The Complete Beginners Guide to Indoor Greenhouse (2024)

Learn all about Indoor Greenhouse, which plants to grow, indoor greenhouse DIY, and much more. We have answered all the queries!

Wouldn’t it be great if you can grow anything you want without worrying about the scarcity of space and weather conditions outdoors? The Indoor greenhouses will do precisely that! Firstly, you won’t have to worry about the weather as plants will be safe from all the weather ailments in the indoor space. Also, if there isn’t much space, as is the case with urban dwellings, you can go for mini or small indoor greenhouses. But can you have an indoor greenhouse? The short answer is YES, you can, and it isn’t even difficult.

Indoor greenhouse proves effective in safeguarding the plants and seedlings against cold and other weather ailments. Sunlight isn’t necessary as plants can grow under Grow Lights indoors. Mini greenhouses are an ideal option where there isn’t enough space.

What is Indoor Greenhouse?

Indoor greenhouses are the structures build in the indoor space for encasing an area in which conditions ideal for growing plants are created. It’s challenging to grow plants outdoors in cold conditions as they are directly exposed to the chilly weather. In low temperatures, seeds have difficulty germinating, which won’t happen in the indoor greenhouse as it’s temperature regulated.

Location for Indoor Greenhouse

You must be thinking that an indoor greenhouse will be placed in the indoor space, so what’s the fuss. Well, even in the indoor spaces, you’ll need to decide if you can locate the greenhouse at a spot where it receives sunlight or not. For natural sunlight, you can place the greenhouse near south-facing or east-facing windows. In case there isn’t a source of natural sunlight in the indoor space, you’ll need to install artificial grow lamps in the greenhouse. We recommend a combination of both daylight and artificial light in the indoor area for optimum growth. Plants that need moderate to high sunlight to grow won’t do well under only artificial lights. Go for plants that have low-lightning requirements such as snake plants if direct sunlight isn’t an option.

Setting-up Indoor Greenhouse

There are various ways to set-up an indoor greenhouse. When you buy indoor greenhouses from vendors such as Amazon or any garden store, it comes with the step by step instructions to set-up the whole structure. You can choose a greenhouse that’s in your budget and suits your needs. Make sure to check out the dimensions of the greenhouse, or you’ll regret later if its too large or too small space you have.

There is another alternative if you don’t want to buy an indoor greenhouse. You can make one yourself! There are many indoor greenhouse projects you undertake and even add your expertise to make them even more noteworthy. We provide below the list of the most innovative indoor greenhouse DIY we found.

DIY Indoor Greenhouse

Checkout this list of the most innovative, tech-savvy and easy indoor greenhouse DIY below.

1. DIY Mini Indoor Greenhouse

The Complete Beginners Guide to Indoor Greenhouse (1)

Give your seedlings a head start with this inexpensive and easy to make greenhouse! The step by step tutorial is available at wikiHow!

2. DIYIndoor Seed Starting GreenhouseThe Complete Beginners Guide to Indoor Greenhouse (2)

Start seed indoors using grow lights with the help of this Indoor Greenhouse DIY! Even without sunlight, your baby plants will do fine. Here‘s the detailed post.

3. Small Indoor Greenhouse DIY

The Complete Beginners Guide to Indoor Greenhouse (3)

If you are a tech-savvy person, this DIY is made for you! You’ll even learn some programming along the way. We got the inspiration from Instructables!

4. DIY Indoor Mini Greenhouse

The Complete Beginners Guide to Indoor Greenhouse (4)

Perfect for small spaces and in urban apartments, this indoor greenhouse DIY is built by a dollar store picture frame.

5. Easy Indoor Greenhouse

The Complete Beginners Guide to Indoor Greenhouse (5)

Here‘s a greenhouse project in which your kids can take part. This indoor greenhouse system doesn’t require much of your time to construct!

Best Plants to Grow in Indoor Greenhouses

Growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs in indoor greenhouses are not challenging with the right information. Take factors such as availability of space and lighting requirements into consideration before choosing the plant. For small spaces, mini-greenhouses are ideal as they won’t take up much space. Grow small houseplants, herbs, succulents, microgreens, and leafy greens in mini-greenhouses.

NOTE:Succulents and cacti also do well in the indoor greenhouse and require little to no care.

Below is the list of vegetables, fruits, and herbs that grow well in indoor greenhouses!

