We’ve all seen them—those gnarled and bent greenhouse frames with the tattered plastic sheeting hanging forlornly. It’s somebody’s idea of a good project gone bad. With the right planning and choices, you can avoid that outcome with your greenhouse. Here are three things to consider before buying a greenhouse for your home and ensuring fresh veggies for years to come!
The size and construction of your greenhouse will determine how mobile it is. When mobility is desired, consider greenhouses on wheels, or designed for easy assembly and disassembly. The larger your greenhouse footprint, the more permanent it will be. Regardless, be sure your greenhouse is constructed with materials adapted for your local weather conditions (heavy winds, high rains) and able to be well-anchored.
Greenhouse fans easily find multiple additional uses for their structures, often necessitating expansion or adapting for additional uses like shelving, hanging plants or hydroponics. Consider whether adding insulation, or ventilation might be needed. Easily modified greenhouses are a real plus when the alternative is a more expensive starting over with a new one.
Many greenhouses feature a polycarbonate siding of varying thicknesses, with the thicker a more durable choice. Siding that offers diffused (as opposed to direct, clear plastic) lighting is preferred as it will be less likely to burn plants. More expensive greenhouses will feature UV and scratch-resistant siding. More portable greenhouses sometimes feature slip-over covers.
