Installing a backyard greenhouse is a great way for any garden loving, home owner to grow next to perfect plants.
As well as framing and covering your greenhouse, it is also necessary to include a few additions to ensure your plants get the best of attention.
Greenhouses extend a plants growing time, but with a few extras you can extend this growing time even further.
Raised Shelving Assuming you wish to grow your plants in pots or tubs, raising plants up above ground level has a couple of benefits.
First of all, the air is warmer up higher.
This creates more warmth around the root area and encourages rapid, healthier growth in potted plants.
Secondly, plants are provided with better drainage thus avoiding water logging and fungal disease.
In addition, by being raised your plants won't be likely to sprout roots through the pot and into the ground.
For shelving, try to use 1 inch, reinforced galvanized steel.
Measure and cut these to suit your needs.
Gas Heater Blower If you live in areas with cold, frosty winters, you may consider purchasing and installing a greenhouse heater.
These are usually attached to a gas cylinder and set to run at predetermined settings.
Prices vary, but for around $150.
00 you can purchase the, Juliana FlexiFurnace Electric Greenhouse Heater, which can adequately heat a 2.
4 metre x 4 metre x 14 metre greenhouse.
If you want to spend more, the, Solexx Non-Vented Greenhouse Heater, is great for greenhouses that don't allow for ventilation.
It's priced between $600.
00 and $700.
00.
Overhead Lighting This is entirely optional and unless you really want to become a professional, it may not be necessary.
In any case the information is provided here should you need it.
Overhead lighting is used to "extend summer" and trick plants into growing on for longer.
Professional nurseries use these techniques to produce and sell plants which would otherwise be out of season.
The possibilities are virtually endless.
The vegetable and fresh flower industry alone add billions of extra dollars to their coffers by providing an endless spring/summer for their produce.
A search of the internet for greenhouse growth lights will soon put you into contact with reliable sources for these lights.
Greenhouses are not all designed the same.
Before deciding to build a greenhouse, it is best to first decide what you want to grow.
Your design should take this into account as well as the kind of climate you have in your area.
Greenhouses for growing summer vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are vastly different in design to those which are used to grow tropical plants.
It would pay you to visit a local nursery or two (if possible, a wholesale nursery), to conduct a little industrial espionage.
Check out materials used, how they are put together, height, depth, surface material.
If possible, take some photographs for later reference.
Whichever way you look at, a backyard greenhouse is a wonderful asset for any home owner.
You can easily recoup your investment by growing great tasting fruit and vegetables all year round, cutting grocery bills by hundreds of dollars.