3. Is it near a water supply? Plants need water to survive - you already know that, right? So make sure that you build your greenhouse near a water supply or else, you will find yourself making several trips back and forth to the water hose.
4. Does it have a drainage system? Since you are going to need a lot of water, you need a good drainage system. The last thing you want is to stomp around a pit of mud while trying to perform your daily duties in your greenhouse. Drainage does not have to be sophisticated. Setting up layers of rocks and sand over mulch will work just fine.
5. Is the future location of my greenhouse free from trees? Yes, trees. We've mentioned this already, but it has to be repeated to that it will stick on you. Unless you want to worry about lack of sunlight, tree branches that can do damage to the structure, and leaves getting on top and staying on top, keep greenhouse away from trees!
The key here is planning. Study your property well while fulfilling these questions and you'll find the perfect spot for your greenhouse in no time.
Commercial Greenhouse Equipment Every Gardener Should Have
Sustaining an efficient greenhouse is more than just building the structure and putting plants in it. It takes patience, dedication, and investing on the greenhouse equipment to make gardening much easier. Here are the top commercial greenhouse equipment gardener of all skill levels should have:
1. Heating system - Growing plants in a controlled environment is much complicated than planting the right greens at the right season. In a greenhouse, plants should have a relatively constant temperature to ensure that they grow healthy, especially during the winter season. Keep the temperature tropical-warm inside your greenhouse even if it is in the middle of a snow storm with a good heating system.
2. Water system - The primary requirement of plants in order to survive is water, which can be naturally received from rainfall. But if plants are in an enclosed environment and not getting any amount of rain, you need to supply them with a constant supply of water. Without spending a dime, you can water your plants by spraying them with a hose. If you have a larger greenhouse you better have one of the several commercially available water systems to make the task easier.
3. Thermometer - Regulating temperature inside the greenhouse is an important requirement for plants to grow healthy and to stay alive. Install automatic temperature controller that is attached to a ventilation system or a heating system to keep a relatively constant heat inside the greenhouse even without your intervention. Automatic ventilation and heating systems keep the most suited environment for your greenhouse plants.
4. Greenhouse staging - All greenhouse plants may be placed on the ground. That is not the normal practice, first it is not good for the eyes. Second, it makes it hard for you to monitor each plant. Last, it is a bad idea if you are maximizing the space of your greenhouse. Use greenhouse staging that is both sturdy and hard wearing all throughout your greenhouse.
5. Seed tray shelf - The idea of using seed tray shelf is to maximize the space in your greenhouse. A seed tray shelf stores all your newly planted seeds in one location, away from grown up plants that have different water requirements. In other words, it serves as the nursery section in your greenhouse and at the same time, it helps save space.
Controlling The Temperature Inside Your Greenhouse
Incorrect temperature and airflow inside the greenhouse results in withering, diseases, and stunted plant growth. There are four components to control the temperature inside the greenhouse.
Ventilation - this is achieved by having vents in the greenhouse. Vents could either be a combination of roof vents, side vents, and the door. While roof vents are good at releasing hot air that rises to the roof, side vents are needed to increase low level ventilation. Side doors could be good ways to manage airflow but often, this will not suffice especially in areas where there is high humidity and hot temperatures. Typically, greenhouse manufacturers install the correct number of vents in the greenhouse if you choose not to build your own.
Ventilation that is operated manually is good for small greenhouses though most greenhouses today especially those that are fairly large are equipped with automatic ventilation systems that are thermostatically controlled. This way guess work regarding weather conditions are eliminated and the green house is maintained at it optimum temperature as required by the plants.
Fans - are needed to bring the warm air back into the plants for fresh supply of carbon dioxide. Stagnant air inside the greenhouse causes mildews and other plant diseases that you would want to avoid. The roof will need an additional fan for air stratification. Pulling down the warm air back to the plants is even more important during cold seasons for maintaining warm temperatures. Installing a roof fan reduces heating costs. In many areas, proper ventilation and fans alone will not complete the cooling of the greenhouse; misting and shading are needed.
Shading - Shading is needed to make adjustments in the plants exposure to sunlight. While too little shading could cause the plants to reach out for more sun, too much could wither it. Shading will depend largely on the kind of plant that is grown of the local climate and the design of the green house. No matter, a shade that is easily placed on the roof will give you better control of the plants exposure to the heat of the sun especially when the plant that is being grown at the moment does not need much of it.
