Ten Tips for Success As a First Time Grower

If you’re a first-time grower just starting your commercial greenhouse or expanding a plant-growing hobby into a business, be prepared to learn many new lessons in the first few years of growth. Until you have experience, it isn’t easy to anticipate what will happen with your plants. You can only learn some lessons through trial and error, personal observation, failure, and success. 

These ten general tips for commercial greenhouse success are a good place to start. 

Wet or Dry Crop

Some crops prefer to be wet, while others flourish in dry soil or require only moderate watering. Know what each plant needs and water accordingly. While some plants are resilient, others will die off without proper moisture. It often works best to keep plants that need similar amounts of water together.

Start Simple

As a first time grower, choose plants that are low-maintenance and require standard watering, soil composition, and fertilizer. Starting simple will allow you to develop an intuition for the basics before you move on to more complicated or demanding crops. Novice growers are much less likely to succeed with temperamental plants. Set yourself up to do well by saving more challenging crops for later.

Be Aware of Weather

Especially if you’re growing outdoors, pay close attention to the weather. Adjust your watering schedule as needed to accommodate rainy weather. Water on sunny days and let plants rest when it’s cloudy. Discourage fungus and root rot by allowing soil to dry out between waterings.

Use Fungicides Wisely

Fungicides work best when used preventatively. Apply them according to label instructions and plant guidelines. While you want to avoid building up resistance, it’s best to drench or spray before signs of major disease start to show.

Test Your Soil

Fertilizing plants for optimal growth without waste is a complex job. Testing the soil is the first step to developing an effective, efficient feeding program. Have an EC meter on hand to easily check on the nutrients in the soil. Be aware of the specific nutrient needs for each crop and supplement the soil as needed after testing and assessing. Too much fertilizer is just as bad as too little. 

Prepare for Pests

You will encounter bugs and pests in your commercial greenhouse. Research which pests tend to affect the crops you’re growing and pay attention to your plants all season to catch them early. Plan ahead for which control measures to implement if pests do crop up in your greenhouse. Consider employing beneficial predator bugs as a control method. 

Plan for Heating Costs

Just like houses for people, the greenhouse must be kept at an adequate temperature for plants to succeed. Think through appropriate temperatures for each crop you’ll grow, and be aware of heating costs as you plan and budget. 

Use Basic, Well-Drained Soil 

Just as it’s best to start simple with choosing crops, it’s best to start simple with soil. Almost any well-drained soil will work. Soil doesn’t make the grower; the grower makes the soil. Until you have experience, you won’t be able to choose wisely and will likely end up wasting time and resources. Gradually hone in on soil specifics and preferences as you gain a few seasons of experience. Good soil and bad soil can be similar depending on who uses it and what they are trying to grow. As a beginner, choose any professional, pre-mixed, well-drained soil.

Keep Detailed Records

The most important thing you can do as a first time grower to help your crops and business succeed is to keep detailed records about every crop. Use a clear, organized system (on paper or electronically) to record planting dates, weather statistics, fertilizer content and ppm, and observations about plant growth. Keep these records for every crop during every season. 

This enables you to: 

• Troubleshoot and learn from trial and error without making the same mistakes over again
• Check a resource specific to your greenhouse as you plan for the next season
• Track whether your crop is on schedule compared to previous years
• Look back at mistakes and successes over time to repeat what worked

First Time Grower? Connect With an Experienced Grower

Finally, it is essential to have an experienced grower who will advise you. This should be someone who’s been growing for many years — someone you can call to talk about ideas, failures, successes, and questions. Take pictures along with your careful record-keeping so you can offer them as much information as possible about issues with your plants. An experienced person is an invaluable resource. 

We are delighted to answer your questions and support you as you jump into growing for the first time. Don’t hesitate to contact us! You can also find the answers to many of your growing questions here.