How to Choose a Site for a Greenhouse

Whether you are building a greenhouse for hobby or professional use, you know that the location is one of the most important factors of planning and building your greenhouse. When choosing the site where you plan to build your greenhouse there are several things you need to keep in mind. The last thing you want to do is to build a greenhouse that provides you with inadequate light, stumpy or uneven terrain or end up with damage from objects near by. Below you will find the everything you need to take into consideration when choosing the site for your new greenhouse.

Terrain

First and foremost, you need to consider the terrain in which you will be building your greenhouse on. You will need to have a nice and level site that is free from stumps, roots, holes and other obstacles that will end up being a nuisance inside your new greenhouse. If you have a little uneven surface, that will be fine as long as you can still till it up and then level it out evenly into a nice flat surface. If the site your are considering is on an incline, you may want to think again. An incline will eventually lead to bigger problems that will include your greenhouse having to be torn down. Not to mention all that nasty washouts that will be caused after a good rain.

Drainage

Another thing to consider when planning a site to build a greenhouse is drainage. Since you will be doing a lot of watering in the greenhouse you will want to make sure you have good drainage. The last thing you will want is to be stomping around in a mud pit while trying to do your daily duties in the greenhouse. Of course you will have a little water puddle up for a few minutes until it drains, this can be fixed by using mulch, rocks, sand or other well draining materials. They allow the water to pass instantly and lay below until it seeps through the ground. For more ideas on greenhouse flooring check out Greenhouse Flooring Ideas.

Light

Every good gardener knows that light is just as important as water when it comes to plants. Make sure that your greenhouse site is clear of any trees, building, walls or other shade creating objects that could leave your plants starving for light. I personally chose to build my greenhouse with the door facing north so that my greenhouse would get plenty of sun on both sides throughout the day.

If you plan on growing a few plants that may require mostly shade, don't worry, you can by shade mats for your greenhouse which will allow you to shade specific portions of your greenhouse while allowing plenty of sun to pass through to the rest of you plants. There are always cheaper option for shading which includes putting shade plants in the middle of the greenhouse or on the bottom shelves. Don't plan for the shade, plan for the sun. You can always create shade later when it is needed.

Water Supply

Another important factor in choosing a greenhouse site is the water supply. Every greenhouse needs a water supply. Even if it's a water hose just outside the greenhouse, make sure that you have a water supply nearby or else you will find yourself making trips back and forth to the water hose. You can always add a water spigot inside your greenhouse with a few pieces of PVC pipe, a spigot and a some fittings. Depending on how far your are from the nearest water supply, 50 feet or less, and you can construct a water spigot inside your greenhouse for less then $25.

Size

Believe it or not, size matters! Too often, some gardeners get so excited about their greenhouse that they forget to consider the side of their location. Be sure that your site is well capable of holding a greenhouse the size you choose to build. Make sure you have plenty of room between your greenhouse and other buildings, walls, fences, and trees. This will help to prevent shade as well as, falling debris damaging your greenhouse in the event of a bad storm.

Free of Trees

Again, I can't stress this enough. Keep your greenhouse away from trees, even though the tree isn't that big right now it will be in a few years. Then you will have to worry about limbs damaging your greenhouse and making shade. Not to mention those messy leaves getting on top!

Planning a site for a greenhouse isn't hard at all. Just be sure to keep these things in mind when planning for your site and you will find it to be an easy task as well as an greenhouse that will last for a long time. You will find that the hardest part of building a greenhouse will be your budget and choosing which beautiful flowers to grow first.