting seeds and propagating plants so much easier. You don’t have to worry about making a mess because your bench is supposed to be covered in potting soil!
I love this potting table from Amazon because it has a durable metal top, two sets of shelves where I can store potting soil and containers, and hooks on the side where I can place my essential gardening tools without wasting any work space on top.
Make sure you have enough room for all the plants in your new greenhouse with these strong and durable metal shelves from Amazon. They’re intended for use in a pantry, but they’re sturdier (and more affordable) than most of the plant-specific shelving units on Amazon.
These shelves come in a variety of sizes to suit your greenhouse’s needs, no matter the layout. I’m eyeing the 46.3 in x 12.6 in x 46.6 in unit for my 6.5 ft x 4.5 ft Vego Junior Victorian Greenhouse.
If you’re planning on starting seeds for vegetables or flowering annuals, a heating mat is a must-have for your greenhouse. Even though it gets warm in the greenhouse on a sunny day, seeds for most summer crops require fairly high temperatures around 70°F (21°C) for germination. When temperatures dip overnight, those seeds will need some extra heat to sprout.
This heating mat from Vivosun is waterproof, too, so you don’t have to worry about spills or splashes from watering causing sparks and shorting out your mat.
You need something to start those seeds in! These seed starting trays have extra deep cells to allow root systems to really develop before you have to transplant seedlings. The extra deep cells are also good for propagating cuttings from plants you already have in your garden.
I plan to use my greenhouse to expand my garden for free (or almost free) by planting lots of low-cost flower seeds, free seeds collected from my garden and local native plants, as well as cuttings from my existing trees and shrubs. These seed trays will help me do all that and start veggies for raised beds one day, too.
If you want to plant seeds, too, then you have to have a good seed starting mix to help plants have a strong beginning. You can’t go wrong with Miracle-Gro. It’s my go-to for potting soil and seed starting every year.
This 2-pack is a great value if you have lots of seeds you want to start over the winter and in early spring, like I do. It’s also great for starting cuttings and propagating more of your favorite perennials and houseplants.
