Greenhouse Advantages, & Tips to Consider in Design & build

Creating your own greenhouse can be a dream come true. It’s exciting, fun but at the same time, it has its fair share of challenges. There are lots of things to consider and challenges to deal with, but if you do this right, it can be a very impressive experience. With that in mind, it’s important to know why you should create your own greenhouse. And once you know that, we will help you with some tips and tricks to focus on when you create your greenhouse!

Greenhouse advantages

Maybe the best thing about having a greenhouse is the fact that you can expand the growing season for plants. You will protect them a lot easier, and that means you take better care of your plants. That translates into more plants and healthier plants as well.

In addition, you won’t have to worry if the weather outside is not the best. You can easily grow plants in a greenhouse during the winter, something that would be impossible due to the challenging weather. Moreover, you can focus on growing a huge range of plants, you are in complete control!

Another major greenhouse benefit is the fact that you can protect your plants from predators and pests. That can be extremely challenging, and it will definitely become a massive problem if you don’t grow your plants in a dedicated environment like this. Many times, the greenhouse is an optimal growth environment for your plants.

This is also a green way to take good care of your plants, and it will bring in front better results and experiences no matter the situation. You can also ensure that you offer plants the compost, water and compounds they need to grow. It’s easier, more convenient and complete control is what a lot of people like when it comes to gardening.

To make things even better, you get to save energy, you can even grow your own food and just enjoy taking care of plants. For a lot of people, having their own greenhouse is great because it gives you a way to enjoy your hobby and just explore all the options and benefits. Challenges can arise at any given time, so all you have to do is to ensure that the focus is on value and quality, and it will be well worth it.

Things to keep in mind when you design/build your own greenhouse

The first thing you want to do is to assess the location and pick the proper orientation. For a lot of people, that proper orientation is somewhere in the South East or South as it captures the early morning sun. Even the Eastern orientation might work for you.

Another thing to consider is the length and width proportions. You want the greenhouse to be wide, but also long. Length is important, the width will mostly be adjusted to bring in a sense of value and it’s going to pay off big time.

What materials should you use for the foundation? Most of the time concrete will do just fine, and you might even have some concrete piers that tie together with steel. Since there might be some snow loads on top of your greenhouse at times, you need it to have a sturdy structure, otherwise, there will be some problems here. Make sure that the roof slope is 4/12, maybe a bit more depending on the climate. For pillars, reinforcements and supports you can use aluminum, iron, and wood. Arches can be made out of galvanized steel and aluminum. The crop wire can also be created from this material.

Thick glass is actually a very good option and we recommend it because it will push more light inside and its thickness will protect your greenhouse against the elements which can become a problem at times. The glazing and framing materials are mostly metal and wood.

In regards to insulation, we recommend you to use either structural insulated panels or foam insulation. These are not ready for humidity most of the time. Straw bales can offer a good option, but they are prone to mold. More often than not, foam insulation will do the trick as it’s the cheapest and also the most efficient usually. Although you can adapt based on your own area and requirements.

Of course you will need doors and windows too. Doors are important because you want them to seal the greenhouse very well, so having high-quality doors is pretty much mandatory. Windows are also good since they offer ventilation. But you want to find a way to keep insects from coming in, so having various protective nets will do the trick there.

Do you need any accessories for your greenhouse?

That depends on the situation. Some people choose to have a fan or an electric heater to keep the air moving and also heat up the place. Electric lighting will help a lot since you will have lots of plant lights in there. You also need water sprinklers that will work adequately, as well as security lights, shelves, rainwater guttering and so on.

You are free to choose any kind of accessories you may need. One thing to consider during the design process is to not over clutter. Instead, you want a way to leave some fresh air inside, as that’s what will help you the most. It will make the experience a lot better and more cohesive, and in the end that conveys the return on investment that you expect.

Conclusion

Creating your own greenhouse is all about exploring ideas and experimenting. Everyone wants to create their own greenhouse, but the reality is that each person has different ideas and requirements. You need to be creative, yet at the same time, you can easily acquire ideas from others if you need such a thing. Take your time, avoid rushing and you will find the experience itself to be very exciting. Don’t hesitate to take some risks when it comes to the design or the accessories you want to use, in the end, it’s all about pushing the boundaries and it will help you a lot!