There is one thing we know for sure. All gardeners are different and like to experiment with staging, crops and climate control to maximize their output. Because of that, we offer many glazing options including single tempered lapped 3mm glass, single piece 6mm tempered glass, tempered insulated double glass, twinwall polycarbonate, and fivewall polycarbonate. For those customers wanting even more specific climate control, we also offer tinted, high performance low E and laminated glass. It’s important to know that you can intermix glazing to achieve the best result!
Your Location:
When considering your location, we like to know if you experience four seasons, stormy weather, hail, high winds or extreme heat.
Your Lowest Nighttime Temperatures:
We like to know what the lowest nighttime temperature is to ensure that our heating recommendation in combination with the glazing will never cause a cold shock to your plants. It’s always a good idea to give yourself a buffer with the heating BTU’s especially given that the greenhouse comes with a lifetime warranty and most of our greenhouses are in use for decades before they are passed along to family members.
How Many Seasons do you want to Grow?
If you are in a winter climate and wish to grow in four seasons, we will offer guidance on how to best achieve your goals. There are many ways to passively heat a greenhouse enough to winter over plants provided you have good solar gain during the day or are willing to add supplemental heating.
Do you have natural shade nearby?
Greenhouses are designed to capture the heat and you want to make sure your plants do not get scorched. A single glass greenhouse without natural shade nearby will require some sort of shading whether that is shade cloth, whitewash or drapery.
Using the Greenhouse for Living and Growing Space:
If you would like to use the greenhouse for living space, consideration must be given to additional ventilation and how best to achieve that. An exhaust fan system is the fastest way to exchange hot air but not often the quietest. An evaporative cooler, additional side vents or louvres or motorized ridge vents might be a good option too.
What would you like to grow?
Deciding whether you would like a cool, warm or hot greenhouse will help us to make recommendations with glazing, heating and cooling, too. Hothouse veggies like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers require minimum heat to flower and produce. Tropical plants like orchids, foxgloves and bromeliads are tender plants that need heat to thrive. Check out these scenarios for tips that might help you decide!
