What to grow in an unheated greenhouse in the winter? - Ask Extension
Hi,
I am a prospective Eagle Scout building a greenhouse for a nonprofit. I was wondering what plants you could grow in the winter, if anything and...
Knowledgebase
What to grow in an unheated greenhouse in the winter? #854727
Asked November 05, 2023, 10:46 AM EST
Hi,
I am a prospective Eagle Scout building a greenhouse for a nonprofit. I was wondering what plants you could grow in the winter, if anything and tips for keeping the greenhouse flourishing year round.
Thank you!
Denver County Colorado
Expert Response
What a great idea for your Eagle Scout project! And thanks for providing the important information in the subject line that the greenhouse will be unheated.
Even though a greenhouse can absorb heat during a sunny winter day it will lose heat quickly when the sun goes down and then the temperature will essentially be the same as the outside temperature. However, if the greenhouse is well insulated, situated in the sun and protected from the wind you may be able to start seedlings in it a little earlier in the spring.
Here is a link to a fact sheet on backyard greenhouses published by the University of New Hampshire that might help you in the planning process: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/very-small-greenhouses-back-yards
Another idea similar to a greenhouse is a cold frame. Here is a link to a fact sheet by the University of Missouri on hotbeds and cold frames that you might find interesting: https://extension.missouri.edu/g6965#Operating
Good luck and feel free to contact us if you have more questions!
Even though a greenhouse can absorb heat during a sunny winter day it will lose heat quickly when the sun goes down and then the temperature will essentially be the same as the outside temperature. However, if the greenhouse is well insulated, situated in the sun and protected from the wind you may be able to start seedlings in it a little earlier in the spring.
Here is a link to a fact sheet on backyard greenhouses published by the University of New Hampshire that might help you in the planning process: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/very-small-greenhouses-back-yards
Another idea similar to a greenhouse is a cold frame. Here is a link to a fact sheet by the University of Missouri on hotbeds and cold frames that you might find interesting: https://extension.missouri.edu/g6965#Operating
Good luck and feel free to contact us if you have more questions!
