Pests and diseases can thrive and multiply in the warmth and shelter of a greenhouse, and once established, may be difficult to eradicate. The key to avoiding pests and diseases is to maintain a clean, tidy greenhouse using the maintenance techniques discussed earlier in this section and to keep a sharp eye out for problems so that you can deal with outbreaks whilst still in their early stages.

A regular exterior maintenance schedule will ensure that your greenhouse remains attractive and working efficiently all year round. The exterior will need to be cleaned, steel frames checked for rust, rotten wood replaced, broken glass or guttering repaired and hinges oiled.

The enclosed (and often heated) atmosphere of the greenhouse allows diseases and pests to become more easily established than they would outdoors, and so it should be kept clean all year round to ensure the plants have a healthy environment in which to thrive. A major clean and disinfection of surfaces and equipment in autumn should also be carried out to minimise the risk of overwintering pests and diseases.

The range of plants that may be grown in a greenhouse or conservatory depends mainly upon whether they are heated or not, and if they are heated, the temperature at which they are maintained. Learn more about heated and unheated greenhouses here in this article.

Your enjoyment of gardening may be extended throughout the year by bringing it under cover, by making use of a greenhouse, conservatory or simply a sunny position in your house. Indoor gardens can allow you to grow a whole range of plants that would not be able to endure the British weather, they can act as a nursery for cuttings and seedlings and they can provide a frost-free shelter for plants that spend the summer outdoors.