Whether you are a novice or a veteran gardener, whether you want to grow only tomatoes or fancy tropicals, whether you want to set up a stylish elaborate greenhouse to reflect your personality or a purely no-frills functional structure, greenhouse plans are the essential requirement you are going to have to address. An amazing range of plans are available in abundance on the net and in your local nurseries or book stores. The easy way is to purchase greenhouse kits that come complete with all the needed material and plans for setting up.

Plans for the hands-on person are a delight to work with. Armed with the right information and design, you can customize the plans to suit your requirement of size and available space for construction. Before you embark on researching plans and kits, give a serious thought to what you really want to use the greenhouse for. Are you only interested in starting seeds or cuttings or do you plan to grow vegetables, flowers, fruits and herbs year round? Once your intent is clear to you, start looking for the most viable option.

Greenhouse kits with instructions and plans included come in a variety of sizes that range between very small window units, structures that are 6 feet by 8 feet to structures that are 16 by 24 feet. Experts advise that you go in for the largest size your garden will allow and which you can afford. The purpose of a kit is to provide you cost effective options. When you build with kits, the final result is neat, elegant and you get exactly what is promised. The structures are designed to give you best value for your money as each item to be used is optimized for the function it is meant to perform. In this sense, working with a good quality kit would mean you derive the maximum benefit as well as satisfaction.

Of course, you can make an excellent structure with plans you choose or design yourself. You do need to have a blueprint if you want to match the effectiveness, value for money, workmanship and ease of setting up and maintenance of a kit. Your blueprint should be complete in all aspects; it should cater to the tiniest detail and should provide a step-by-step approach from site identification to populating the greenhouse with plants!

Working with structured greenhouse plans is the key to building your greenhouse successfully. So, do your homework well before you take the plunge!

Bill Keene is a former farmer and author of of the “Building A Greenhouse Plans” and website http://www.buildingagreenhouseplans.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Keene
http://EzineArticles.com/?Greenhouse-Plans&id=2832952

Perhaps the main advantage of a greenhouse is that is provides the gardener with a longer growing season. This is particularly important in colder areas. A greenhouse will provide an early start for seedlings, warmer conditions for tender plants and a frost free environment for plants that will not survive out of doors.

Another, less often recognized, advantage is that a greenhouse allows a gardener with mobility problems to garden at table height in warm conditions. Plants can be raised to a convenient height for the gardener in a greenhouse. Simple staging, either home made or bought for the purpose will create an environment in which a disabled gardener can enjoy all the pleasures of gardening without having to bend or stretch or get chilled.
A greenhouse can become a favorite place to sit and enjoy the rest of your garden. On a cold winter day the greenhouse will keep the wind of and provide a sheltered spot to think about next year’s plans.
What you use a greenhouse for will depend on your own personal preferences. Beautiful displays of alpines can be created in a greenhouse on benches covered with gravel. It may seem strange to grow plants that are essentially hardy in a greenhouse but it makes sense. Alpines hate to get wet. They are used to being frozen all winter but will not survive damp conditions. Their flowers are often small and can best be appreciated when placed on a bench.

Summer bedding plants and vegetable seeds can be raised in an unheated greenhouse. If you want to avoid paying high prices for ready grown plants a greenhouse may be the answer. You can grow many more plants from a packet of seeds than you could afford to buy. Your garden will become a riot of color as you experiment with new annual bedding schemes, hanging baskets and planters.

Vegetables will reach maturity earlier if you raise you seeds in a greenhouse. Your crops will be ready before out door sown plants are ready for harvesting. With all plants sown in the greenhouse you must be careful to harden them to outdoor conditions slowly. Put them outside when the risk of frost has passed. Do this during the day at first. As they get used to the colder conditions you can leave them out at night. When you are sure they are strong enough plant them in their final position.

By this time you will be ready to think about what you want to grow in your greenhouse during the summer. You may wish to grow fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes and cucumbers or melons are always favorites. They are comparatively easy to grow. All of these can be grown without heat.

If you want to use your greenhouse in the winter you must provide heating. Perhaps the best form of heating in a small amateur greenhouse is an electric heater. This can be controlled by a thermostat which will regulate the temperature in the greenhouse. The thermostat can be set at the desired temperature. Regulating the temperature is the best way to keep a check on the cost of heating.

For over wintering plants that grow outside in the summer but are not winter hardy the temperature only needs to be set just above freezing. A few degrees of warmth will maintain tender plants in a semi-dormant state until you can return them to the garden.

