Greenhouses come in all shapes and sizes.  There are greenhouses that are portable and take only 15 minutes to erect.  This would be ideal for attending spring garden shows throughout the country.

What are your needs?  How much space can you allow? There are greenhouses for indoors, outdoors and anywhere in between.  Do you live in an apartment? Do you have a balcony? Do you want it attached to the house to use year-round? Do you live in a mild wind state? Is your growing season long or short?  What type of plants are you going to grow: vegetables, flowers, shrub propagation, house plants or a little bit of everything? Believe me when I say there is a greenhouse that will fit your desires.

This is an example of a greenhouse for indoor use or for a balcony.

A lot of decisions for wanting a greenhouse need to be made to choose the right greenhouse for your situation. What kind of conditions exist in your location?  Is your space sunny all day or do you have some shade part of the day? What direction does your location face, north , south, east or west? The sun and wind will be different for each direction and this needs to be taken in consideration.

I live in a state that is not uncommon to have 70mph wind gusts. A greenhouse would need to be a permanent, major construction. But most of the United States does not have the same wind conditions, so you will have many more choices than I have. Some of the most intriguing designs that are on the market are made for mild conditions year round. They are lightweight, but sturdy and have ventilation with zip up windows and doors; and are easy to roll up and store during dormant season.

Greenhouse kits are very popular for most do-it-yourselfers.  Kits come in many combinations of materials.  There are wood and polycarbonate, steel and polycarbonate, steel and plastic, steel and mesh, plastic on plastic pipe, mesh on plastic pipe.  The shapes come in square, rectangle, circle, hoop construction,

and geodesic domes.  Pick the greenhouse that makes a statement and is YOU.

Unless the greenhouse is small and under a roof, or in an indoor environment, you will need some type of ventilation and humidity controller.  The kits usually come with these accessories included, however, they can be added, if the kit does not provide them.  Shelves are also included in most kits.

Much of the ventilations systems use hydraulic hinges that are automatically controlled according to the temperature and humidity within the greenhouse.  Much like your furnace thermostat in the house, the thermostat for the greenhouse will open and shut the ventilation down when needed. However, it does not control the weather conditions. So your involvement during those times of extreme weather will make the greenhouse work to your best advantage. Sun awnings, screens and sun ray blockers may be needed, especially if the site has west facing areas. Another consideration is the drainage off the location of the greenhouse. Trenches can take the excess water away from the greenhouse to keep the floor dry from excess water. Depending on your area of the country, the trenches do not need to be deep, but sloped so the water will drain away from the floor.

Along with the greenhouse, consider installing raised beds inside the greenhouse for ease of watering and tending plants.  Work benches are also handy and convenient, especially if there are areas for potting soil, pots and tools.

During the dormant season, many owners use the greenhouse for storage of mowers, trimmers, tillers, empty flower pots, rakes, hoes and shovels. The greenhouse has a secondary function as a storage facility as well.

Whatever style or size you choose, you will enjoy the looks of your landscape, you will gain more knowledge of plants and feel more creative, as well as enjoying the outdoors during the entire growing season.