There are many reasons to try growing plants in a greenhouse. Greenhouses allow you to start seeds for your garden earlier in the season, to extend your growing season and to grow plants that may not be well suited to your climate. While greenhouse gardening is not especially difficult, it does require slightly more effort than your outdoor garden. In a greenhouse, it's up to you to maintain all aspects of the environment, and so regular attention is essential for your plants to thrive. If you’d like to give this a try, check out these tips for a healthy garden greenhouse.

Location, Location, Location 
The most important thing for the new greenhouse gardener to consider is where to put the greenhouse. You will need a level area that receives a minimum of six hours per day of direct sunlight. It’s also important to put your greenhouse someplace that is easy for you to get to, as you will be spending a lot of time there.

Don’t Overcrowd
Plan out how you will use your greenhouse space, the same way you do for your outdoor garden, giving your plants plenty of space to grow.  Plants that are overcrowded will not thrive, and are more susceptible to diseases.

Keep Tabs on the Temperature
Be sure to have a thermometer in your greenhouse, and check it regularly. It is essential to maintain a fairly consistent temperature. Temperatures in your greenhouse can get quite high, so to keep your plants healthy you may need to open the windows or door now and then to cool things down and maintain a consistent temperature.

Don’t Over Water
Because of the humid environment in your greenhouse, you may not need to water your greenhouse plants as often as your outdoor plants. However, your greenhouse plants will not have the benefit of getting rained upon like your outdoor plants, so make sure to monitor them carefully to make sure they don’t get too dry.

Watch out for Mold and Mildew
The warm, humid conditions of a greenhouse are not only great for your plants; they are also conducive to growing molds and mildew. To prevent mold growth in your greenhouse, try to keep the humidity at approximately 50%, using ventilation to control it.

Get a Rain Barrel 
It is preferable, if possible, to use rainwater to water your greenhouse plants. Water from the tap is too cold, and it's a shock to plants kept in a nice, warm greenhouse. If using rainwater is not an option, allow tap water to sit for a while to warm up before watering your plants.

Keep It Clean
A buildup of snow or leaves on the roof of your greenhouse will keep the sun from getting through and doing its work. Be sure to remove any debris that accumulates on top of your greenhouse.

Watch for Pests
Plants aren't the only living thing that appreciates a warm, moist environment in wintertime. Insects and rodents will make themselves right at home in your greenhouse if you let them. Check around the edges of your greenhouse from time to time for signs of burrowing animals, and always inspect live plants for insects.

Be Patient
It can take some time to get used to the extra care that is sometimes involved in greenhouse gardening. But with patience and persistence, you’re sure to find the results are well worth the effort.