A greenhouse can extend your gardening season well past its natural closing dates, or it can let you cultivate plants that wouldn’t normally survive in your location under the natural circumstances. However, before you get started on building one, there are of course a lot of things that you need to know. You could be an expert gardener, but if you are not familiar with at least the basics of a greenhouse, it is recommended that you go through the following points before deciding what you need.
The Multi-span Greenhouse
A multi-span or a multi-purpose greenhouse is more energy efficient as it is better at heat retention than regular single span greenhouses. The high-roofed structures are also more productive and stronger. The tough nature of multi-span greenhouses makes them ideal for areas which often face thunderstorms and other forms of adverse weather.
The Crop Top
Have you ever seen a greenhouse with a roof but no walls? That’s a crop top. The roof is either made of glass or plastic in most cases, but shade cloth or insect screening is not uncommon either. While they are low-cost investments that provide protection against rain and excessive sunlight to your plants, a crop top may not be a good idea in case you have strong wind or storms frequently passing through. Also, you can’t really control any other factors like the weather, the temperature or the humidity.
The Hoop House
One of the cheapest options is the hoop house, which is built from aluminum/PVC pipes and one or two layers of plastic sheeting. The name of course, comes from the shape of the structure which resembles hoops and is particularly effective in rolling snow and rain water off the top. Although not as robust as some of the other designs, the hoop house is perfect for small backyards (north-south facing) and a good way to start things off on a budget.
The A-Frame
The triangular structure is a common site in the US because it’s easy to build and doesn’t require as many materials as say a post and rafter greenhouse would. You can choose to opt for polycarbonate glazing panels as they are cheaper than glass panels, but traditionally, glass is the material of choice. Unfortunately, the narrow nature of the side walls doesn’t make the structure very space-efficient. South facing backyards are ideal locations to build A-Frame greenhouses.
The Post and Rafter
This is one of the oldest and most commonly used designs. This is what you need if you want your greenhouse to withstand harsh weather conditions with ease. Ideal for large backyards and open fields (preferably south facing), it’s a solid and dependable structure where even the roof is supported by the rafters and the frame is footed firmly. Apart from the high amount of wood, metal and glass that is necessary to build the greenhouse, there are virtually no other disadvantages. They offer maximum air circulation and space utilization, as compared to any other design. If you have the money and the space to build one, you should!
The Smart Greenhouse
A smart greenhouse is the ideal union of nature and the best of modern technology. Imagine a fully computerized system which allows you to control every minute detail of your greenhouse with an application on your mobile phone and that’s exactly what a smart greenhouse is. Everything from light-saturation and temperature control to the moisture in the soil inside, the system enables you to control all of it with just a few taps. In fact, it auto-adjusts the in-house weather conditions to maintain the necessary environment when the weather outside changes. The best part about smart greenhouses is that they can more or less be fitted into most types of covered structures, be it a hoop or a post and rafter. You don’t need to worry about which side it’s facing either.
The Windowfarm
An inexpensive, indoor greenhouse, windowfarms utilize the natural light coming in from your south facing windows and the indoor conditions of your house to make year-round gardening a possibility. The vertical hydroponic farming system, however, does require tubes, pumps, artificial nutrients and a thorough knowledge of how it all works.
The Cold Frame
The cold frame is quite literally a frame that you put over the plants in your garden to protect them during the cold of the winter. The wooden box structure should have glass or plastic panels that can be opened or closed as necessary to avoid overheating inside.
There are of course, other variations and designs that you will see once you go out in the market, but the information above more or less covers the basics of most designs. Keep in mind that your decision should be based on three factors; your budget, the size of the field/backyard and the general weather conditions of your location. It doesn’t have to be the best greenhouse in the world, as long as it serves your needs well enough.