If you are an avid gardener considering expanding into year-round gardening or extending the planting and growing seasons availability, a greenhouse may be a great addition.
However, thinking about purchasing and installing a greenhouse on your property there is a multitude of things to take into consideration.
It may seem like a simple, fast, and great idea to slap a greenhouse in your available yard area, but greenhouses can require a lot more planning and upkeep than you may think.
It is important to research and decide if greenhouse life is the life for you. Not only do they require planning, but they require additional systems, accessories, and maintenance.
Consider these needs to know facts before taking the plunge and purchasing your new greenhouse.
Types of Greenhouses
While it may not seem like it, greenhouses come in a variety of shapes and forms, and everything from their construction materials to move ability needs to be considered when deciding to purchase and install a greenhouse in your garden.
It is also important to invest in a greenhouse that will be easily serviceable and have the appropriate accessories available.
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Attached Greenhouses
This type of greenhouse is built onto an adjacent building on your property, such as your garage, barn, or the house itself.
While this greenhouse can be a great option, as you only need to build 3 of the four walls, it can also become a liability.
The portability of your greenhouse will be affected if you build onto the home. You will not be able to relocate the greenhouse in its entirety without having another building to attach it to.
As you will have built the greenhouse to the specifications of your current home, this can affect your ability to move it should you choose to leave.
These greenhouses can also cause damage to the home if not correctly built and the home properly protected.
Before building an attached greenhouse it is important to think about the chances of damage to your property and weigh the pros and cons of building attached to the home, or a freestanding greenhouse.
However, these types of greenhouses are more likely to be used, as they are directly connected to your home.
The fact that power and water are readily available also impact the decision to build this type of greenhouse.
It will be less costly to construct if you don’t have to trench to install power and water lines to a farther away and unserviced location on your property.
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Freestanding Greenhouses
This style of the greenhouse will not be connected to your home or any other structures on your property.
There are many kits available on the market for freestanding greenhouses. These will be constructed in their entirety upon a designated location on your property.
Freestanding greenhouses can help to separate your landscape and provide specific areas on the land for specific purposes.
With freestanding greenhouses, you can have more portability and also the ability to build onto the greenhouse, or move and change it as you see fit.
If you are looking for your greenhouse to be your oasis on your land, but away from the home, then a freestanding greenhouse is a great choice.
A freestanding greenhouse can also provide more surface area for solar panels or can be built larger to accommodate water barrels and storage systems.
Attached greenhouses will be limited by the size of the building that you are attaching them to, while a freestanding greenhouse gives you a blank slate for size, provided your land allows for it.
Greenhouse Accessories and Maintenance
Once you have decided upon the right style of the greenhouse for your needs and desires, the accessories with which you can equip it are myriad!
It is important to understand that there is more involved in setting up a greenhouse than just having the structure.
Greenhouse maintenance is more than simply erecting a building, and considering the necessary accessories is an important part in deciding to set up a greenhouse.
Appropriate Ventilation
Ensuring your greenhouse has the correct ventilation system is imperative to grow success. Opting for an automated ventilation system is a great way to go to avoid any problems.
Greenhouses can become far too hot, and improper ventilation can mean death or disaster for your plants.
An automated ventilation system will ensure that your greenhouse maintains the appropriate temperature year-round, and avoid devastating losses.
Ensuring the greenhouse you choose is equipped with, or can be fitted for, the correct ventilation system for your climate is incredibly important when selecting your home greenhouse.
Air Circulation and Fans
Without air circulating in your greenhouse, you may encounter deadly hot or cold spots.
The greenhouse needs to be maintained at an appropriate temperature throughout, ensuring all plants maintain the temperatures they need to survive and thrive.
When considering a greenhouse, it is important to ensure you are placing it in a location that will allow for a power supply to maintain your air circulation system.
Should you choose an inappropriate location or design, retrofitting the greenhouse, or running power from your grid to the greenhouse can be an additional and unexpected expense.
Start your greenhouse journey off on the right foot, by taking into consideration all of the possible problems you may encounter.
Expect the best, but always plan for the worst, and ask as many questions as you can before making this purchase.
Not only must you have the appropriate space, not to mention the time to maintain it, there are also a plethora of accessories and responsibilities that come with greenhouse ownership, and these need to be considered before you make the final decision to implement a greenhouse at your home.
Ensuring you have an appropriately equipped greenhouse will have your plants growing lush, healthy, and beautiful, with people complimenting your green thumb for years to come, and will reduce your overall stress and unexpected expenses once the greenhouse is in place.
