Choosing a Good Greenhouse

It's great to have a greenhouse to help you garden more effectively. Whether you want to grow more of your own fruit and veg or whether you mainly want to keep exotic blooms, a greenhouse is an invaluable ally.

Whatever you choose to use your greenhouse for, there are a few simple things that are worth considering - from a green perspective and so that you get the best buy greenhouse for you.

A greenhouse can be an expensive purchase, so it's worth thinking about the longevity of what you buy. Value for money is also an important consideration for most people. Last but not least most people will want to buy a product which is safe for the family to be around.

Thinking about size

Size is important and most keen gardeners will find a use for the whole greenhouse, almost no matter how big it is. So think as big as your budget allows, provided that you can also get other key features that you are seeking.

Designs

There are lots of different designs available and it's easy to get tempted by the more exotic offerings. The three designs which have proved their worth, over and over again (in my view) are the standard apex glass houses you see everywhere, the simple pen roof greenhouses which are usually designed as lean-tos and geodesic domes.

Apex roofed greenhouses are a good stand-alone choice. A sturdy and well built greenhouse of this design should last many years and be an asset in any garden.

Pent roof lean-tos are good in a limited space and the greenhouse will benefit from the stored heat in the adjacent wall.

Geodesic, multi-sided designs are very attractive and are good for all round light penetration. It can be hard to find replacement glass for broken windows and some of the floor area may be wasted because the available height reduces close to the sides.

Greenhouse construction materials

Aluminium greenhouses are relatively cheap and low maintenance. Make sure that you go for a sturdy design with adequate struts to support the frame. If the greenhouse is to be anchored to the floor, make sure that the floor anchors are adequate for your local weather conditions.

Have a good look at the window clip system to make sure that the glazing remains stable and relatively snug. Its worth asking just how easy glazing is to replace if it breaks.

Rigid plastics such as polycarbonates are often used for glazing. They are less good for light penetration than glass and may become hazy over time. They are slightly better at retaining heat than glass and they are shatterproof.

Wooden greenhouses are very attractive but tend to be relatively expensive. If you are tempted by wood, go for cedar or other long-lasting redwoods as there will be a lot less maintenance to do. Your greenhouse will almost certainly last for years or even decades longer than a cheap wooden one would.

Flexible plastic greenhouses offer a quick cheap solution but the main problem with these is that they just do not last. Even though they look quite sturdy, most will not manage more than a season or two. The plastic rips and the supports buckle or shear and after a while patching is no longer practical. In theory, a good many such plastics are recyclable but in practice, most of these sorts of consumer non-durables just end up in landfill sites.

Worthwhile features in a good greenhouse

A wide door is definitely an asset and if you have a low sill too, then getting wheelbarrows in and out becomes a lot easier.

A sliding door is less bother in windy conditions.

Hanging bars are a useful thing for hanging baskets or just for tying plant supports. Some greenhouses come with them as standard.

Hydraulic windows which are self-opening make running the greenhouse effectively in summer a whole lot easier. It's good to have some side windows, too because you need to keep the air flowing freely inside the house. Louvered windows are a good choice.

Look out for a greenhouse with an integral base. The base makes the greenhouse stronger and means you can site it practically anywhere.

Safety - peace of mind!

If you opt for a quality greenhouse with glazed lights just make sure that the glass is properly toughened. Horticultural glass does not always have to be of the same standard as glass in the home. If you have children running about, or a lot of foot traffic in your garden, it's worth making sure that the greenhouse has good quality toughened safety glass that will stand up to most everyday incidents.

For more on this please see my longer article at Greenfootsteps.com.