Some Things to Consider Before Constructing a Greenhouse

Do you long for the smell of fresh, cultivated earth to fill your nose or the warmth of sunbathed, friable soil running through your fingers in the middle of the winter season? You may be a four-season gardener. For those of us who are lucky enough to own their own personal conservatory, the growing season never ends. The following information should help you understand the steps involved in creating your own four-season oasis.

Just about any plant is suited for the humid, warm environment of a heated hoop house. In fact, most plants will thrive in this environment. Choosing your plants should be much easier than choosing the material you'd like to construct the greenhouse with. Greenhouses today are made of man made materials such as clear plastic film, glass, or plexi-glass. Clear plastic film is cheaper to construct than with glass, but will require replacing the plastic every few years to ensure efficient use of the all-important solar powers that support the photosynthesis process of the plant.

First, determine your needs for the construction of the greenhouse. Bigger is usually better but isn't always the case. If small scale is what you're looking for, pick a design that can be added to in the future. Most gardeners with small greenhouses wish they would have went bigger. Will you be growing in the soil, or will a concrete or gravel floor be suitable for your needs? Will the structure be heated? What types of gardens will be grown in the structure? All of these important questions need to be answered before determining your next step.

Next, you should determine location of the structure. Many factors will influence your decision. You will need a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight for proper growth depending on the growing specifications of the plants. Another determining factor will be the availability of water. You must have a source, the only water going in to the greenhouse will be hauled or hosed in by you. You might catch rainwater off the roof into water drums. For a larger operation, you might choose to dig a well. Keep in mind that the grower controls all aspects of the climate inside the structure.

Heating the greenhouse will give you limitless gardening opportunities. Costs can be high, but if you decide that you want heat, there are many options. Outdoor furnaces are popular heat sources. Although they are a large contributor to air pollution, they are very efficient if you've got the wood to burn. Propane is another option. It pollutes less than burning wood but very expensive in comparison.

Eventually, the important questions of location and purpose will be answered. When these steps are completed, raising of the enclosure can commence. You might pay someone to assemble it, or you may decide to cut costs by building it yourself. Whatever you choose, you'll always have a warm place to play in the dirt when you can't shake those cold season blues.