How long do greenhouse kits last?
While the greenhouse frame can last for 20+ years, the polycarbonate panels will last for up to 15 years, at which point you can replace with new ones and install them on the existing frame. Contact our customer service to find out how you can purchase individual polycarbonate panels. With proper care and quality materials, a glass greenhouse can easily last 20 to 30 years, and some well-maintained structures have been known to last 40 years or more. Tempered glass, commonly used in modern greenhouses, is durable, but it can still break under extreme impact.
Is it cheaper to build a greenhouse or buy a kit?
According to our research and the collective wisdom of the gardening community, opting for a greenhouse kit is not only more cost-efficient but also saves you a heap of time and potential headaches. So, if you’re weighing your options, buying a greenhouse kit tends to be the more budget-friendly choice in the long run. Concrete Pad By far the most practical and durable foundation for any greenhouse is a solid concrete base. A good option for large greenhouses and can be set above ground level quite easily.Greenhouse Flooring: Choosing the Best Option for Your Year-Round Garden. Unlike a house, an insulated year-round greenhouse doesn’t need a finished floor. Most of a greenhouse footprint is used as a planting area, which means a level finished surface is not necessary.Cons of Greenhouse Farming Production costs are expensive. High up-front costs to build the structure. No natural pollination. May need special permitting.Your choice of foundation should be given great thought, as it will affect both the building of your greenhouse, as well as its future use. Whilst it’s the choice of many gardeners to build their greenhouse directly on top of soil, especially on allotments, it is by no means the ideal choice.
How do I ventilate a greenhouse kit?
Since hot air tends to rise, it can create warm spots at the top of your greenhouse. Placing roof vents at the highest points lets this hot air escape. Having vents on the sides, about halfway up the walls, lets cooler air in from outside, helping keep the temperature stable. One burning question that often pops up, especially among newcomers, is “What temperature should a greenhouse be at night? Well, you’re in luck! While the ideal nighttime temperature varies, for most plants, it’s between 60°F to 68°F.Throughout the highs of summer it may be necessary to keep your greenhouse roof vents and doors open continually, and more attention will be needed during the day night temperature swings in spring and autumn – your min and max thermometer will help you decide if this is needed.Ideally, anywhere between , 80-85°F (26-29°C) is the golden standard throughout the spring and summer months. Anything higher than 90°F (32°C) is cause for alarm. We suggest monitoring your greenhouse temperatures with a good thermometer.Ventilation systems, regardless of the type, should be sized to meet the demand of each of the growing seasons. The primary need for winter ventilation in a greenhouse is to control the high humidity and excessive condensation caused by the difference in the inside temperature and the outside temperature.
How to choose a greenhouse kit?
Choosing the right greenhouse depends on your climate, garden layout, personal style, and long-term goals—whether you’re maximizing growing space or designing a beautiful retreat—so consider structure materials, model types like the Cape Cod or Pacific, and placement with expert guidance to ensure the perfect fit for . Having vents placed throughout the greenhouse will help to keep the temperature more consistent and will allow some of this heat to naturally escape. If heat is an especially big concern in your greenhouse, consider an exhaust fan that will push stale air out the greenhouse, encouraging fresh air to flow in.For the best airflow in your greenhouse, it’s all about where you put your vents. Roof vents should go along the top ridge, ensuring they can open all the way for the most air to get out. Side vents work best at the level of your benches so the fresh air hits your plants.However, if you’re just going to use your greenhouse in spring and summer, it’s better if the ridge runs north-south so both sides of the greenhouse get an equal amount of light. For lean-to greenhouses the best location is south-facing, with the supporting wall on the north side.
Where not to put a greenhouse?
Location of the Greenhouse During the summer months, a south facing greenhouse can easily get too hot and require a shade cloth to help protect the plants. An overheating greenhouse can hinder plant growth and be a nightmare for the grower. In the daytime, sunlight shines into the greenhouse and warms the plants and air inside. At nighttime, it’s colder outside, but the greenhouse stays pretty warm inside. That’s because the glass walls of the greenhouse trap the Sun’s heat. The greenhouse effect works much the same way on Earth.Your greenhouse needs vents to allow fresh air to move in, but you should also have some kind of circulation fan to keep the air moving throughout the entire greenhouse so that it will reach all of your plants. Many people fail to realize how ventilation affects pests within greenhouses.