February
2009
So, youre thinking About a Greenhouse
You are not alone if you are thinking about purchasing a greenhouse. Many people think about it this time of year but not everyone is ready for the commitment in time and money that it will take to have a successful greenhouse experience. Some folks take the cheap way out only to pay for it over time so you do need to answer some questions before you decide to buy.
Size is one of the first things you will want to consider. This has to do with the amount of space you have as well as what you want to grow in the grow house. You will need to consider the overall floor space as well as the headroom; both of which are important for many types of plants.
While greenhouse can be used in an array of locations, they do much better when located in direct sunlight during the entire day. If your location has shade all or most of the day, the greenhouse may not yield like you expect it to. So knowing how much sunlight you will be getting in the space you have is important to manage expectations.
If you are looking to use a greenhouse as a season extender, just about any kind and size will do. Of course this will depend on how many plants you are either starting on the front end on extending on the back end. Since you will not be growing plants in the dead of winter, or the heat of summer, your heating and cooling requirements will be at a minimum.
There is a difference between growing plants in the winter and just over wintering plants. If all you are doing is over wintering then you wont need as the top of the line insulated greenhouse to accomplish your goal, especially in milder regions of the country. You will need to provide some heat so you also dont want to buy or build cheap, poor insulated greenhouse. Totally not cost effective!
Of course, if you live in a colder climate with temperatures dropping to 0 F or below, you will need to purchase a greenhouse with a good insulated covering. These grow houses not only retain heat much better, but they also offer a tighter seal than other greenhouses and this makes them easier to heat. The Rion Prestige and Solexx Master Gardener Series both fit the bill.
Any time the intent is to grow food in a greenhouse year round; you will need to have a very well insulated greenhouse. This helps both in the winter months when you need some help heating and also in the summer months when you may need a little help cooling. Of course the climate you live in will also play a part in determining what green house is for you but you will notice the better all round results come for good insulated greenhouses.
We know that people are disappointed when their greenhouse does not meet their expectations and that is a real shame because greenhouse gardening, done right with the right greenhouse, can be a great and rewarding experience. To ensure that you have a great experience, make sure you buy or build a greenhouse that is insulated for your region and purpose and you get one that is big enough for what you want to accomplish. If you do these two things you will love what your greenhouse can do for you!