Simpson
Are you a farmer looking to maintain your crops in your yard? If yes, you may want to plant crops in a greenhouse. A greenhouse is a building or structure designed to protect plants against harsh weather conditions like extreme cold or hot temperatures. It also ensures harmful insects don’t invade your crops. In simple words, a greenhouse allows you to farm in a controlled environment. As a result, you can produce garden yields all year round.
However, you might be overwhelmed with the many types of greenhouses on the market. And for that, here are essential things to consider to help you compare greenhouses and select the right one for your farming activities.
1. Size Of The Greenhouse
Size is perhaps one of the most crucial factors to take note of when looking for a greenhouse. Various things can help determine the size of your greenhouse.
One of them is the number of crops you want to plant. If you intend to farm on a large scale, you may choose a large greenhouse. However, a small greenhouse would be okay if you only want to plant veggies and fruits for home consumption.
2. Amount Of Space In Your Garden
In connection with the greenhouse’s size, you may want to consider the amount of space available in your garden. If you don’t have enough space to put a giant greenhouse in your garden, you can opt for a medium or small greenhouse.
However, even if you’ve got enough space but don’t want to plant many crops, it would be best to build a large greenhouse. It ensures you save a lot of money, especially when you decide to expand your farming in the future. Besides, you can use the extra space of your greenhouse to store farming equipment.
3. Shape Of The Greenhouse
Greenhouses come in various shapes. These include Flat arch, Sawtooth, Dome, Tunnel, Skillion, A-frame, etc.
The shape you select should depend on your farming requirements, be it for the maximum amount of sunlight or height space. It also depends on your personal preferences and budget. Aside from that, ensure any greenhouse shape you select can adequately fit into your garden.
4. Material For The Greenhouse Frame
Material is another factor to consider when building a greenhouse in your garden. The selection should depend on how long you want the greenhouse to serve you.
There are three material options for the greenhouse frame. That’s wood, aluminum, and plastic.
Both aluminum and wood materials can last for several years. However, you must ensure proper care and maintenance. On the other hand, you can use plastic for a short-term greenhouse.
5. Location Where You Want To Put The Greenhouse
You might think the location isn’t essential when building a greenhouse in your garden. But it plays a significant role in the growth of your crops.
Plants need enough sunshine to thrive. You might not harvest any yields if you build your greenhouse where your crops can’t get enough sunlight. Therefore, before installing your glasshouse, ensure the location provides good sun exposure.
6. Ease Of Installation
There are various greenhouses out there in the market. Each of them has a different installation process. While most of them are easy to install, some are very complex. Choose a greenhouse you can build or install with ease.
There are several benefits as to why you would want to choose a greenhouse you can build with ease. But the two major ones are to help save time and money.
Building a complex greenhouse will likely take much of your time. As a result, you might not get enough time to concentrate on other essential tasks in your garden. It also causes a delay in planting your crops.
It’s also good to note that a complex greenhouse will require you to spend more money. It is especially true since you’ll be required to purchase extra or special materials.
Aside from that, you might not be able to install a complex greenhouse by yourself. It forces you to hire a greenhouse installation service, which also attracts extra costs.
On the other hand, building a simple greenhouse can save time and money. Such a structure may not need special skills or materials. As a result, you’ll likely take the least time to build and start farming. Therefore, if you want to simplify the building process of your greenhouse, you may select a simple yet durable structure.
But if you have the luxury of time and money, you can opt for the former for a more durable greenhouse if you need one.
7. Location Of Water System
Like the sunlight, plants need to consume water to grow. Inadequate water supply in your greenhouse may harm your plants. That’s why the location of a water system is essential.
You can use a hose to supply water in the greenhouse. However, it’d be best to let your greenhouse have its own watering system. It ensures your plants consistently get enough water. For that reason, you may want to build your greenhouse near a water system.
8. Heating And Cooling System
As noted earlier, a greenhouse allows you to grow plants in a controlled environment. However, this might not be possible without a heating and cooling system. This machine enables you to maintain optimum temperatures in the greenhouse. As a result, extreme weather conditions won’t affect your plants.
There are various heating and cooling systems in the market. However, not all can be suitable for your greenhouse. Before you pay for any unit you find out there, ensure it can fit your farming purpose.
Aside from that, you may want to ensure you work with a reputable and reliable heating and cooling service provider. Such a company will be responsible for installing and maintaining the system. Note that your plants can weather or dry if the heating and cooling system isn’t working as expected.
9. Permits Needed
Lastly, you may want to find building permits. It is crucial, especially in locations where the state requires you to have them before constructing a greenhouse.
If it’s a requirement to have a greenhouse construction permit, working without it may attract extra costs on your side. The government may penalize you. It’s therefore essential to find out whether you need a permit to build a greenhouse. From there, you can follow the proper steps to get one.
Takeaway
Building a greenhouse in your garden is one of the best ways to enhance your farming. It enables you to plant crops in all seasons of the year. It ensures you don’t run out of food supply in your home.
And if you’re doing farming as a career, greenhouses ensure you continuously take farm products to the market. It enables you to enhance your finances. But before building a greenhouse in your garden, consider the things explained in this article.