To continue using your greenhouse for plants and flowers that are in growth you will need higher temperatures. Summer plants can be grown all year round in this way. If you are going to heat your greenhouse to growing temperatures around 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit you should think about insulating the greenhouse with bubble wrap plastic.

It may be necessary to provide additional lighting if you are at a northern latitude with short winter day lengths. Plants need light in addition to warmth and humidity. Plants need light as well as warmth. Some of them need specific day lengths before they come into flower. Lighting allows you to control the condition completely. This is how commercial growers bring flowers into bloom in time for Christmas.

• What will my greenhouse be principally used for?
• Do I want a large or small greenhouse?
• Will the greenhouse be the main attraction of my garden?
• Is my garden exposed to strong winds?
• Are there young children or wild animals in the area?

Factors such as cost and space will determine the type of greenhouse you build.  If you do live in a windy area, it may be worth to spend the extra money for a solid and sturdy greenhouse.  If you live near a large hardware store or a nursery, or even a do-it-yourself home center, go and visit some models.  The customer service representative should be able to provide you with valuable information before you make a final decision.

So as not to mislead you, while there may be different types of greenhouse designs, we’re talking about the same greenhouse.  You get to decide which type you want it to be. 

For example, if temperature is the main factor, because of the plant varieties you want to grow, then there are three types in terms of temperature control.  There are also different types of greenhouses based on structural design.  We’ll start with temperature control factors.

For temperature control purposes, three types of greenhouses exist: 

• a hot greenhouse
• a warm greenhouse
• a cool greenhouse.

Hot Greenhouse

A hot greenhouse’s inside temperature is maintained at a minimum of sixty five degrees. You can at some future date increase the temperature, but a hot greenhouse is intended for growing tropical and exotic plants. If you live in a very cold region, you will need to install heating and lighting equipment to satisfy the requirements of tropical and exotic plant species.

Warm Greenhouse

The temperature inside a warm greenhouse, on the other hand, is at about fifty-five degrees F.  At this temperature, a larger variety of plants can be grown, perhaps as many as you would in your outdoor garden.  You may still need to resort to the use of additional heat and light during the winter months.

Cool Greenhouse

A cool greenhouse (frost-free greenhouse) is maintained at a temperature ranging from forty to forty five degrees F.  This temperature is ideal for growing seedlings or any plants that do not need warmer temperatures to survive.  A cool greenhouse is perfect for starting your plants and vegetables in anticipation of the summer months.  Generally, the use of heat or lights isn’t required for a cool greenhouse.

As for structure, there are generally three types: 

• lean-to
• detached
• ridge and furrow or gutter connected.

Lean-To

The lean-to type of greenhouse is rarely used for commercial purposes because of size restrictions, but is the most popular among hobbyists.

Detached

Detached greenhouses – as the name suggests – are independent and are stand alone structures.  However, they may still be attached to a work area or else provide access to another greenhouse via a passageway.

The Quonset is the most common type of detached greenhouse used for commercial production.  They are built from arched rafters and have solid walls for support. Quonset greenhouses are ideal for producing most crops, although the growing area is limited to the areas around the side walls, which diminishes efficiency and productivity.

Ridge/Furrow

Ridge and furrow greenhouses are attached at the lower edges of the roof by a gutter.  The absence of an inside wall below the gutter allows for increased efficiency. Ridge and furrow greenhouses may be built with gabled or curved arches. Gabled houses are appropriate for heavy coverings (i.e. glass, fiberglass) while curved arch houses are covered with lighter materials (i.e. polyethylene, polycarbonates).

You may encounter different classifications in your readings on greenhouses.  For example, another classification, which is similar to the ones just mentioned are:

Cold frame type

Roof cover may be poly or shade, end wall covering is either poly or rigid, available lengths come in 12 feet increments, and no gutter connections or vents.

Ground-to-ground

Roof covering is either poly or shade, wall covering may be poly or rigid, lengths available in 12 feet increments, no gutters, roof vents are available.

Gutter-connected, Gothic arch

Load rating may be either 10, 15 or 20 pounds, roof covering is poly, sidewall and endwall either poly or rigid, lengths available in 12 feet increments while heights available in 8, 10 or 12 feet, gutter connection and roof vents both available.

Gutter-connected Cable 

Load rating 10, 20 or 30 pounds, roof covering either poly or rigid, endwall and sidewall covering may be either poly or rigid, lengths in 12 feet increments, gutter connection and roof vents available.

