How I Grow in a Greenhouse (in Summer)

Keeping a greenhouse from overheating is the biggest challenge in summer. Gardener Scott shows some of the methods he uses to keep greenhouse temperature under control to grow summer plants. (Video #472)
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[@rochellemiller6329]

I have a home built greenhouse in western Kansas in a similar climate to where you are. The first winter I was able to grow cold weather crops all winter long. I do have water barrels and extra insulation and I ran a small heater when we had an extra cold period that got down to negative teens for multiple days running. Where I ran into trouble was in the next summer. Having my greenhouse door open all day and my vents open 24/7 I had mice and birds getting into the greenhouse. When I tried to start my plants in September for the next winter my seedlings were instantly eaten. Sowing in the ground the seeds were stolen. I learned the hard keep my vents screened and I built a cute screen door which fits over my open door. problem solved, lesson learned! Thought I’d share.

[@GardenerScott]

Great tip. Thanks!

[@chernagast6754]

My good man, you are the Bob Ross of gardening.

[@mikemiller209]

I had to put the shade cloth on the outside to get mine cooled off.. once the sun entered the greenhouse so did the heat

[@garynorcal4269]

Thank you for consistently good advice for your fellow gardeners.

[@amymorales4622]

Regulating the temperature of my greenhouse, in a lower latitude and high elevation environment, has been a real challenge. Recently, we had outdoor temperatures of 107.5*F, and my plants outside were struggling. Inside the greenhouse, kale and cabbage were doing fine in the aquaponics grow beds. I think that the running water in the aquaponics system helps to cool things. I have solar powered exhaust fans, and automatic vents. I cover the greenhouse in summer with a tarp which has “windows cut in it, and a shade-cloth canopy shades the entire greenhouse because the sunlight here is extremely intense. I’m always looking for ways to do things better, so I appreciate your videos.

[@Reindeer_jay]

I appreciate the Celsius conversions 👍🙂

[@melissakingery4393]

I'm not sure How I Lost you Scott! I love your show

[@racebiketuner]

You make a lot of good points, especially about having doors on opposite sides.

[@tammyohlsson7966]

Great advice! I’m in SE Texas. Nothing in my greenhouse until first frost. Even with a window, door, shade cloth and exhaust fan, it’s over 110 by 11 am. My fan is set to come on at 110. Just to protect the greenhouse. But it’s awesome in the winter with just a small electric heater. Trade offs for different climates. Thank you for sharing all your wisdom. Blessings!

[@441rider]

I am experimenting with a water tub with fan and duct tube to top of greenhouse so the heat blows down over water to cool. I also plan a vent like you said an have the solar set up. 3;x10;x8' tall out of two end double pane bay windows. LOL urban with floorboard alarm. Citrus and coffee in Canada

[@jwstanley2645]

Thanks Scott. Great advice. As you say, ventilation essential to a greenhouse. btw, windows over doors are often called 'transoms.' Centuries past, people built them inside homes and schools, etc., before electric fans became ubiquitous, to control air flow in all seasons.

[@anniecochrane3359]

Really great advice. I cant find a smaller greenhouse with more than one door and one vent, so installing solar fans may well overcome this disadvantage. I really appreciate how your advice is always based on your tried and true experience.

[@TerribleTim68]

Thanks for this video Scott. I'm on the right track it seems. My greenhouse only has a door on one end and vents in the middle. But with a fan I've been ab le to keep it somewhat controlled. It's a lot of maintenance turning on and off the fan each day, but I don't mind. My greenhouse has gotten as much as 15-20 degrees above outside temps, but it's also not as hot here in the PNW as it is where you are. We're getting through it, cooler days will be here way too quick.

[@heidiclark6612]

Thank you for the info on regulating your temperatures in your greenhouse. I hope to have one someday.

[@nickthegardener.1120]

I think you have thought of every eventuality.👍🤠

[@dlv0187]

I live in the PNW and when it gets to be over 80 degrees outside the temp in my greenhouse will skyrocket. I've seen it reach 130 when the outside temp is around 90. All the vents and windows are open too! This was my first summer with the new greenhouse so I didn't really do much in there because of the heat. I will try using a shade cloth next summer. I hope to be able to do something come early fall and winter. I'm just not sure what.

[@eliandkate]

Fantastic advice for new greenhouse owners. And lovely to get a nosey into your greenhouse

[@lastchancemonicam3948]

Thank you for the video. My temperatures are well above 100 F on a regular basis, so I have to choose my plants accordingly, and no greenhouse for me. They might be nicer in the winter, but in the summer it would be a plant cemetery for all but cacti and succulents.

