From MrGreenhouse
Choosing Your Greenhouse
Overview
There are currently such a variety of greenhouses on the market; these include different shapes, sizes and building materials. They can also vary from free standing, lean-to or even portable greenhouses. Build your knowledge about the variety that is on offer, this will ultimately aid your decision on which greenhouse will be best for you and your garden.
Mr Greenhouse sell greenhouses and accessories by mail order; details can be found on our Greenhouse Shop page.
Sometimes more importantly than just shape and size, is also the type of materials used to build the greenhouse. Consider the durability and the maintenance that will be required once the greenhouse is erected. Also the material used ie wood, aluminium etc will have a great impact on the budget, so some thought needs to go into the final decision.
Listed below are some of the pros and cons of each type of greenhouse available on the market. A lot will depend on the aesthetics of your garden and surroundings. You may find that a wooden greenhouse would look good within the setting, or alternatively an aluminium may blend better. These days you are able to purchase aluminium (which are low maintenance) which can have an optional green coating, these greenhouses tend to merge in with the surroundings especially if there is a lot of high foliage in the garden.
There are arguments for and against:
- Aluminium lets in more light
- Wood retains more heat and so on
To be honest for amateur and the hobby gardener these are fairly irrelevant. For instance most of us wouldn’t start using the greenhouses for propagating plants until early spring, and there is plenty of light about at this time of the year anyway. The two important factors when purchasing a greenhouse are to consider looks and price.
Traditional Wooden Greenhouses
These look very attractive, especially if the surroundings are more mature. However, unless they are made of expensive cedar they will need regular maintenance. Also the expense can be a factor, as if made out of cedar or cheaper softwood, they are more than likely going to be more expensive than say aluminium..
Conservatories
These are becoming popular and can also be used to grow plants (though not without some problems). They do tend to heat up considerably, and it can cause violent fluctuations in temperature. Also if they are furnished and used as part of the house then it may not be possible to raise the humidity high enough to provide ideal growing conditions. Shading should also be provided. Conservatories can be adequate for most purposes.
Polythene Greenhouses
Cheap and cheerful. These greenhouses are in no way the most attractive greenhouses. However, for areas where aesthetics do not need to be taken into consideration these structures make excellent cheap greenhouses. There is some maintenance as the plastic sheeting does require changing, but only approx once every 2-3 years. Even with this expense it is considerably a long time before the cost reaches that of a glass structure.
Aluminium Greenhouses
These are generally cheaper than the traditional greenhouse. It also has a more contemporary appearance, and need very little maintenance except for cleaning. You are also able to get a coated frame, either white, green or sometimes brown. They suit modern gardens very well and they admit maximum light.
Glazing in these aluminium greenhouses can also be a choice. Glass is obviously the traditional material, and is strong and hardy. However, in recent times you are also able to source ‘Safety Glazing’. This is usually made of a polycarbonate plastic. This is lightweight, so good when installing, it is strong and as it fits snugly into the frame it is safe, which is ideal if you have a young family or pets. Some polycarbonate plastics are U.V. treated for a longer life and also diffuses light to prevent scorching of plants. These panels maintain a more even temperature which can be better for plant growth, and good insulation which is ideal for wintering or early starts.
Mr Greenhouse sells polycarbonate greenhouse by mail order; details can be found on our Greenhouse Shop.
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£265 |
£252 |
£229 |
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