Gutter-connected Arch

Load rating may be 10, 20 or 30 pounds, roof covering and sidewall/endwall is rigid, lengths come in 12 feet increments, gutter connection and roof vents available.

Another way of looking at greenhouse types is the material they are made of; that is, glass, fiberglass, or plastic. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.  Whatever you choose, make sure you leave the installation and irrigation systems to professionals.

Glass

Glass type greenhouses are the most traditional covering used.  They may be constructed with slanted sides, straight sides and eaves.  Aluminum, glass buildings provide low maintenance and have aesthetic lines, as well as ensuring that you get a weather-tight structure.  Pre-fabricated glass kits are available for easy installation by hobbyists and amateur gardeners.  They come in different models to meet budget and space restrictions. 

The disadvantages of glass are its fragile condition (glass breaks easily) and high costs.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass greenhouses – they are light, strong and hail-proof.  Be careful, though.  Low quality fiberglass will discolor, thus reducing penetration of light. Using a good quality fiberglass will however make it as expensive as building a glass one.  If you decide to go for fiberglass, go for the most expensive grade, and do not buy colored fiberglass.

Plastic

• Plastic greenhouses are becoming very popular for the following reasons:
• Low cost (about 1/6 the cost of glass)
• Absorbs sufficient heat
• Fruits and vegetables and other plants under plastic are comparable in quality to that of glass-grown varieties
• Lower tax liabilities
• Choice of polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), copolymers of these materials, and other readily available clear films.

Polythylene

Polyethylene:  lightweight and inexpensive.  It stands up well during the seasons of fall, winter and spring, but tends to deteriorate during the summer when it gets constant exposure to the sun.  It breaks down due to ultraviolet rays and the deterioration begins along the rafters and along the creases. This problem can be avoided by using UV-inhibited polyethylene, which is available in two and six ml thickness and is up to 40 feet wide and 100 feet long.

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC or Vinyl) – like polyethylene, PVCs are soft and flexible.  You can have transparent ones.  Vinyl costs two to five times more than polyethylene. When properly installed, they can last as long as five years.  Because it attracts dust and dirt from the air, it has to be washed from time to time

Read More

 A greenhouse uses a special kind of glass that acts as a medium which selectively transmits spectral frequencies.  Spectral comes from the word “spectrum”. 

 In layman’s terms, a spectral frequency can be defined in terms of the following principle:  any object in the universe emits, radiates or transmits light.  The distribution of this light along an electromagnetic spectrum is determined by the object’s composition.

 Therefore, the glass of a greenhouse traps energy within the greenhouse and the heat in turn provides heat for the plants and the ground inside the greenhouse.  It warms the air near the ground, preventing it from rising and leaving the confines of the structure. 

 For example, if you open a small window near the roof of a greenhouse, the temperature drops significantly.  This is because of the autovent automatic cooling system.  An autovent is simply a device used by greenhouses that maintains a range of temperatures inside.  This is how greenhouses trap electromagnetic radiation and prevents convection (transference of heat by currents within a fluid).

 Curious about how the idea of a greenhouse came about?  It goes back to the days of the Romans, who – as history annals show – were the first people to create a structure to protect plants.  Using heated pits, they put up slabs of rock to form primitive greenhouses.  The term “glasshouse” which is the correct name of this structure, was adopted sometime in the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

 At that time, however, the error was in believing that heat was more important than light for plants to thrive.  Structures were being built to exclude the entry of light, but by the time the glass tax of 1845 was abolished, the design of greenhouses started to change. 

 Builders realized then that a curved roof instead of a flat one allowed higher concentrations of the sun’s rays, and that by using iron instead of wood, the greenhouse could be structurally reinforced and made capable of absorbing more light.

 A man named Joseph Paxton, a horticulturist, appeared on the scene and introduced changes to the greenhouse design concept.  He was famous for the Palmhouse at Kew Gardens which he built in 1842.  It measured 110 meters long, 30 meters wide and over 20 meters high.  Nine years later, he built the Crystal Palace.

 It has been forty years now since major improvements in materials and design have been integrated into the greenhouse, and it is now very much a feature of any home garden.

 One greenhouse principle is the ability to extend the growing season.  Early vegetables can be planted indoors and then transplanted when they mature.  A greenhouse owner also gains several weeks to the growing and sowing period especially if there is a form of heating installed. 