[@lalocura3036]

Felicidades Scott, por hacer tan buen trabajo difundiendo tu conocimiento para los que recién empezamos con un invernadero, y nos encontramos con todo tipo de problemas que no siempre sabemos abordar. Escribo desde el interior de España, una zona climática muy similar a la tuya, pero sin esas nevadas locas que sufres. La malla de sombra la has colgado en el interior del invernadero, imagino que para que no te bloquee las claraboyas de ventilación, pero colocar la malla de sombra en el interior puede hacer que la temperatura en interior aumente mucho más que si la colocas en el exterior. También habría que advertir a la audiencia que ese 30% de sombra, va a hacer que tus plantas produzca un 30% menos y maduren bastante más tarde, aunque es el precio a pagar para no alcanzar 50°C de máxima durante los peores meses del verano.

[@GardenerScott]

Gracias. Tienes buenos consejos. Sí, la sombra afectará el crecimiento de las plantas, pero es importante mantener el calor bajo. Mi tela de sombra no bloquea las rejillas de ventilación.

[@rockyysip3804]

Great insights. thank you

[@seanrich1367]

Lots of good information, Gardener Scott. I've been learning every year while greenhouse growing. My only issue , certain times of year, you can't leave it because of the temp. fluxuation day to night. Maybe it's time to invest in an auto fan ventilator.?

[@GardenerScott]

One of my vents has an automatic opener and that helps during the weather transition times. I think an auto fan can be a good option too.

[@kamilaj2913]

Sir Watching your video’s I get lot of informations. Thank you so much for your lovely informations. It’s a greater blessing Prabhu S From India Bangalore

[@GA-lx6ib]

thank you!

[@shinygravel]

If the shade cloth is outside, w/ a 6-8" gap, it would do a much better job. Block those rays before they even enter the greenhouse.

[@busterfoxx]

How do you create the 6-8" gap?

[@shinygravel]

@@busterfoxx that is up to you, your creativity, your setup, desired aesthetic, budget, etc.

[@Oktopia]

The fact that the temperature must be right for insects to pollinate was something I never considered. My squashes look a little odd at times for this reason. It has simply been too hot for them in my glass greenhouse. Even with ventilation, it got too hot. I never tried to grow squash until this season. Still learning a lot!

[@lisahill2870]

Squash require pollinators - you might have better luck hand pollinating.

[@johnjude2685]

Believe you're one of my 2 favorite gardeners to listen the hardest to. The other is a lady, so don't slip or the girl's team moves to the top.

[@joeyv2083]

Who? Id like to watch also brother

[@carolburnett8372]

two of my big bell peppers were blistered today in the sun......big tan colored circles.......Brrrrr.

[@user-uy3pl8gp4u]

Thanks Gardener Scott. You're the Bob Ross of the gardening world. PBS is doing their viewers a disservice by not giving you your own show.

[@cecilianena6648]

L❤VE your videos

[@Miguel195211]

I am having a very tough time with my tomato plants with heat over 90 F and high humidity in southeast NC. The plants are mostly wilted although I water frequently. And the one plant that looks very healthy and tall produces flowers but they fall and no tomatoes.

[@GardenerScott]

Shade cloth can help, but the temperatures may need to decrease before you see good results.

[@vvtv4565]

It's seems like shade cloth would be more effective on the outside of the greenhouse. Is that not the case?

[@GardenerScott]

It might be. The excessive winds in my area would require a lot of anchoring and it's easier for me to place it inside.

[@alicias9928]

Is your wireless thermometer part of the Tempest weather station that you linked to above? It looks like there is insulation above the bench. Which directional side of the greenhouse is that insulation?

[@GardenerScott]

That thermometer isn't part of my Tempest, but the app on my phone links to it. The insulation is on my north side.

[@lindasanders9540]

Where do you purchase the green planters (?plastic) in your greenhouse. They look much more tidy than my grow bags. TY

[@GardenerScott]

They are Oases boxes sold in the UK.

[@bobdriscoll6549]

Hi Scott, I'm just starting out with my green house gardening and I definitely want to add a solar powered fan (possibly with a battery) to help circulate the air. I live in zone 9 - 10 in So. California and our temps get over 105F regularly during July and August. I have added 50% shade cloth to the entire roof and upper side panels on the east and south sides and will probably add them to the west side as well. The greenhouse is approximately 8 ft x 6 1/2 feet with one roof vent and with a little maneuvering I can actually remover the polycarbonate panels from the roof and leave the shade cloth in place. Anyway, Is there a solar fan that you would recommend that wouldn't break the bank? Thank you for your videos. They are a Godsend especially for beginners.

