Evaluating Greenhouses
One of the most frequent questions I get is how to determine which greenhouse is the one for you.
Let's face it; there are a lot of greenhouses out there on the market to choose from so you need to have a little guidance to help you determine what the best one for you is and it may not be what your neighbor or brother-in-law has.
There are four basic questions everyone who is considering purchasing a greenhouse should ask and we will go through each question in detail to best help you select the right one.
But first, you must realize that a greenhouse alone will not be enough.
There has to be a considerable commitment in money and time on your part as well as ample space.
You will also want your greenhouse to meet both your gardening needs and at a price you can well afford.
Now let's get started! 1.
What size greenhouse it one of the most basic questions and the answer really lies in the available space you have as well as the cost factor, whether you are constructing the greenhouse from scratch or purchasing a greenhouse kit.
You will also be considering if the greenhouse will be used year-round, seasonally, or mainly as a sun space.
If using the grow house for a large collection of houseplants, you will need a green house larger than your current space.
I find one of the biggest issues for home or hobby greenhouse gardeners is they purchase a greenhouse that is initially too small and end up either just making do or having to buy another one down the line.
It is cheaper to go ahead and purchase one that is bigger in the beginning than to buy another down the road.
You will also want to make sure your green house has enough height and head room and consider both peak and eave (sidewall) height.
You will find that taller houses are also easier to heat and ventilate because the air mass has a greater buffer area.
2.
To help determine the type and size greenhouse you will need you must know what you are going to use the greenhouse for.
Are you wanting to start the growing season earlier in the spring with seedlings, etc and extend the fall season by a few weeks or are you planning on heating the greenhouse and growing all winter long? Or are you just wanting to over winter plants that have a hard time surviving in your area? The reason you will need to answer these questions has to do with the insulation value of each greenhouse.
You will need a greater insulation value to grow plants in the dead of winter than to merely over winter plants during the winter months and can get away with less if all you are planning to do is extend the growing season on the front and back ends.
3.
What kinds of bells and whistles do you want to have above the needed circulation and ventilation requirements? You can have all kinds of options and coverings if you so choose so you will want to determine how hands on or hands off you want your greenhouse to be as you can get many automated features or not.
This has to do with what you are doing with your greenhouse and how much you want to spend on the house.
4.
The forth and last consideration when determining what type and kind of greenhouse will work for you have to do with the building codes in your area.
Some places will want you to pull a building permit no matter what you construct; permanent or portable, brick and mortar or kit, while other cities and towns want permits for permanent buildings and not for kits.
You will need to check with your local building code to see what if any permits are required to put up a greenhouse as well as required setbacks from property lines, design requirements, and any other requirement specific to your area.
There are many greenhouses that may fit into your project after these questions are answered.
At that point, price and aesthetics will become driving factors and you may want to pick up the phone and ask a few more questions to the professionals.
That is what they are there for.
Let's face it; there are a lot of greenhouses out there on the market to choose from so you need to have a little guidance to help you determine what the best one for you is and it may not be what your neighbor or brother-in-law has.
There are four basic questions everyone who is considering purchasing a greenhouse should ask and we will go through each question in detail to best help you select the right one.
But first, you must realize that a greenhouse alone will not be enough.
There has to be a considerable commitment in money and time on your part as well as ample space.
You will also want your greenhouse to meet both your gardening needs and at a price you can well afford.
Now let's get started! 1.
What size greenhouse it one of the most basic questions and the answer really lies in the available space you have as well as the cost factor, whether you are constructing the greenhouse from scratch or purchasing a greenhouse kit.
You will also be considering if the greenhouse will be used year-round, seasonally, or mainly as a sun space.
If using the grow house for a large collection of houseplants, you will need a green house larger than your current space.
I find one of the biggest issues for home or hobby greenhouse gardeners is they purchase a greenhouse that is initially too small and end up either just making do or having to buy another one down the line.
It is cheaper to go ahead and purchase one that is bigger in the beginning than to buy another down the road.
You will also want to make sure your green house has enough height and head room and consider both peak and eave (sidewall) height.
You will find that taller houses are also easier to heat and ventilate because the air mass has a greater buffer area.
2.
To help determine the type and size greenhouse you will need you must know what you are going to use the greenhouse for.
Are you wanting to start the growing season earlier in the spring with seedlings, etc and extend the fall season by a few weeks or are you planning on heating the greenhouse and growing all winter long? Or are you just wanting to over winter plants that have a hard time surviving in your area? The reason you will need to answer these questions has to do with the insulation value of each greenhouse.
You will need a greater insulation value to grow plants in the dead of winter than to merely over winter plants during the winter months and can get away with less if all you are planning to do is extend the growing season on the front and back ends.
3.
What kinds of bells and whistles do you want to have above the needed circulation and ventilation requirements? You can have all kinds of options and coverings if you so choose so you will want to determine how hands on or hands off you want your greenhouse to be as you can get many automated features or not.
This has to do with what you are doing with your greenhouse and how much you want to spend on the house.
4.
The forth and last consideration when determining what type and kind of greenhouse will work for you have to do with the building codes in your area.
Some places will want you to pull a building permit no matter what you construct; permanent or portable, brick and mortar or kit, while other cities and towns want permits for permanent buildings and not for kits.
You will need to check with your local building code to see what if any permits are required to put up a greenhouse as well as required setbacks from property lines, design requirements, and any other requirement specific to your area.
There are many greenhouses that may fit into your project after these questions are answered.
At that point, price and aesthetics will become driving factors and you may want to pick up the phone and ask a few more questions to the professionals.
That is what they are there for.