Vegetables

  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Radishes
  • Spring Onions
  • Kale
  • Carrots
  • Potatoes
  • Microgreens

Fruits

  • Strawberries
  • Avocados
  • Oranges
  • Lemons
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Raspberries
  • Grapes

Herbs

  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Sage
  • Coriander
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Mint
  • Oregano

Benefits of Indoor Greenhouse

  • Indoor Greenhouses are well protected from the weather ailments, whether it’s cold or hot.
  • You can grow plants all year round as there won’t be any interference from the outside elements.
  • Easy to relocate indoor greenhouses if and when the situation arises.
  • Mini indoor greenhouses offer an ideal choice for folks living in urban dwellings where they don’t have balconies or patio to grow plants.
  • Plants are well protected from rain, wind, snow, storm, and their adverse effects.
  • Won’t have to depend on sunlight as you can install grow lights in the indoor greenhouses.
  • Easily monitor temperature, humidity, and other conditions that affect plant growth.
  • Monitor the growth of the plant and check for problems regularly as the greenhouse is located nearby.
The Complete Beginners Guide to Indoor Greenhouse (2024)

FAQs

What not to put in a greenhouse? ›

What not to grow in a greenhouse
  • Giant Trees and Shrubs: ...
  • Invasive Species: ...
  • Aggressive Vines: ...
  • Water-Hungry Crops in Excess: ...
  • Plants with Extreme Temperature Requirements: ...
  • Highly Sensitive Varieties: ...
  • Crops with Pests and Diseases: ...
  • Plants with Excessive Maintenance Needs:
Nov 14, 2023

Are indoor greenhouses worth it? ›

Benefits of an Indoor Greenhouse

You can grow a large variety, almost any kind, of potted plants in an indoor greenhouse, just like you can in a bigger, outdoors one. They're perfect for growing herbs that you use in your everyday cooking and baking like thyme, rosemary, oregano, or others.

What is the best greenhouse for a beginner? ›

Polycarbonate greenhouses are a great option for greenhouse gardening beginners, because they're easy to set up and maintain and can be very strong. Price-wise, polycarbonate greenhouses are normally cheaper than traditional glass ones.

What are the best plants to grow in a greenhouse for beginners? ›

Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini and Lettuce

When in doubt, start with your salad vegetables. These easy-to-grow plants have high yields and are particularly well-suited to a spring and summer grow season.

What is the best heat source for an indoor greenhouse? ›

Propane Heaters: Propane heaters are an excellent choice if you're looking for an affordable heating option. They provide reliable heat but require proper ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

What is the best temperature for an indoor greenhouse? ›

Optimal Greenhouse Temperature – Why 18°C (64°F)?

Most common greenhouse crops require a temperature range of around 18º-24ºC (64ºF – 75ºF). These temperatures are considered optimal for most common crops, which is why we find them in most greenhouses around the world.

How often should you water an indoor greenhouse? ›

Crops and Seasonality

In late spring, summer, and early fall you will likely be watering your greenhouse garden every day or at least every other day. In late fall, winter, and early spring when temperatures are more mild you will likely be watering much less frequently about once a week.

Why can greenhouses be bad? ›

The industry produces over 3.3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, which significantly impacts climate change. Even though greenhouses themselves aren't bad for the environment, constructing greenhouses produces pollution and adversely affects the environment.

Where should you not put a greenhouse? ›

Some gardens have areas that are damp or prone to surface water, due to poor drainage and lack of sunlight. Avoid locating your greenhouse in such positions. The greenhouse should be built on level ground and with good soil, if you're planning on planting in the ground inside the greenhouse.

What plants grow best in an indoor greenhouse? ›

Which plants grow best in indoor greenhouses? At their core, greenhouses provide a condition of high humidity, which works well for tropical houseplants like aroids, ferns, and orchids.

What is an indoor greenhouse called? ›

A conservatory is a building or room having glass or other transparent roofing and walls, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom. Usually it refers to a space attached to a conventional building such as a house, especially in the United Kingdom.

Should my greenhouse have a floor? ›

One of the most important reasons to install a floor in your greenhouse is to provide a surface that is durable and easy to clean. A good greenhouse floor will protect it from moisture and pests, and it will make it easier to keep the interior clean.

What is the easiest base for a greenhouse? ›

Integral Base

This is by far the easiest option, as it does not require any further building or construction, as it forms part of the frame itself. The greenhouse can be set straight down onto a level, solid surface and secured into place.

What plants grow best in a greenhouse? ›

Here are a few warm-season crops you can grow in a greenhouse all year, or ahead of the season.
  • Tomatoes. You may want to look at the types of tomatoes that grow best in your region if you're planning to plant them out when the weather warms up. ...
  • Eggplant. ...
  • Beans. ...
  • Peppercorn Plant. ...
  • Peppers. ...
  • Cucumbers. ...
  • Alliums. ...
  • African Violets.
Jul 18, 2023

When should I start plants in my greenhouse? ›

When you want to transplant your seedlings into the garden in spring, sow seeds in the greenhouse about six to eight weeks before your area's last frost date. Begin hardening off plants two weeks before transition to the garden, in early spring or after last frost date in your climatic zone.

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