Growing in a Greenhouse

What to Grow in a Greenhouse

A greenhouse dramatically expands what you can grow, how early you can start, and how long you can keep plants producing. What you grow will depend on your climate, the type of greenhouse you have, and how you choose to use the space—whether for food production, ornamental gardening, seed starting, overwintering, or year-round indoor growing.

This guide will help you understand the best crops and plants for different seasons, greenhouse types, and gardening goals so you can make the most of your protected growing environment.

Understanding Your Greenhouse Growing Conditions

Before choosing plants, consider how your greenhouse behaves:

  • Is it unheated, minimally heated, or fully heated?
  • Does it retain warmth at night?
  • Is humidity high or easy to control?
  • Do you plan to grow in beds, benches, or containers?
  • How much light does your structure receive in winter?

Your greenhouse’s natural tendencies will influence which plants thrive.

Plants to Grow by Greenhouse Type

Unheated (Cold) Greenhouses

Perfect for:

  • Seed starting in early spring
  • Hardening off plants
  • Growing hardy winter vegetables
  • Overwintering cool-season ornamentals
  • Protecting plants from frost, wind, and rain

Typical temperature range: outdoor lows + 5–15°F (or more on sunny days)

Best crops and plants:

  • Spinach, lettuce, mache, arugula
  • Kale, chard, mustard greens
  • Green onions
  • Sweet peas, poppies, calendula (hardy annual flowers)
  • Herbs: parsley, cilantro, chives
  • Hardy perennials in pots

Minimally Heated (Cool) Greenhouses

Kept just above freezing (35–45°F).

Ideal for:

  • Overwintering tender perennials
  • Extending the fall and early-spring seasons
  • Growing cold-tolerant crops faster
  • Winter salad greens

Best crops and plants:

  • Lettuce, spinach, winter greens
  • Strawberries (early spring production)
  • Herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and oregano
  • Potted citrus and Mediterranean plants
  • Seedlings and transplants
  • Hardy cut flowers

Fully Heated (Warm) Greenhouses

Maintain steady warm temperatures year-round.

Ideal for:

  • Tropical ornamentals
  • Winter vegetable production
  • Specialty greenhouse crops

Best crops and plants:

  • Tomatoes (winter varieties)
  • Peppers and eggplants
  • Basil and warm-season herbs
  • Orchids, bromeliads, and tropical foliage
  • Citrus, figs, and exotic fruiting plants
  • Specialty flowers that need stable warmth

What to Grow by Season

Early Spring (Late Winter–Early Spring)

Your greenhouse shines during this transition.

Best choices:

  • Seed starting for vegetables and annual flowers
  • Early greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula)
  • Peas, hardy herbs
  • Pansies, violas, snapdragons
  • Brassicas (kale, cabbage, broccoli)

Activities:

  • Germination
  • Transplanting seedlings
  • Hardening off plants

Late Spring–Summer

Growth is fast, heat is high, and space becomes valuable.

Best choices:

  • Heat-loving crops (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers)
  • Basil, dill, and other herbs
  • Tropical ornamentals
  • Propagation of cuttings

In very hot climates, summer greenhouse use may be limited to:

  • Shade-loving plants
  • Propagation under shade cloth
  • Storing tools and supplies

Fall

One of the most productive greenhouse seasons.

Best choices:

  • Fall greens (chard, spinach, kale)
  • Herbs (parsley, cilantro)
  • Hardy annual flowers
  • Overwintering perennials

Activities:

  • Starting winter crops
  • Bringing tender plants indoors
  • Undercover fall planting for spring blooms

Winter

Growth slows but does not stop.

Best choices for unheated or cool greenhouses:

  • Spinach, mache, mustards, tatsoi
  • Green onions
  • Herbs like parsley and chives
  • Hardy vegetables

Best choices for heated structures:

  • Citrus
  • Potted tropicals
  • Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers
  • Warm-season herbs

What to Grow for Different Gardening Goals

Seed Starting

Plants that benefit from greenhouse seed starting:

  • Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
  • Broccoli, cabbage, kale
  • Flowers like cosmos, zinnias, marigolds
  • Herbs: basil, parsley, oregano

Greenhouses offer higher germination rates and stronger early growth.

Overwintering Tender Plants

A greenhouse is ideal for keeping borderline-hardy plants alive.

Examples:

  • Citrus
  • Geraniums, fuchsias
  • Rosemary
  • Cold-sensitive perennials
  • Containerized shrubs
  • Tropicals and houseplants

Year-Round Greens & Food Production

With the right conditions, you can grow:

  • Lettuce mixes
  • Spinach
  • Baby kale
  • Microgreens
  • Herbs
  • Winter tomatoes (in heated spaces)

Ornamental Gardening

A greenhouse allows you to grow:

  • Orchids
  • African violets
  • Ferns
  • Citrus in containers
  • Flowering shrubs
  • Specialty or rare ornamentals

Specialty Crops

For gardeners who want to experiment:

  • Passionflower
  • Bananas (dwarf varieties)
  • Ginger and turmeric
  • Fig trees
  • Cacti and succulents
  • Carnivorous plants (with controlled humidity)

Tips for Choosing What to Grow

  • Match plants to your greenhouse temperature range
  • Consider how much space each plant requires
  • Prioritize crops you actually want to eat or enjoy
  • Group plants with similar needs together
  • Avoid overcrowding to maintain airflow
  • Keep humidity-loving and arid plants in separate zones

A thoughtful selection makes greenhouse gardening smoother and more rewarding.

What to Grow in a Greenhouse in Your Garden

Your greenhouse is a flexible, ever-evolving space. Over time, you’ll discover which plants thrive in your particular structure, which crops are worth the time and space, and how to balance seed starting, overwintering, propagation, and food production. Let your greenhouse be a place of experimentation—try new varieties, adjust your seasonal rotations, and explore plants that wouldn’t normally survive outdoors in your climate.

With the right plant choices and thoughtful scheduling, your greenhouse becomes a year-round source of beauty, food, and inspiration.