The Greenhouse Gardener

A greenhouse can be a garden's greatest asset: its nucleus and powerhouse. There are many ways of using it and a gardener can adopt one or all of them. In spring, you can start young plants from seed; raise tender perennials to fill gaps in the garden; give vegetable a head start; sow early lettuce while the soil is too sticky to work outdoors. During spring and summer, you can raise greenhouse crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines and chillis. You'll be able to overwinter tender plants such as bananas and cannas. And the greenhouse can be a showcase full of beautiful, unusual and exotic plants.
Trained at Kew and for many years Glasshouse Supervisor at the RHS Garden at Wisley, Anne Swithinbank is the expert on greenhouse gardening, and in this book she comprehensively describes the techniques that will allow you to greatly expand the growing capabilities of your garden.

Acknowledgements

Introduction



1. Starting up

* Setting up you greenhouse

* Raising plants from seed

* Taking cuttings

* Potting on



2.Raising flowers for the garden

* Bedding plants from seed

* Easy bedding plants

* Annual climbers

* Quick-growing biennials and perennials from seed

* Starting dahlias from tubers

* Cannas



3. Raising vegetables and herbs for the garden

* Early starts

* Beans

* Shallots and garlic

* Home-grown herbs



4. Greenhouse crops

* A variety of crops to try

* Tomatoes

* Aubergines

* Capsicums

* Physalis

* Cucumbers

* Melons

* Citrus

* Dessert grapes

* Peaches



5. The showhouse

* Looking good all year

* Arranging your plants

* Under the staging

* Long-lived plants for greenhouse display

* Long-lived climbing plants

* Annuals and short-lived treats

* Short-lived climbing plants



6. Special collections

* Fuchsias

* Chrysanthemums

* Pelargoniums

* Carnivorous plants

* Cacti and other succulents

* Bulbs

* Tender bulbs

* Hardy spring-flowering bulbs

* Lilies

* House plants



7. Greenhouse care

* Routine tasks

* Pests and disease

* Seasonal reminders



Index