THE GREENHOUSE IN 2025
Greenhouse Partitions
The use of partitions in Greenhouses is becoming increasingly popular as gardeners look for more precise control over their growing environment and formally divide structures for additional lifestyle uses.
By dividing Greenhouses into distinct zones, partitions allow for tailored microclimates that cater to the specific needs of different plants optimising conditions such as temperature, humidity, and light exposure. This not only improves plant health, it also enhances resource efficiency, allowing for more specific heating, ventilation, and watering. Additionally, as a physical barrier, partitions can reduce the spread of pests and diseases and the need for environmentally-friendly controls.
At the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Hartley Botanic showcased its stunning Victorian Manor Glasshouse, with a partitioned-off work/ lifestyle room. Increasingly, Hartley Botanic customers are now using partitions to create separate spaces for dining, garden working or tranquil morning and evening relaxation. Greenhouses, even though single-glazed, offer a sheltered environment that allow customers to enjoy their gardens regardless of the weather, and the use of partitions adds an additional element of flexibility and personalisation. Greenhouse owners are using them to add a garden “room” separate to their horticultural needs, enjoying the space in a multifaceted way while surrounded by their plants.
Environmentally Conscious Water Conservation and Pest Control
With a growing concern for sustainability, rainwater harvesting and biological pest control will become increasingly popular amongst Greenhouse owners. These methods not only help address environmental concerns, they can often mean more cost-effective solutions.
Rainwater harvesting
Water Butts are the simplest way for Greenhouse owners to collect rainwater and, this year, in response to customer demand, Hartley Botanic launched its own range. Rainwater may swing from being sporadic to torrential as a result of climate change, it is also better for plants, as it often has a lower pH. The minerals that are sometimes found in mains water, especially in hard water areas can raise the pH of your root zone, which can affect nutrient availability. Rainwater is vital for the healthy growth of ericaceous plants such as azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons
Hartley Botanic’s new Water Butts provide a useful rainwater storage solution (up to 167 litres) at the same time as offering customers a stylish design which can be powder coated to match their Greenhouse.
Natural pest control
Natural, often called ‘Biological,’ pest control tackles invasive Greenhouse insect species using predators found in nature, rather than any harmful chemicals. The predatory wasp Encarsia formosa can be used to combat whitefly, predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis and Amblyseius, a predatory midge Feltiella acrarsuga and a rove beetle Atheta coriaria can help get rid of red spider mites. You can also control mealybug, with the ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Many biological pest controls can be bought online. Greenhouse owners should check their plants regularly for signs of an infestation, as it is easier to control smaller occurrences than an epidemic. To help estimate how extensive a whitefly problem you have, simply install a few yellow sticky traps inside your Greenhouse and observe how many you catch.
Successional Growing (year-long harvesting)
Greenhouses provide a controlled environment that can extend the growing season and protect plants from undesirable weather. For those who grow their own food, this means edible plants year-round, it also means enjoying the benefits of bulbs flowering early.
‘Successional sowing’ allows for growing and harvesting ‘cut and come again’ edibles at all stages of growth. This can range from microgreen seedlings to juvenile and mature plants and will result in an interesting array of eating textures – from soft to crisp.
For flowering bulbs in pots, keep them outdoors or in a cold frame at 1.5 to 10C for ten weeks in autumn and early winter. Bring them into the Greenhouse for an early burst of spring. If you have the facilities, put them under growing lamps once they start sprouting, or on a heat mat, enough to encourage growth but not to make stems long and leggy through lack of light.
Keep this in mind when buying bulbs in autumn for planting from September to November for next spring. Traditionally, people ‘force’ hyacinths and narcissus but there can be so much more variety than that and it is time for a revisiting of this technique. Other bulbs to consider include; crocus, daffodils of all kinds including miniatures, ‘Lily of the Valley,’ hyacinths, Iris reticulata, Scilla and Lilies.
2025’s In Demand Greenhouse Accessories
From their extensive range, the Greenhouse accessories set to be most popular in 2025 are blinds, staging and shelving, with Hartley Botanic’s Victorian roller blinds anticipated to be the most in demand.
Blinds help regulate the temperature and light levels inside a Greenhouse and prevent plants being burnt by intense sunlight or affected by harmful UV rays. They can also act as a form of insulation in colder months. A growing necessity for blinds in Greenhouses, may reflect our changing climate, a recent Met Office report confirmed the country is getting wetter but also warmer and sunnier.
There are many accessories that can help you make the best use of your Greenhouse and using a mix of shelving and staging is highly effective. As Greenhouses increasingly evolve into multi-use growing and lifestyle spaces, attractive ways to organise them are becoming more popular boosting the interest in staging and shelving. Hartley Botanic offers aluminium shelving and staging options (including ornate designs) that can be powder-coated in a colour to match or contrast their Greenhouses, providing elegant coherence.
Hartley Botanic offers high and low level staging, with high level allowing for the display of low-hanging plants.
All Hartley Botanic’s Glasshouses and Greenhouses are handmade, bespoke, and made to order. Customers interested in purchasing a Hartley Botanic Greenhouse should visit www.hartley-botanic.ie or call +44 (0)1457 819155 for more information.