Misting - Vents, Fans, and Shades are tools that helps you control the greenhouse from overheating but misting is what maintains comfortable temperatures. The evaporation of water inside the greenhouse plus the air circulation by the fans carries the moisture necessary to maintain the health of the plants inside the greenhouse.
Custom-Built Greenhouse vs. Commercially Available Greenhouse Kit
Different people have different reasons why they want to have a greenhouse. Some may have the gift for growing their own food. Others love to have certain seasonal crops all year road. Some just love the feeling of having their own food garden right at their backyard.
Having your own greenhouse is and will always be a very good idea regardless of your reason. But when the time comes when you are already taking into considerations all the building factors such as budget, space, and your building skill, you are caught up with the dilemma of having to choose between two options. Will you start from scratch and build your own greenhouse or will you buy a readily available greenhouse kit to save you all the trouble of buying every tool and materials you need? Let us take a look at the key points of each option to help you decide which one you will choose.
Do-It-Yourself Greenhouse - One of the best things about building your own greenhouse is you get the chance to pick all the materials you will use, choose what type construction you should do, customize its size and shape, and tap a little bit of your engineering skill. You can pick from wood, to PVC pipes and match them with the materials that are readily available at your home. You can construct lean-to greenhouse, classic or modified A-frame, barn-style, Quonset hut, Gothic arch, or even solar greenhouse. But while instructional videos and articles are all over the web, not everyone can build a greenhouse from scratch. It takes some skills to actually finish a decent-looking greenhouse. Cost can be a factor too. If you don't know what you need or how to pick the right material, your budget may skyrocket until you no longer afford to compete the construction. But if you are a natural handyman, then this option is perfect for you.
Greenhouse Kit - This is a good alternative if you lack the skill to build a greenhouse from scratch. It is usually made of metal frames and heavy-duty polyethylene sheeting. Greenhouse kit is portable, economical, and very convenient for most homeowners. It is easy to assemble or disassemble and move around whenever it has to. A larger greenhouse kit is obviously not so portable especially if you don't plan to keep it standing all year round. However if you want to keep it erected, just make sure that you choose one that is suitable for the weather in your location.
Different Type of Greenhouse
Once a greenhouse has been decided, the next question is the type of greenhouse that will be built. There are basically two types of greenhouses: the freestanding, and the attached (or lean-to) greenhouse. The following are descriptions of different types of greenhouses. One could possibly be in your garden very soon.
Freestanding Greenhouses
A freestanding (or stand alone) greenhouse is an independent structure not attached to a preexisting structure like the house or an existing wall. Freestanding Greenhouses have the distinct advantage of being positioned in a place where sunlight could be used to best advantage. It could be built to as large as the grower would want it to be. Depending on its size and gardening that it is intended for, it will require larger investment.
There are two typical freestanding greenhouse models.
The Portable Greenhouse
Portable greenhouses come in different sizes and are typically made of metal frames. This greenhouse type is ideal for hobbyists'. Being portable, this greenhouse model could be disassembled when not in use. There are portable greenhouses that are larger depending on the use that they are intended. There are portable greenhouses made to withstand weather conditions depending on the locality of the grower and could be used year round.
Permanent Greenhouses
Although they come in different sizes, permanent greenhouses are best for the avid gardener who wants a greenhouse that offers a wider range of gardening options. Permanent greenhouses usually come with kits that the gardener can put together. They are also the sturdiest of greenhouse models and could take a while to assemble aside from needing extra hands to assemble them. When choosing a permanent greenhouse, it is well to decide the kind of gardening including the variety of options that the gardener wants because an avid gardener could usually run out of greenhouse space quickly.
The Attached Greenhouse
Like the permanent greenhouse, lean-to is considered as a permanent greenhouse although it is attached to an existing wall, a garage, a fence or some other permanent structure. While an attached greenhouse is limited by the structure when it comes to best exposure to sunlight, when constructed in the right spot, it has the advantage of being accessible to plumbing and electricity. A Lean-to does the functions of a permanent greenhouse and due to its usual proximity; it is the most accessible during bad weather.
DIY Greenhouse Maintenance
Regular maintenance is essential to keep it in good condition for as long as possible and to keep a level of cleanliness and hygiene inside the greenhouse.
Checking the panes - Routinely inspect windows, doors, vents, and covers of your greenhouse, especially after high winds or after a storm. Cracked or broken panes should be replaced immediately to prevent endangering you and your plant, and to avoid losing heat and humidity inside your greenhouse.
