Greenhouse Tree Care: Growing Fruit Trees In A Greenhouse

If greenhouses make you think of tomato vines and exotic flowers, it’s time to revise your concept of these plant-protecting spaces. Can you grow trees in a greenhouse? Yes, you can, and many home orchards are expanded by greenhouse fruit tree growing.

Growing fruit trees in a greenhouse is entirely possible and enables you to bring in species that otherwise might not survive your climate. Read on for information on the best trees to grow in a greenhouse with tips on greenhouse tree care.

Can You Grow Trees in a Greenhouse?

Greenhouse fruit tree growing is a foreign concept to many gardeners who ask: Can you grow trees in a greenhouse – (legit regular sized trees)? As long as your greenhouse is adapted to accommodate them, it is not difficult.

You obviously will need to have a greenhouse large enough to hold your trees. You also need a heat system for winter, vents to allow in air, and a method of pollinating the tree blossoms, if that is desired.

Best Trees to Grow in Greenhouses

While it is possible to grow any trees in a very large greenhouse, most gardeners will have a greenhouse of limited size. This means that the best trees to grow in greenhouses will be relatively small ones.

Fruit trees are a great choice for growing in a greenhouse. With greenhouse fruit tree growing, you not only have the pleasure of watching trees thrive, but also get delicious fruit you might not be able to grow in a garden orchard.

People have been growing fruit trees in a greenhouse for centuries. Early greenhouses, in fact, were called orangeries, used in 19th century England for growing oranges in winter.

Many types of fruit trees do well in the carefully monitored environment of a greenhouse. Pick warmth-loving fruit trees like pears, peaches, bananas, oranges, and tropical fruits that appreciate year-round warmth. Apples are not a good choice since they need winter chill to fruit.

Greenhouse Tree Care

Growing fruit trees in a greenhouse requires more than just keeping your trees warm in winter. It is essential to monitor the environment and not allow temperatures to soar on sunny days.

Without the possibility of rainfall, greenhouse tree care also means you need to arrange for irrigation. Ventilation is also important.

Many fruit trees, like citrus, require fertilization in summer and winter in a greenhouse. Then you’ll need to consider pollination. Greenhouse walls offer barriers that exclude insect pests, but you’ll have to think about how to work in natural pollinators, such as bees.