Can You Grow Tomatoes In A Plastic Greenhouse – Setup & Tips

Are you looking for an easy and cheap way to help your garden grow more plants this season? Maybe a plastic greenhouse or grow-house would make the perfect addition to your garden. But, can you grow tomatoes in a plastic greenhouse?

Yes, you can grow tomatoes in a plastic greenhouse. In fact, there are many benefits to growing tomatoes and other vegetables in greenhouses or the smaller grow-house versions.

Since these greenhouses are available online and at most big box stores’ garden centers, setting your garden up for success has never been easier. Read on to learn more about plastic greenhouses and growing tomatoes and other vegetables in them!

What Are The Benefits Of A Plastic Greenhouse?

A plastic greenhouse provides all the benefits of a proper, permanent greenhouse without the cost! A plastic greenhouse also allows you to move the greenhouse as well. Usually, plastic greenhouses are light and easy to assemble. 

Often held together with click-together poles, plastic greenhouses allow for stability for your plants but remain agile for user ease. A plastic greenhouse, similar to stand-alone glass greenhouses, trap heat inside, keeping your plants warm and the temperature consistent. 

The warmth will help ripen your plants quicker and keep them producing well into the autumn season. Greenhouses also help protect your plants from pests and insects. By creating a physical barrier between your plants and the pests of the outside world, a plastic greenhouse offers peace of mind and allows for easy organic gardening.

What Size Plastic Greenhouse Is Needed To Grow Tomatoes?

When thinking of growing tomato plants, you may think you need a large plastic greenhouse to house them. Luckily, tomato plants can be grown even in small-sized plastic greenhouses! Whether you choose a walk-in plastic greenhouse or a grow-house, a mini-greenhouse, you will see the benefits of greenhouse gardening for your tomato plants. 

A grow-house is a small, usually five-shelved garden rack with a plastic cover. You can remove shelves to create more space for taller plants, making it ideal for your tomato plants with cages!

Where Should I Put A Plastic Greenhouse?

One of the many benefits of a plastic greenhouse or smaller grow-house is its portability. Ideally, you will want to place your plastic greenhouse outdoors in a sunny spot. Always base your location on your plant’s needs. 

If you are growing plants that require full sun, like tomatoes which prefer 6-9 hours of sun a day, be sure your greenhouse is set up in a spot that receives at least that much sun. Plastic greenhouses and grow-houses can be taken apart and stored in cold seasons and stored away to lengthen their life. 

You can get about four to five years of usability by taking care of your plastic greenhouses and grow-houses. If you find that your plastic covers have been torn or damaged, you can find replacements both online and in the garden sections of many big box stores.

Are Greenhouses Expensive?

While professional permanent greenhouses made of fiberglass usually cost around 3 – 5 dollars a square foot, plastic portable greenhouses cost much less. A walk-in plastic greenhouse runs about $70 on Amazon, and in the off-season, you can usually find some on sale. 

As for permanent greenhouses, you can buy an already assembled greenhouse or build one yourself, either from a kit or a DIY build. The cheapest option would be to DIY your backyard greenhouse. PVC pipes and poly film are available at most big box hardware stores, and you can find design plans online!

Do I Need A Greenhouse?

While you certainly do not need a greenhouse to grow a successful garden, it is a big help! There are many reasons why adding a greenhouse to your garden is beneficial, including temperature and pest control. Below you will find a list of benefits of growing your garden in a greenhouse versus conventional gardening.

Stability

Greenhouses were created to maintain a stable and constant temperature for plants, allowing plants to thrive in a predictable and consistent environment. By growing your plants in a greenhouse, you do not have to worry about cold early spring or late summer temperatures. 

An early frost will not affect your plants as they are safely inside your greenhouse. Being covered will also help prevent overwatering from rainwater. Your greenhouse offers control to avoid root rot and other issues that overwatering causes.

Confidence

When you know that you can control the environment, you are more likely to take the risk and grow vegetables or plants you would not otherwise attempt. Maybe you have had your heart set on a beautiful flower that thrives in warmer, tropical climates, and you know it would not survive your state’s colder spring and autumn. 

When you grow flowers and vegetables in a greenhouse, you have the confidence of a constant warm temperature even in the cold early spring and late summer nights! You also have the assurance of pest protection. 

Deer and rabbits will not be able to enter your greenhouse to nibble on your leafy greens. With a controlled environment, it is easier to prevent cross-contamination of plants. If one plant gets sick or infested, you can easily move your potted plant out of the greenhouse and away from your unaffected plants.

Responsibility

Planting in a greenhouse requires more responsibility than planting in outdoor gardens. When we grow plants in the ground and allow mother nature to take care of them, they can survive even with minimal intervention. 

While these plants may not produce as well as tended to plants, they will most likely survive. When we grow our plants in pots within a greenhouse, we are fully responsible for them. We must be sure they have enough water as they do not have the rain to nourish them. 

These plants also will need to be repotted as they outgrow their current pots. Ensuring we have the proper soil for each type of plant is also essential. While growing in a greenhouse requires more responsibility, the benefits outweigh the burden.

Final Thoughts

It is entirely possible and even recommended to grow tomatoes in plastic greenhouses! There are many benefits to growing tomatoes, vegetables, or even flowers in a backyard greenhouse or grow-house, and the options are endless! 

Whether you want to use a plastic greenhouse or grow-house from a store or DIY your own, they make a great addition to any gardener’s garden. While you do not need a greenhouse to have a successful garden, the ability to control the environment within the greenhouse is a huge benefit when it comes to growing vegetables and flowers. 

When grown inside a greenhouse, tomatoes will continue to produce well into the autumn! Greenhouses can give you the confidence to grow almost anything and peace of mind when protecting your precious plants.