Greenhouse gardening?

 

  Do any of you have a small garden in a greenhouse?  Here's my issue;  Redwood trees and oak trees.  I live in a redwood forest in Felton, (Santa Cruz co.) wife is tired of not being able to grow much on our deck with the limited sun it gets.
   Her solution is to get a greenhouse.  I'm ok with this, however, because were in a forest, the location for the greenhouse will be shaded year round, which means I'm going to have to light it
  One of many questions I have, is will I have to get and use $175, 600W "Grow lights" (Or a few?) or will stuff grow using regular 75 to 100W  incandescent bulbs?  Fluorescent light fixtures maybe? 
  Were starting off with a 10X16' "Premade" greenhouse.  Her list of groceries that I can remember include, carrots, cilantro, basil, lettuce, tomatoes, all kinds of herds.  So I'm pretty sure I'll have to heat the darn thing in winter months (More so than what the lamps may supply?)

  Any suggestions?



 

   I do a little vegetable gardening in Live Oak, and over the years in other places, but I'm no expert.  But: a couple of years ago I started my tomato seedlings under a low plastic-sheeting makeshift greenhouse in a sunny location and they grew quickly, but were kind of skinny, an later in the spring, I planted more seedlings without any cover.  Within a month, the outside plants were doing better, and they produced better.  I concluded that it was the temp of the soil that was the difference, and I haven't gone back to the "greenhouse". 
    I don't try to grow things that I can get in the store that taste almost as good as what I can grow, especially things like carrots, which will keep for weeks (months ?) in the frig.  Can you seriously compete with the pros?  For me, tomatoes and some chard are about all that make that cut.  My herbs are good to have on hand right outside the kitchen, and require little effort, but my cilantro bolts so fast in the sunny location that it's rarely prime when I want some - but that might be a good one for under your trees.
    I guess your wife needs to ask herself whether she's gardening for recreation or for good groceries and then decide what amount of effort/expense it's worth. 
     Good luck!
   

For small plants like herbs and such, gardening specific flourescents like T5's will be all you need. These come in different lengths and widths to maximize coverage of benchs and such. Tomatos would need more powerful (600w) lights and heat in the cooler temps. Greenhouses are great for herbs, letucces, and similar and starting seedlings. Tomatos, squash and such really need sun to be economical.

pretty tough call on spending half and getting iffy results or going full tilt and getting great results...I too have tried to start ealry with greenhouse seedlings or indoor flats under lights...and the plants I buy and plant later...like mid may even out grow any early stuff...so much so that I wont waste my time and money to try 'trick' plants into growing...like mentioned the fluorescent T5 grow lights provide enough light for most stuff -but no heat...the greenhouse would benefit from a heat bulb?-source,,,,still may not do what you hope....have you tried aluminum foil around the tomato on plants like on a sheet of ply or along the fence? some patio tomatoes will thrive on little direct sun ...using the trapped heat from the patios fences and indirect light

visit you local hydroponics store, they'll get you the equipment you need; I got excellant results growing "things " in a closet in my garage/workshop !

3 months from clone to harvest; and great quality, or so I was told....

More light = more plant

Problems
1 :  glowing greenhouses attract the wrong kind of attention and can be seen from a looooong way off

2 :  600W is 0.6 kw/hr  so 12 hrs =7.2 kw per day and that adds up fast.  More than 200 kw per month.   Store bought veg is probably cheaper, but if you eat a lot of tomatoes it might be worth it 

2c

  Any suggestions?

 

Careful application of a chainsaw.