Greenhouse plants need much more feeding and watering during the summer, but there are lots of other jobs to do as well. There are also vegetable crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers to be managed and planting to be carried out in preparation for both the coming winter and next year.
Plants that have flowered early in the season in the greeenhouse, such as azaleas and camellias, can be moved outside. Regular summer greenhouse plants such as fuchsias and hydrangeas, will need regular checks, removing any signs of decline and spraying with insecticide to prevent aphids settling.
Watering Plants
Greenhouse plants will be growing quickly during the summer and in warm weather they need lots of water at regular intervals. Two of the best methods to ease the task are:
- Standing the plants in large tubs on gravel or shingle so that they can be hosed heavily without worrying about anything else getting too wet.
- Laying capillary matting under flower pots with holes in their base, then soaking the matting will allow the plants to draw water up into the soil at their own pace. This approach also has the effect of humidifying the greenhouse. This works well with opening windows during warm days to prevent overheating.
Vegetables and Fruit
Any salad vegetable that starts to decline should be composted to maintain good growth of the rest of the crop. Cordon varieties of tomato grow upright and will need regular checks as well as consistent watering. The plants' fastenings should be checked to ensure that they will cope with rapid growth. Any unrequired side shoots should be removed to help further train the main growth. The tomatoes should be picked as soon as they ripen.
Cucumbers should also be trained along vertical canes, while bush varieties should be trained using nets. Grapes on vines will require thinning out to prevent overcrowding and disease. They should be watered weekly and potash added every second week. If the grapes start to ripen, reduce watering and stop feeding as they will then need to be kept dry.
Summer Planting
Many types of plant required for winter and next year should be prepared during the summer. Shade will be required for the young seedlings during the summer. Common activities include:
- Strong sideshoots of hydrangeas can be propagated ready for next year.
- Cyclamen seeds can be sown and last year's corms (underground stems that resemble bulbs) potted and watered and fed regularly to encourage growth.
- Leaf cuttings of begonias can start propagation.
- Many other seedlings can be readied and hanging baskets of some winter flowers can also be prepared if required.
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