Heirloom Grown

  • Home
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy policy
  • Chickens
    • Breeds
    • Coop
    • Chicks
  • Gardening
    • Growing Guides
    • Seed Saving
    • Seed Starting
    • Soil Health
    • Greenhouse
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy policy
  • Chickens
    • Breeds
    • Coop
    • Chicks
  • Gardening
    • Growing Guides
    • Seed Saving
    • Seed Starting
    • Soil Health
    • Greenhouse
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy policy
  • Chickens
    • Breeds
    • Coop
    • Chicks
  • Gardening
    • Growing Guides
    • Seed Saving
    • Seed Starting
    • Soil Health
    • Greenhouse
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Gardening

How To Layout A Greenhouse

Published: Jan 23, 2025 · Modified: May 5, 2025 by Josiah · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

Share!

2.0K shares
  • Facebook
  • X

Having a well laid out greenhouse can make growing plants much more simple. Here is how to layout a greenhouse for efficiency and plant health.

How to layout a greenhouse

Having your own hobby greenhouse opens the possibilities of what you can grow. I grow tropical plants in a climate that has very short growing seasons.

I also use my greenhouse to start all of my seedlings. In early spring my greenhouse is a revolving door of plants going in and out!

With the constant movement of plants, having a good layout is essential. Here is how I layout my greenhouse with efficiency and plants in mind.

Be Mindful of Sunlight

One of the most important things that all plants need is sunlight. If a plant doesn't get enough sunlight or gets too much sunlight it will suffer.

Sun shining on a greenhouse

Inside my greenhouse I have my shelving located on the north side of my greenhouse. When the sun is low during winter, and spring, all the plants in my greenhouse still get the southern sun.

I also have a thinner and taller shelf that can hold plants without shading my seedlings on the bench top. Layout your greenhouse so that no plants are totally in shade.

narrow greenhouse shelf

You Will Need storage

Storage is really important in a greenhouse. Tools, pots, fertilizer, soil, all these things need to be stored somewhere.

I store some of this under my greenhouse table where plants don't grow well. This is a great spot to put soil and watering cans.

greenhouse storage

I have found that with all the sunlight in my greenhouse it is not a good idea to leave tools out. They become sun-faded and break down.

I now have a greenhouse cabinet where I store all my tools, pots, and fertilizer. I got a little cabinet at a garage sale and I love it!

Greenhouse cabinet

Having an area out of the sun where you can store items is a must.

Have An Area For A Heater

My greenhouse stays warm during the day because of the sunlight, but I have to heat it at night. You can learn how I heat my greenhouse affordably here.

I use an oscillating electric heater, so I need a clear space for it to work. I place this heater in one corner of my greenhouse.

Greenhouse heater

For safety reasons, I do not place anything close to this heater. Plants should also not have hot, dry air blowing on them.

I keep my plants about three feet from my heater and with this set up everything stays healthy. Make sure to have a plan to heat your greenhouse.

Plants Need Growing Space

If you want to grow tall plants in your greenhouse make sure to plan for enough space. This is one reason I only have a shelf on one side of my greenhouse.

Tall tomato plant

The other side of my greenhouse I reserve for growing taller plants. I actually place a trellis in the back of my greenhouse for growing vines like luffa gourds.

Have A Work Flow

If you are constantly starting new plants, watering them, and then moving them out to the garden, establish a work flow in your greenhouse.

Lettuce seedlings

On one end of the greenhouse (far from the door) you can have your seed starting area. On the other end of the greenhouse (near the door) you can have all your seedlings that are ready to plant.

This can make it easier to keep track of all your seedlings without constant shuffling.

Conclusion

Having a well laid out greenhouse can make growing plants less stressful and more fun. This year don't forget to plan out your greenhouse before you start growing!

Pin This!

How to layout a greenhouse pin

Other Posts You Would Enjoy

HOW TO BUILD A GREENHOUSE
THINGS TO GROW IN A GREENHOUSE
DIY METAL PLANT MARKERS

More Gardening

  • How to grow heirloom tomatoes from seeds
    How To Grow Heirloom Tomatoes From Seeds
  • best heirloom flower seeds to grow
    Best Heirloom Flower Seeds To Grow
  • how to grow mexican tarragon
    How To Grow Mexican Tarragon
  • How to grow spaghetti squash
    How To Grow Spaghetti Squash

Comments

  1. maggie says

    November 13, 2025 at 3:25 pm

    Enjoyed your greenhouse article. Can you write an article on how to keep rodents out of the greenhouse without using poison of any kind?

    Reply
    • Josiah says

      November 19, 2025 at 1:10 pm

      Hello Maggie,

      I am glad you enjoyed this article! I have not had issues with rodents in my greenhouse, but that definitely would be a nuisance. I would first find their entry points, and block those. If they are digging and coming underneath, I would put down chicken wire or netting under the soil. For any rodent's left in the greenhouse, I would use traps to catch them. I really think sealing up all entry points is your best course of action. Happy gardening!

      Reply
  2. Ken says

    November 30, 2025 at 11:48 pm

    If you put shelving on the north side, where would you then put 55 gal black barrels filled with water to use as heat sinks in the winter? They say to put them on the north side.

    Reply
    • Josiah says

      December 01, 2025 at 2:54 pm

      Hello Ken,

      I have placed them under the shelves before. Just make sure to build your shelves high enough to fit the barrels under. Since heat rises, this is the perfect place to put them.

      Happy Gardening!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome!

Josiah here, I'm a gardener and chicken keeper who's always trying to grow more food. I am here to help you grow!

About me

Popular Posts

  • How To Make Chickens Friendly
    How To Make Chickens Friendly
  • How to layout a greenhouse
    How To Layout A Greenhouse
  • 5 things every chicken coop needs
    5 Things Every Chicken Coop Needs
  • Free Printable Seed Packets
    Free Printable Seed Packets

Seasonal Posts

  • Things To Know Before Getting Chickens
    Things To Know Before Getting Chickens
  • How to Grow the Best Heirloom Cucumbers
    How to Grow the Best Heirloom Cucumbers
  • Bedding for chicks: What is best to use
    Bedding for chicks: What is best to use
  • Best DIY Potting Soil Mix For Seedlings
    Best DIY Potting Soil Mix For Seedlings

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 HeirloomGrown