 Controlling temperature, light and moisture is one of the things that greenhouse owners can do; this way they obtain the guaranteed results they want.  Our science classes taught us that many plant varieties enjoy a warm, moist temperature.

 In addition to extending the growing season and being able to control temperature and moisture inside a greenhouse, a gardener learns to hone his gardening skills by getting acquainted with as many varieties as he can in the greenhouse. 

 He may choose to specialize on one species of fruit or vegetable or flowering plant.  Many have built greenhouses for the purpose of growing and preserving their orchids. 

 Whatever the intent is, a greenhouse will deliver hours of emotional satisfaction to owners.  Imagine being able to grow juicy tomatoes or producing new kinds of plants by the simple act of propagation.

 Don’t be discouraged by the fact that you have limited space in your garden or that is completely paved or concreted.  You can still make use of limited space. 

 If space is a problem, there are what people call “free standing” greenhouses that take just a few square feet of space, and some can be installed on balconies or roof tops.

 Today, you can choose any greenhouse frame you want, including color.  If you’re not into aluminum, you can build one with a dark frame color or go for earth colors instead. 

 Let’s mention a few of the numerous benefits of greenhouses:

• Control of growing conditions for plants to obtain desired results,
• Protection from the elements and from birds and animals,
• Facility in controlling pests and diseases,
• Easy access by the elderly and disabled, given that greenhouses are less physically demanding than wide open crop spaces and fields,
• Possibility of reducing gardening costs because the owner or gardener grows his own plants,
• Possibility of widening the variety of plants for general gardening purposes.
• A greenhouse serves as an escape or refuge after a trying day.

 The idea of growing food at controlled temperatures all year round and extending the growing season have set fire to people’s imaginations.  No wonder the greenhouse building industry has recorded phenomenal growth. 

 From construction plans to tools and accessories for greenhouses, individuals are working on all fours to satisfy the increasing demands of consumers who have made building their own greenhouses top priority.  This trend, which started humbly in the 70’s, is now a full-fledged endeavor on the part of greenhouse entrepreneurs and “homesteaders.”

 One greenhouse story told by a woman was particularly moving.  Months before the spring, her husband bought the materials required for building a greenhouse.  His plan was to attach it to the house. 

 The woman had protested because he was at the same time going through radiation and chemotherapy treatments for his cancer.  His wife said he should be resting instead of puttering about with shelves and glass and plastic. 

 What he said broke her heart.  He wanted to build and finish the greenhouse while he still had some strength left, because he knew for a long time that she had always wanted one in their backyard.  He said he wanted to see the joy in her face when she started planting her tomatoes or gardenias or whatever else she wanted to put there.

 Greenhouses are an extension of our personalities.  Most especially, it mirrors our soul and what we want from life.

 And what we want is a steady supply of home-grown healthy food.  During these precarious times when terrorist attacks and life-threatening calamities can cast us in the dark indefinitely, we have one thing we can be sure of – the tomatoes and cucumbers that are in the food basket in the kitchen will tide us over should the country go on emergency mode. 

 The sweet potatoes and carrots will be around, and there will be more from the greenhouse to feed our families for a few weeks before things return to normal. 

 Not that we believe that a shortage will ever happen, the country has become much more prepared for any kind of emergency, but just on the off chance…

 If greenhouses can save our lives, we may, at some point in time, consider the idea of building one soon, a first step towards self-sufficiency. 

 It’s not just a constant supply of healthy food that concerns individuals, but a greenhouse – and building it – can be sources of pure enjoyment and clean fun for everyone in the family. Most greenhouse owners are familiar with the advantages of growing their own plants and flowers, prolonging the growing season and the possibility of heating their home.  And who knows?  They could be selling fresh produce in the communities they live in.

 There are many greenhouse models to choose from.  You can go from affordable to very expensive.  You can build a greenhouse by using junk or a plastic film stretched over a rudimentary structure, or purchase elaborate metal and glass pre-manufactured sun-rooms. 

Each of them serves the fundamental function of extending the growing season.  Even the question of irrigation can be simple or complex, depending on your preferences.

 Just want to make it a hobby?  Why not?  Homeowners attach theirs to their homes.  Even schools have greenhouses built by elementary and high school students. 

 Finally, the wholesome taste of a home-grown tomato!  Everyone knows there is a difference.  But really, between you and I, it goes beyond just tomatoes. 

 Perseverance, labor of love and the sweet anticipation of “harvest time” are what truly matter.