Prepare your greenhouse for spring

Insufficient ventilation is one of the main reasons why greenhouse plants suffer from fungal diseases. To combat this, you need to ensure there are enough openings, and that they’re positioned correctly to allow good air circulation through the greenhouse. Ideally this would include two slatted vents located low down on either side, and two roof vents at the top.

If you can, invest in an automatic vent-opener. On hot days it could be a life-saver for your plants. If you forget to open the vents for any reason, the automatic opener will ensure that hot air can still escape, preventing plants from shrivelling.

In summer, you need to protect plants from harsh sun, so invest in shade netting to throw over each side of the greenhouse. You can also fit indoor blinds, but these are expensive and may knock into pots and growing bags.

Installing electricity in a greenhouse is expensive, but is well worth it as it opens up so many possibilities. Not only will it allow you to have a good light source to work by in the evenings, but you can also plug in a propagator or heated mat, which means no more trays of seedlings cluttering up the house. It also allows you to run an electric heater with a thermostat, which only uses power when you need it.

The high cost is due to the fact that you need a qualified electrician to install power. Don’t do it yourself – not only is it illegal, it’s also very dangerous.

A source of heat will extend your growing season and increase the range of plants you can grow. If you have a power supply, a heater with an automatic thermostat will do the work for you. To keep the greenhouse frost free in winter, aim for 4°C or above. If you don’t have power, you can use a greenhouse paraffin heater, although these need attending to usually twice a day. You can also use a propagator as a 'greenhouse within a greenhouse', providing added protection.

Maximum-minimum thermometers are invaluable – but buy two so you can monitor temperatures at either end of the greenhouse, and then position your heater where it will be most effective.

Plants in greenhouses need much more water than those outside, so be prepared. Most also prefer rainwater to tap water, so a water butt (or two) connected to the downpipes is a good idea. They’re easy to install, along with gutter kits that fit a wide range of greenhouses.

Keep a bucket filled with ambient-temperature water – chilly water from outdoors can give plants a shock. It’ll also boost humidity on hot days.

If your outdoor tap is some distance from your greenhouse, run a hose to it, fitted to a post. It’ll save you carrying lots of heavy watering cans.

In a greenhouse you have three main options on where to grow your plants – in pots, growing bags or border soil. Border soil needs regular replenishing or sterilising to prevent pests and diseases building up, so using growing bags and pots is often more sensible. Once you’ve harvested the crops, you simply add the spent compost to the compost heap and start again, with no worries about soil-borne diseases lingering into following years.