It’s obvious to say that greenhouse plants need water. But how they get it – and how much they need – will have a big influence on your level of effort in maintaining them. Cacti, just as one obvious example, need barely any added water at all to survive. They are extremely efficient at retaining [...]

Ok, you’ve put a lot of effort into planning and building (or installing) your greenhouse. You’ve got tabletops, benches, pots, shelves, cabinets, watering systems and a dozen tools to help. Now, you get to really enjoy what greenhouses are all about – plants! The ‘green’ part of greenhouses is usually the most fun, since that’s [...]

Like anything around the home, greenhouses will require maintenance and, from time to time, some repairs. Since they are fairly well sealed, water (and therefore mildew) will build up on the walls. Even those with gaps under the roof line and venting fans still retain considerable moisture, and algae, mold and mildew will form on [...]

Greenhouses, or as they were known in the 19th century Conservatories, are freestanding structures that house plants and admit light to ‘feed’ them. Plants don’t move around like animals, so they have to get their food in other ways. To some extent they pull it in from the soil by capillary action. ‘Capillary action’ happens, [...]

Building a foundation for your greenhouse offers you many choices. Some people, especially if they buy a pre-made greenhouse, will simply lay it on top of whatever ground exists at the location they choose. That may be gravel, or dirt or even grass. Some pre-made greenhouses come complete not only with roof and walls, but [...]

Greenhouses are not just static structures that stand empty. They have moving parts and are filled with benches, tools and many other accessories that help support and care for the plants housed there. Tools, measuring instruments, and the like naturally come to mind for any avid gardener. But there are dozens of accessories for the [...]

Many people interested in having a greenhouse enjoy the prospect not only of using it, but of building it, too. Unless you purchase both the house and all its contents, you’ll have to have some carpentry skills. Many greenhouses have wooden floors. Relatively simple to construct, they can be made with 2 x 4′s or [...]

Choosing what materials to use in constructing your greenhouse will have multiple effects on its usefulness. The same holds true for those considering purchasing a pre-made greenhouse. The first consideration is, of course, the roof material. The largest percentage of highest intensity sunshine comes during the late morning through early afternoon hours when the light [...]

Before you buy or build a greenhouse, there are a number of considerations worth thinking about. You’ll save time and hassle by planning ahead. Remember, all the factors discussed below will need to be evaluated in light of what kind of plants you intend to have. Greenhouses come in a hundred different styles. Pre-made greenhouses [...]