A greenhouse is a good idea for any single or couple who’d like to have personalized, year-round, organic produce without sacrificing yard space or the need to learn how to grow your own food. It lets you choose what to grow and when and provides you with fresh organic herbs and veggies all year long.
Not only does a greenhouse help to extend your growing season, but it can also extend the life of your home’s roof. When used as an extension for an existing roof, a greenhouse can have a similar life expectancy — as in 30-50 years — as well as increased energy efficiency over that same period.
In addition to extending the life of your roof, a greenhouse will help to limit dust, vermin and other natural elements that usually affect home repairs.
What is a greenhouse?
A greenhouse is a structure with walls and roof made of transparent material where plants requiring controlled environmental conditions can be grown. The glass allows light in, but keeps the home filled with natural sunlight on cold, snowy or rainy days.
The greenhouse gas heating process heats up the air in the room; this heat in addition to solar radiation provides an ideal condition for plant growth. A greenhouse drastically increases crop yields and provides fresh vegetables all year round! This, notes Mike Marshall of https://windowfactory.co.nz/, is one reason many are opting for a greenhouse.
Greenhouses are an excellent way to create a conservatory-style, organic garden at home. They keep your plants warm and protected, extending growing seasons and reducing reliance on pesticides & fertilizers. Whether you’re just getting into gardening or a seasoned professional, there’s no better way to grow amazing food than in your own greenhouse – built by you!
Wondering how to build your own greenhouse? Find out how.
Determine if you need a greenhouse
There are many reasons to build your own greenhouse. You may be surprised to learn that there are few situations that warrant a greenhouse. Nowadays, many individuals are seeing the need to reduce their carbon footprints. If you’re one of these people, a greenhouse is an excellent way to do so.
Greenhouses are a clever way of insulating, as well as allowing you to control the effect of the weather on your plants. Also, if you want to start growing plants in the garden but don’t have enough space for your flower beds, why not build a greenhouse?
Plan your greenhouse type
Greenhouse designs and sizes vary greatly according to your needs and preferences. Their main goal is to improve the quality of your plants’ environment. You can grow food, herbs, or flowers indoors in these structures.
Before buying greenhouse, you need to decide what type of greenhouse best fits your growing needs. There are three basic types: hoop houses, passive solar greenhouses, and active solar greenhouses.
- Hoop houses: ”Hoop houses,” also known as ”cloches,” are structures that keep plants warm, but are light and portable enough to be moved around the yard with ease. They’re often made of PVC or polyethene and can be left out for most of the year, except when extreme temperatures occur.
- Passive solar greenhouses: These are the same as standard greenhouses except that they rely on free, renewable energy such as direct sunlight, with no fossil fuel consumption. They are a form of sustainable building that harnesses the power of the sun. The principles of passive solar design reduce a structure’s energy consumption in both summer and winter.
- Active solar greenhouses: Active solar greenhouses capture energy from the sun, use it to heat the space and store it in a thermal battery. It’s a smart way to turn solar power into usable energy. They offer the opportunity to produce fresh produce year-round.
By capturing and storing as much sunlight as possible in an insulated building, these greenhouses are among the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly ways to grow food. Active solar greenhouses use two kinds of technology to collect and store solar energy: thermal mass and photo-voltaic panels.
Determine your budget
Building a greenhouse can save you big money on heating and cooling costs, especially if you live in an area with cold winters. But even if you don’t plan to grow your own food (most of us don’t!), a greenhouse is a great place for starting plants, extending your growing season and simply enjoying the outdoors.
Here’s how to determine your budget for building a greenhouse:
- List the things you want your greenhouse to do.
2. Figure out the size and shape of the greenhouse based on number 1.
3. Determine what features you will need.
4. Figure out what features you can do without.
5. Figure out what is architecturally possible in step 3 or 4, then add it in if it is not extraneous, or subtract it if it is a necessity.
Should you use wood or metal for the frame?
The two most common materials used for constructing a greenhouse are wood and metal. There are pros and cons on both sides, but the type of greenhouse you have may determine which material is best.
Never count on mother nature only to control your plants’ growth and climate. Choose the metal frame for a professional look, durability and superior insulation.
As a matter of fact, the metal frame is far sturdier than the wood. This is partly due to the metal being stronger, but also because wood can eventually warp and interfere with how well-sealed and insulated your greenhouse is.
It’s generally considered that metal has a better R-value (up to 6 times better!) and is more efficient than wood, at conducting heat. A metal frame can last 40 years and requires lower heating and cooling costs. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make a greenhouse structure out of wood.
Conclusion
To sum it up, a greenhouse is a great way to help you save money, time and energy. By reducing the amount of water and fertilizers that are needed, you can cut down on your monthly bills. They’re also better for the environment since they’re made from recycled and recyclable materials.
So by building your own garden greenhouse, not only will you have a fun DIY project, but you will also get healthier plants and flowers, and reduce waste!
