How To Build A Greenhouse: The Greenhouse Effect

Would you like to grow exotic flowers but you live in a climate with cold winters? Or maybe you live in Alaska, with its long winters and short summers, and you would like homegrown tomatoes year round? It may not seem possible... but with a greenhouse (a.k.a. hothouse) you can grow all the tropical fruits and flowers you want despite a chilly climate. Greenhouses are very simple to build. They can be built to suit all different sizes, purposes, styles and budgets. Greenhouses can even be built for indoor use if you don’t have a backyard that you can use.

The history of greenhouses is not clear. Tiberius, an emperor of Rome, used a primitive version of the greenhouse to grow cucumbers (which were a favorite of his). The greenhouses that we use today originated in thirteenth century Italy. After its conception greenhouses became popular all over Europe. They led to enormous botanical gardens popular throughout the nineteenth century. In modern times greenhouses for the home gardener continue to grow in popularity.

Greenhouses are built with many different materials. They usually have glazed glass and a frame made of wood, aluminum, plastic, or fiberglass. Greenhouses can be located anywhere that gets a good amount of sun. Greenhouses that are attached to a house are called "lean-to" greenhouses. Lean-to greenhouses are inexpensive and a great option for those with limited space. An even smaller option is a greenhouse that is mounted on a window and holds just a few plants.

Greenhouses that are freestanding are more versatile than lean-tos and window greenhouses because they can be located anywhere in the yard and don’t need to be attached to a house. The most expensive, and the largest, greenhouse is a large, even-span structure that has a building attached. These are the type commercial growers usually use.

There are many questions to be answered when you are planning a greenhouse. First, how will it be heated? Second, greenhouses must have proper ventilation-how will you ventilate it? Third, where should it be placed so that it will receive optimal light? All of these questions must be answered adequately to ensure the greenhouse will grow plants.

There are many ways you can supply each element. For example, to heat and ventilate a greenhouse some growers use a simple system of heaters and fans. More sophisticated systems have thermostats and air conditioners. Generally, the more money you are willing to spend up front for a more sophisticated system the less time you will have to spend maintaining and monitoring the system.

The capacity of the system you use to heat your greenhouse must be calculated correctly. To do this you will need to know how much heat is lost through the glazed material and the surface area of the greenhouse. If you have a well insulated greenhouse you will need less heat. This means that it is often better to spend more money initially on the greenhouse because over time you will be spending less money on heating bills.