[@GardenerScott]

I don't have one to recommend yet. I'm planning a similar setup and am still trying to figure out what to choose. I'll have a video about it when I decide.

[@christinedarby5267]

Thanks for posting this we have a planta greenhouse and have not used it yet due to this issue. We got shade cloth though and will install. I like the solar panel fan idea we have no electricity going to the greenhouse. Which solar powered fan do you like ? Thanks

[@GardenerScott]

I don't have it yet, but based on the size of my greenhouse I've been looking at these: amzn.to/473bOrY

[@christinedarby5267]

Ok thanks 🙏 ours is 26 feet so not sure if that can would be enough but …. Will certainly install our shade cloth I am excited to start using it. I like the idea of the remote temp monitor to study the patterns of temps

[@nikkiwolfe300]

Can you share what brand/type of thermometer you are using. I am in Kiowa Colorado and am going to order the same greenhouse you have. Thank you, I am learning so much from you about this greenhouse .

[@GardenerScott]

My primary thermometer is four years old and no longer sold but I'm using this one too with good results: amzn.to/3UpdOah Here's the greenhouse link: plantagreenhouses.com/gardenerscott

[@user-zc2jo5kn8r]

Hi. You were commenting on heat causing stress to tomato plant leaves. What about cucumbers? I live in southern Ontario, Canada where we experience extremely hot and humid weather. My cucumber leaves regularly turn yellow and die. I don’t think it is lack of water, or too much, and read something about the extreme heat seriously damaging the plant. How can I correct this without watering too much and bringing on powdery mildew? I don’t want to lose the fruit that has already set, but isn’t quite mature.

[@GardenerScott]

Most plants will be affected by high heat. Large leaf plants like cucumbers are certainly susceptible. Consider putting shade cloth of the plants to help.

[@rickthelian2215]

Sorry, what happens when your not home, just as I’m writing this your talking about a ventilation fan😊

[@headybrew]

I'm curious why you would put the shade cloth inside, under the glass, rather than above it to keep the sun from getting through the glass in the first place. Doesn't it just absorb the sun and release it as infrared inside with the plants?

[@GardenerScott]

I get very high winds and securing any large fabric to keep it from blowing away is difficult. It's not ideal and does let some heat in but it's better than blowing away or ripping in 75mph wind.

[@datwuballa31]

What % shade is your shade cloth? Looks like a 20% but would love to know what you're using. I am in 8a Tx and some folks were recommending 40% bc of our miserably hot summer days. My tomatoes 🍅 were toast by June 😢

[@GardenerScott]

I use 40% in the greenhouse.

[@joycebovee5818]

How are you keeping the shade cloth on your greenhouse?

[@GardenerScott]

My greenhouse has interior supports and I've attached the shade cloth to those supports.

[@wipeoutxl21]

your shade cloth is not effective inside the greenhouse to reduce heat as the sun hits it inside the greenhouse heating it and the greenhouse up. You need to put it on the outside so it can radiate the heat out

[@danaprahl9748]

Gardener Scott. I'm depressed. You have inspired me so much but my garden is beautiful and green but no vegies to harvest. My tomato plants are huge but no tomatoes some flowers but nothing. I googled why ...not enough sunlight. I want to garden and I have 2 3' by 4' raised beds in an area of my garden that has the most sunlight in spring til about end of June. I'm surrounded by huge neighbours trees birches nasty tree dirty trees. In spring I have lots of sun but now when it counts it's 2-3 and than dapple light. What can I do. I can't move but I want a vegetable garden. Can you advise me or do I give up hope and find a farmer some where in my area. I just realized why ever year I loss interest at this time. I did all the work and no rewards. is there any hope?

[@GardenerScott]

No need to be depressed. There is always hope. You can grow many vegetables in containers. I currently have tomato plants growing in 5-gallon buckets that will be ready to harvest soon. With containers you can move them to areas that do have enough sun. Even the corner of a driveway can become a garden. Here's one of my videos that might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pH-qhYSjYt53arc

[@danaprahl9748]

@@GardenerScott Thanks Scott

[@valemerine3676]

What type of greenhouse?

[@GardenerScott]

It's a Planta Greenhouse. plantagreenhouses.com/gardenerscott