Listen to This Before You Buy a Greenhouse!

Have you fallen down the greenhouse rabbit hole yet, plant friends? If you've had plants for more than a year, you're probably like me, who's started Googling "how to put a greenhouse in my backyard" already. And I learned that a greenhouse isn't a big plant shelf but a structure, and it's probably the largest single purchase you'll make as a plant parent. I'm in Zone 10b in Florida and I still haven't built mine. So I asked Leslie Halleck, a favorite podcast guest, a long-time friend, and someone who has a master's in greenhouse production and a new book called Home Greenhouse Revival, what to figure out first. And I think she also holds the guest record for most appearances on the show! Let's dive in!

 

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:06] Meet Leslie Halleck
• [02:33] Moving her whole life and business from Texas to Oregon
• [03:29] Why the Pacific Northwest is a ‘horticultural mecca’ for gardeners
• [04:42] Lelie’s new 6-acre property (what she calls folia forest farm)
• [06:49] What does her "pocket farming" look like?
• [09:03] Why are greenhouses trending?
• [12:51] What is the biggest greenhouse mistake?
• [14:13] Why cooling a greenhouse is so much harder than heating one
• [15:29] Manukora Honey
• [17:47] Hoop house vs. glass house
• [18:47] What are the elements that make up a greenhouse?
• [21:21] Greenhouse framing materials and glazing!
• [22:43] Is there a beginner-friendly greenhouse?
• [25:04] What Leslie thinks about thrifted/DIY vintage window greenhouses
• [27:41] How to pick the right greenhouse size?
• [29:48] Greenhouses as the expensive part of a cheap hobby
• [30:33] Using multiple greenhouses to zone temperature and humidity
• [32:47] What about a half-empty greenhouse?
• [33:26] What is AOI (angle of incidence)? How roof pitch and sun angle affect how much light gets in
• [35:49] Inside the plant profiles (PPFD, DLI, photoperiod, fertilizer PPM, and VPD)
• [39:21] How does pest management in a greenhouse work?
• [43:33] Leslie's dream greenhouse for her new property (and why she's leaning Venlo)
• [48:23] How greenhouse pricing and options have changed and where to find good manufacturers
• [50:26] Why you want someone local who knows your climate and orientation
• [51:29] Starting small without setting yourself up to fail (and reviving a greenhouse that already flopped)
• [54:10] Where to find Leslie, the book, her gardener's round tables, and her UCLA courses!

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• By Leslie Halleck:
  • Home Greenhouse Revival
  • Plant Parenting
  • Gardening Under Lights
• The Gardener's Roundtable
• Episodes:
  • 331: What is Forest Bathing: Exploring Forest Therapy with ANFT
  • 250: The Business of Horticulture with Leslie Halleck
  • 222: Humidity and Houseplants with Leslie Halleck
  • 208: DIY Houseplant First Aid Kit with Leslie Halleck
  • 204: