About Indoor Greenhouses

Put up an indoor greenhouse to extend your growing season can make gardening enjoyable even in bad weather. In cold climates temperature-controlled greenhouses make it possible to grow smaller vegetables and even flowers year-round. Greenhouses also provide a controlled setting for the avid gardener to experiment with new species and delicate plant propagation. There are several considerations you need to know to make sure you choose the best style of greenhouse for your needs. The following article will help you decide which covering is right for your area and how to select a good place for your new greenhouse.

Greenhouse Construction

Choose a greenhouse kit that is lightweight and easy to assemble. Many come with aluminum or PVC pipe framework that is easy to handle. Choose the style of greenhouse covering for your specific needs. Typical greenhouse covers are glass, polyurethane and fiberglass.

Glass Greenhouses

You need to choose a glass greenhouse if your growing seasons are short or you want to start plants very early in the spring or late winter. Glass greenhouses are easier to heat and provide more containment. You should install ventilation with shutter openings or open vents on top of the greenhouse to moderate the temperature inside for proper humidity and heat control. Light is much better in a glass-enclosed greenhouse, making it good for starting plants in the early part of the growing season. Choose frosted panels for top covering in areas with heavy sunlight to keep the room from being too hot.

Polyurethane Greenhouses

Choose polyurethane for a greenhouse covering for cost efficiency. Soft plastic is 1/6th the cost of glass and is easy to install. For a completely personalized and unusual shape you can even build your own wood supports in a design you choose and cover it easily with plastic stapled to the wood beams. Polyurethane blocks some of the light and might not be the best choice for early season growing. It also builds up a lot of condensation when heated.

Fiberglass Greenhouses

Fiberglass is a middle of the road greenhouse covering. It is sturdier than polyurethane covers but lets in far less light than glass or soft plastics. It is easier to handle and install than glass but not as simple as polyurethane to attach.

Where To Put A Garden Greenhouse

Choose a flat even surface to make your greenhouse installation more stable and easier to set up. Select an area with good consistent sunlight to avoid having to install extra lamp systems except for in the colder winter months. For extra natural heat control put your greenhouse in close proximity to deciduous trees that will help provide some shade in hot summer months and allow sun to shine in during the bleak winter months.

Non-Garden Uses For Greenhouses

Small greenhouse units make a great bus stop shelter. Children are kept safe from the elements and motor traffic as well inside an enclosed area but are fully visible to the bus driver and are able to see the bus as well.

Resources

• Choosing a Greenhouse
• How Greenhouses Work