Greenhouses in Galicia: growing year-round under Atlantic rain

Galicia has fertile land, abundant water and a long tradition of family vegetable gardens. But its Atlantic climate — frequent rain, high humidity and mild but variable temperatures — makes open-air growing a real challenge. A greenhouse changes that: it lets you grow tomatoes, peppers and seasonal vegetables for many more months, with far less stress.

Why Galicia is perfect for a greenhouse

The Galician Atlantic climate has a paradox: lots of water but mild temperatures. The warmth crops need is there, but direct rain and constant humidity work against them. A greenhouse solves exactly that:

• Protects from direct rain without cutting natural light.
• Traps daytime heat to compensate for cool nights.
• Reduces the risk of fungi and pests associated with outdoor humidity.
• Extends the season for tomatoes, peppers and aubergines from May to November.

In areas like A Coruña, Lugo or inland Pontevedra, where rain is almost constant for months, a greenhouse is not a luxury — it is the difference between harvesting or not.

What type of greenhouse works best in Galicia

For the Galician climate, three features matter most:

Wind-resistant structure. Coastal areas of Galicia have frequent winds, especially in winter. A greenhouse with galvanized steel arches and a solid anchoring system handles this without problem.

Quality plastic. Three-layer plastic at 800 gauges with UV treatment stands up well to continuous rain and temperature variations. It is not worth cutting corners here.

Good ventilation. Doors at both ends and, if possible, side windows. In Galicia the key is keeping air circulating to prevent prolonged condensation that encourages mould.

The tunnel model is the most widely used for its price-durability-ease of assembly ratio.

Galicia coast vs. inland: differences to consider

Not all of Galicia shares the same climate:

• Coast (A Coruña, Vigo, Pontevedra): very high humidity, frequent rain, mild temperatures year-round. The greenhouse is used mainly for tomatoes and peppers that would otherwise not ripen well.
• Inland and Ourense: more continental climate, with hot summers and colder nights. Here the greenhouse extends the season in spring and autumn.
• Lugo and northern interior: colder in winter, with possible frosts. A greenhouse with a solid closure lets you start the season earlier.

What to grow in a Galician greenhouse

With a greenhouse in Galicia you can grow:

• Tomato, pepper and aubergine: the big winners. In the open air in Galicia they barely ripen; under plastic they give abundant harvests.
• Cucumber and courgette: grow very well with the accumulated heat.
• Lettuce, chard and spinach: cleaner and more tender without direct rain.
• Strawberries and red berries: protecting the fruit from rain greatly improves quality.
• Aromatic herbs: basil, coriander and parsley appreciate the more stable microclimate.

If you have enough space, planning by beds and rotating crops by season gives you harvests practically all year round.

Installation: what to know before you buy

Before choosing a model, keep in mind:

• Orientation: north–south to maximise sunlight on the sides.
• Soil: make sure it drains well. Ground plastic or a gravel layer prevents waterlogging.
• Access: choose a model with a door at both ends to allow cross ventilation.
• Size: for a family garden, the 4m wide greenhouse is usually enough to start; if you have more space, the 6m model gives much more capacity.

Conclusion

Galicia has everything it needs to be a region of productive vegetable gardens: fertile land, water and moderate temperatures. The only obstacle is constant rain, and that has a solution. With a well-oriented and well-ventilated greenhouse you can turn that climate into an advantage: more ambient humidity, less need for irrigation and long growing seasons.

If you live in Galicia and want to get started, the Model I 4m polytunnel is our most popular choice for family gardens. If you need more space, the Model A 6m is the next step. We ship direct in 48h across all of Galicia.