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Ten Things to Consider Before You Buy a GreenhouseMay 06 '07 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Having your own greenhouse is a rewarding way to maximize your gardening experience, but planning ahead is very important.
Those who enjoy gardening will doubly enjoy having their own greenhouse, as it enables you to start plants much earlier than otherwise allowable. But not every greenhouse is suited for every greenhouse owner. Before you purchase a greenhouse, there are several things that need to be considered. A greenhouse is a fairly expensive endeavor, and there is nothing worse than spending a lot of money on something that won't meet your needs. Ten Things to Consider Before You Buy a Greenhouse 1. How much money do you want to spend? Greenhouses come in all price ranges, depending on the size you want. The cheapest I found for an actual greenhouse (not counting cold frames and mini-greenhouses) was around $400, and then go up into the thousands. If you buy a kit rather than a pre-made greenhouse, it is important to figure in the extra money you will need for things such as lumber. 2. What size do you want? In the case of a greenhouse, size is important. If you do not plan to do a lot of planting, a very large greenhouse would be a waste of money. By the same token, if you buy one that is too small for your needs it will only create massive frustration. 3. Do you want a pre-built model, or a greenhouse kit? This boils down to expense, in my opinion. I looked at a pre-built model that was about 6 feet by 8 feet, for about $1700. Convenient, yes. But you can get more for your money by purchasing a greenhouse kit. 4. Do you want someone else to install it, or can you do it yourself? Any fairly handy person should be able to install their own greenhouse, but things such as tool knowledge need to be considered. My husband has constructed hundreds of projects over the years, so our greenhouse installation experience was fairly smooth in that regard. Had I been installing it on my own, I think I still would have been successful but I would have had to do more research before beginning. For example, I can handle Phillips head and regular screws, but our kit came with these "pan head" screws that I had no clue how to deal with. For these one needs a drill with a specific bit. I would have eventually figured it out, but as I said, it would have taken some research. Another example is gluing the PVC pipe together. I have never done it, but I could have figured it out eventually. If you have someone else install the greenhouse, the construction expertise worry is eliminated, and you don't have to worry about a poorly-written manual, either. But it will cost you a lot more! 5. Do you want rigid walls or is UV protected plastic sheeting acceptable? This boils down to personal choice. Rigid walls give an appearance of sturdiness and I admit I wanted a rigid wall greenhouse initially. After doing some research, however, I decided that we could be quite happy with the UV protected plastic sheeting. An added bonus was the huge roll of plastic we already had on hand from our previous plans to build a greenhouse. We probably have enough plastic to completely recover the greenhouse another four times. 6. What seasons do you plan to use it? This may seem like a strange question, but it is an important one. For example, if you want to use your greenhouse year-round and you live in a climate that has cold winters you will need to figure out a way to heat it. Even early spring use here in Washington State will mean a heat source is needed. We plan to use a heat lamp in ours. If you want to use the greenhouse in warmer weather, you will need to consider ventilation. Our greenhouse has a fan and an air vent to allow for air circulation during hot weather times. 7. Where are you going to put it? For maximum greenhouse potential, it needs to be located in an area that gets good sun. Thus, placement of the greenhouse is critical. We have owned our property for almost three years now and had already planned to install a greenhouse, so we knew where we wanted to put it. If you are not sure about the sun factor, you may want to observe for a few days before you decide on where you want to put your greenhouse. It would be a wasted endeavor if the placement area gets too much shade. 8. Do you have special wind-protection considerations? Our property is fairly protected from wind, but we get the occasional rogue wind that blasts through in a different direction from usual and causes havoc. Having lost a boat tarp and a sunshade to wind, we knew that we would have to take the wind-factor into consideration. The greenhouse we purchased is boasted to have survived 77 mile per hour winds during Hurricane Katrina, so we figured it would be a good choice. It is PVC pipe strengthened with wire and turnbuckles. If your area is fairly windy you will also want to choose a greenhouse that can be anchored in concrete. (This does not mean you need a whole foundation. Our greenhouse has two metal anchors attached to the frame, which are then seated in concrete). 9. Do you need other things installed before you can install your greenhouse? If your greenhouse has things such as an electric fan and an electric thermostat, you will need access to electricity. Our power supply needed to cross the driveway, so it entailed digging a trench to hold the electrical wires to eliminate them being driven on or otherwise damaged. If you are not well-versed in electricity and you want a permanent power supply, you will want to contact an electrician. This cost should be figured in to the amount you want to spend on your greenhouse. 10. What exactly do you want to get out of your greenhouse? Is having a greenhouse just something you have always wanted to have? Do you love working with plants? Do you want to start your garden out early using seeds rather than spending a significantly larger amount of money buying plants? I don't recommend spending a lot of money on a greenhouse unless you plan to use it on a regular and frequent basis. Coldframes and mini-greenhouses are better suited to the hobbyist who just wants to play around with plants rather than dedicate oneself to the task. When my husband previously owned a greenhouse, he started 1500 petunias in his greenhouse every year. His yard was spectacular! We plan to start flowers and most of the vegetables we plant in our garden every year. I also want to expand on an herb garden. For these plans, we needed a fairly large greenhouse and chose one that is 8 and a half feet by fourteen feet. Think about your end goal before you make your purchase; you will be glad you did in the long run. Final Thoughts Growing plants is something I find so rewarding. Since my career doesn't provide me with personal satisfaction (I work in Corrections, which tends to be a negative place rather than a positive one), I needed to find something else in my life that would provide me with a sense of accomplishment. I have my writing, and I have my plants. Working in soil is "real". It helps me ground and center myself, and realize what life is all about. Planting a seed and watching it grow is a rejuvenating experience. If you have not had the opportunity to experience this, I highly recommend it. But be warned; it is a passion! For the person who plants a garden every year, a well-thought-out greenhouse is a delightful addition that will truly enhance your gardening experience. And, you will be the envy of the neighborhood when you get tomatoes before everyone else does. :-)  |
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