The best greenhouse plants are varieties that possess the same or similar temperature requirements. By selecting plants with comparable environmental needs, gardeners can have a level of assurance that the flowers, fruits, or vegetables in their greenhouses will grow and flourish together. Tropical, sub-tropical, succulent, and edible plants are just a few of the different plant types that can be grown successfully in a greenhouse when matched with plants of the same type.
Ideal greenhouse plants for gardeners looking to grow a vegetable garden include beets, carrots, cucumbers, green onions, lettuce, peas, peppers, and tomatoes. While the temperature requirements for these vegetables are similar, each possesses its own set of conditions for proper planting. Beets and carrots, for instance, are root vegetables and are usually grown in boxes or tubs placed in shaded areas. Tomatoes can be cultivated in tubs as well, but they require more light than root vegetables and may need some type of support to ensure their growth. Corn can also be grown in a greenhouse, and many gardeners have found the best results come from planting the corn directly into a specially made bed in the greenhouse floor.
Flowers make for trusty greenhouse plants. Surprisingly, orchids are one of the most popular plants for a greenhouse, despite perceptions that they are sensitive and difficult to grow. There are several orchid varieties that have been cultivated by greenhouse growers with great success; these include calanthe, dendrobium, laelia, and phalaenopsis. Other flower types that grow well together are daffodils, snapdragons, and tulips.
Orchids are not the only easy-to-grow greenhouse plants of the tropical type. Begonias, cyclamens, ferns, fuchsias, and gladiolas all relish humidity and grow well together in a greenhouse environment. Tropical fruits also prosper as greenhouse plants; these include bananas, lychee, mangoes, persimmons, and star fruit.
Growing plants in a greenhouse allows gardeners a high level of control over the elements. While temperature and light exposure can be regulated, however, the size of a greenhouse cannot. Most greenhouses are limited in space, and gardeners find the best course of action is selecting greenhouse plants that produce the optimum amount of output in relation to the plant's size. For instance, a gardener may not find it beneficial to purchase a large fruit tree that produces five or six pieces of fruit, no matter how novel or delicious the crop might be. Instead, he or she will utilize every bit of space in the greenhouse to plant as many vegetables, fruits, and flowers as possible.
