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With all the worries today about the purity of food, not to mention the current escalating price of food, it’s time we took another look at the art of hobby greenhouses. If you look at information on the Victorian lifestyle, you will find that many people had a home greenhouse.

There was a time, not to far back, that everything natural was the way of life. Families had to think differently than we do today because their very life depended on it. Not only did they grow food for themselves in gardens and greenhouses but also was in tune to the plants and animals that were native to the area that surrounded them.

There were large “conservatory” greenhouses in the large homes of the rich back then but you don’t necessarily need a large space to grow enough food for you and your family. There are mini and small greenhouses that fit on porches, balconies and decks that will allow you to grow lettuce, tomatoes and some herbs for great salads. A small to medium green house is large enough to produce enough food for a family of four if planned properly.

A retired woman I know grows an abundance of tropical plants in a small greenhouse, about the size of a typical closet. She has a woodstove in one end of the greenhouse which allows her to keep her plants toasty warm in even the worst deep winter weather. She sells her plants to family and friends, and enjoys the hours she spends tending her stock. For her, it truly is a hobby greenhouse.

It’s possible to actually grow your own food year round in a green house and I think it is probably one of the best uses for a home greenhouse. Once the greenhouse is set up all it takes is learning a bit about starting plants and the rest is easy. You can control the type of soil you use, the water supply, the temperature, the humidity, the plant food you use, everything really. This guarantees you are not going to be eating food covered with pesticides.

To get you started out of the gate, consider planting pots with a theme. Like a salsa garden that would consist of tomatoes, cilantro, onions and peppers or a salad garden of lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers and radishes. All of these plants will easily grow in pots and you can experiment with additional plants as your time in your home greenhouse and knowledge base grows.

You will be amazed to find how different home grown produce tastes compared to produce that has been picked, crated, refrigerated and shipped for miles before you buy it. Produce grown in your own greenhouse will be fresher, and have more nutritional value. You can’t go wrong with growing your own vegetables, and with a green house you can do it year-round.