Check the frames - Wood frames, treated or not, should be checked regularly for termites and decay. Check for rusting if you use metal frames. Repair rusted metal to prolong the frame's life and make sure to coat exposed metal with layers of paint to stop metal deterioration.
Clean the floor - Concrete floor are easy to maintain. Sweep any dirt or dry leaves first and hose the entire area with water. Use mild soap and scrub to remove stains or stuck objects from it. Make sure that you have a good drainage system, especially if you have gravel or wood flooring to draw out any excess water as a result of daily watering. Dirt flooring can turn into mud if you do not provide sufficient drainage system too.
Clean the panes - Use warm water and sponge to clean the outside panes. It is best to do this during a fairly breezy day. Let the wind dry the glass panes without leaving too much watermarks on the surface. Clean the inside panes using warm water and sponge as well. If the outside temperature is not too cold, take the plants outside to better clean the interior panes. This is the perfect time to inspect each plant for damaged or infected leaves and discard plants that are dead or dying.
Equipment maintenance - Essential items such as ventilation, irrigation and heating systems should be checked regularly to keep the environment inside of your greenhouse working properly. Any damage should be repaired immediately. Containers, capillary matting, staging, containers and pots should be sterilized regularly to prevent disease and lower the risk of infestation. Insulation should be checked for leaks to prevent unnecessary heat loss and to keep pests and rodents out.
Cleaning the inside of the greenhouse regularly not only provides a healthy living environment for your plant, but gives you with a clean and pleasant place to work. Regular maintenance meanwhile, extends the life of your greenhouse and keeps you from future repairs.
Greenhouse Building Tips
There are various reasons why greenhouses are built. A continuous supply of greens for winter, developing parent plants for the next crop, protecting young shoots started from seeds, experimenting to develop a variety, and culturing of plants to make them available at any season. Whatever the reason though, the following are greenhouse building tips that are typical for all greenhouse buildings.
Area - the area chosen must be as leveled as possible but with enough provision so that excess water drains efficiently.
Light - Plants need sunlight. The greenhouse then must be oriented in such a way that it receives as much sun as possible. The temperature or the sun that the plants need must approximate those that it receives during spring. In winter, that is not very easy to do. What you need to do then is build the greenhouse in a clearing where there is no obstacle to sunlight exposure.
Temperature - different plants have different temperature needs. Too hot and the plants wilt, not enough sun and the plants does not grow. Keep a thermometer in the greenhouse instead and regulate the temperature through ventilation. An alternative is to hose the ground and open the vents to lower the temperature inside the greenhouse.
Ventilation - Greenhouses heats up fast especially during summer. In the southern parts this is more so. Know the temperature that the plants thrive best and monitor and regulate the temperature inside the greenhouse accordingly.
Workspace - provide sufficient space inside the greenhouse so that the plants are distributed evenly with enough space between them instead of bunching the plants together. The space should include sufficient moving room for you to work or a walkway in between plants, for the tools to be kept and for a sink to be installed.
Irrigation - Too much water will drown the plants. The only time that water is needed inside the greenhouse is when the soil is dry, other than that the plants will do fine. Many greenhouses owners prefer hand watering of plants. For seedlings though the best irrigation is the drip system as it is gentle on seedlings and small shoots.
Maintenance - different greenhouses have different maintenance requirements. Common to every greenhouse though is the regular disinfection of the entire greenhouse. When disinfecting, use a water/disinfectant solution to spray walls and everything else inside the greenhouse except for the plants. Keep all vents open to allow the fumes to escape. Disinfecting the greenhouse limits infestation of spiders, flies and other insects that could hurt the plants.
Greenhouse Electrical System
Greenhouses need to make everything very efficient and economical to last for several seasons and years. You will realize that having a good electrical system will also help other systems work better, such as the watering system and the lighting system. It is important that you consider all safety measures possible, to make the experience fun and productive. Electrical systems are available depending on the kind of setup you wish to ensue.
Electrical 101
It is important to understand that having a good and reliable electrical system will make your entire greenhouse gardening experience easier. You get to control lighting, watering, fertilizing and ventilation well by having the right tools and equipment. The plants ultimately benefit from the adjustments and can grow at the right temperature and conditions, regardless of the current season. Plants can grow optimally and you can grow seeds at different times of the year, thereby boosting your produce on a yearly basis.
About the System
The electrical system is considered by majority of gardeners to be the most important factor among greenhouse systems. Electricity is the primary element required to fuel all other feasible devices like the humidity gauge, the temperature gauge, li