Choosing And Comparing Greenhouse Panels

The material of your greenhouse is a very significant factor in terms of heat transfer and the heat it can retain, durability, and the cost in keeping maintaining a warm greenhouse temperature all throughout the winter months.

There are many paneling materials available in the market that you can choose from, such as glass, polythene plastic, fiberglass, and polycarbonate are a few of the common and most popular materials today.

Each material type works well as each also has its individual strong and weak points. Certainly, some panels suit better the budget of the hobbyist抯.

When deciding on a panel for your hobby greenhouse you have to consider the following:

? The amount of light that can be transmitted.

? The toughness of climate in your area (some can be very windy).

? Easy installation.

? Easy to maintain.

? Decrease light transfer as the panel ages.

? How much heat it can hold.

? Durability and estimated life of the panel until the need of replacement.

? Price.

? Endurance to heavy rain and strong wind; tearing or breakage.

? Weight.

? Flammability.

Fiberglass, glass and polycarbonates, are excellent choices for one who is into a greenhouse hobby. Plastic panels are commonly used in commercial large greenhouses although they are not very durable and entail frequent replacing.

Glass, the traditional greenhouse paneling has a very pleasing appearance, can be easily and reasonably maintained and has high level of permanency. When one is really concerned about the look of the greenhouse, then glass can be a good choice for paneling.

Glass permits large amounts of light to pass through, in fact amongst all paneling, it is glass that can transmit light effectively, and however, it can break easily.

If you choose to use glass, just make certain that your greenhouse framing and foundation should really be strong, as glass can be heavy. An aluminum framing is best when using glass, although it can be expensive to keep the greenhouse warm as aluminum absorbs the cold during winter.

The drawback of using glass for paneling is that glass is a breakable material, initially very expensive to construct, needs a very strong framing and foundation to support its rigidity and heaviness.

Polycarbonate, although not as attractive as glass, yet it is much more durable. It likewise can not let in as compared to glass; however sunlight that passes through this material is less slightly concentrated so that plants will not catch the intense sunlight and heat that a glass greenhouses permits. To reduce the cost of heating, double or even triple polycarbonate paneling sheets can work excellently for retaining in the heat.

Fiberglass is a strong, lightweight and essentially hail-proof paneling material. However, you should use good quality fiberglass since poor grades can discolor as well reduce penetration of light overtime. Likewise, you need to use clear and transparent types only. Tedlar-coated quality fiberglass can lasts up to 20 years.

The resin coating that the glass fibers have eventually will wear off, permitting dirt to be deposited in the fibers. Therefore, after about 15 years, there is a need to put on a new resin coating. The penetration of light can be initially compared to glass, although as it ages, it will considerably drop off especially when you use poor quality fiberglass.

Double-layered rigid plastic paneling sheets of polycarbonate or acrylic are available for heat-saving and long-life, covers.

These types of paneling have two coatings of rigid or bendable plastic whish are divided by webs. This double-layer type of material maintains more heat, therefore on can save energy of up to 30 percent.

The acrylic paneling is a long lasting, does not discolor; the polycarbonate generally turns yellow faster, yet typically is shielded by a 揢V-inhibitor?covering on the surface that is exposed to sun and rain. Both paneling do carry warranties on light transmission characteristics for up to10 years. And both are ideal for curved surfaces, but polycarbonate paneling is the most bendable paneling material.

Just keep in mind that the best panel material for your greenhouse is the one that suits your needs and style and of course, your budget. Just purchase the best one you can afford.

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Choosing A Window Greenhouse

Instead of looking out through your glass panes and watching your not so long ago attractive flower beds that are now frozen in the winter, you can easily transform your windowpane into a little greenhouse where houseplants, herbs, seedlings and flowers will thrive.

A window greenhouse is also a great project for the plant lovers with much limited space. Also referred to as a garden window, even with its very small structure, this little garden can supply you with enough space so that you can enjoy year-round blossoms.

Cost, materials and your window greenhouse size are factors to be considered when deciding the style that best suits you. Just do keep in mind that the style should math the design of your home.

There are complete kits bay window style units that are energy saving and installs easily. They certainly will open up any room and likewise increase the functionality of a living space. Window greenhouse seat board may be utilized as a pretty breakfast nook or give a place for indoor plants that takes up a lot of floor space.

The bow greenhouse window can also be a great option that comprises of more than four glass segments to imitate a rounded look. Bay greenhouse windows generally come in three segments with sides that are angled at either thirty or forty-five degrees.

Your most cost-effective and simple to build option will be a complete greenhouse bow window kit as compared to building a new window greenhouse yourself. With the kit, all you have to do is remove your existing window then enlarge the opening of the wall in accordance to the required size stipulated in the kit and just screw and nail your greenhouse window in place.

However, you should first select a size or measurement that suits your interest as well as the plants that you will be housing. More plants will mean more time is required from you in order to attend to them. Starting with a smaller greenhouse window unit can be a good idea, as you can just install another one. However when your goal is to have more open space then start bigger.

Bow greenhouse windows that come in vinyl maintenance-free material or aluminum coated wood are very appealing. The interior is natural wood which can be stained or painted. With the imitation wood graining, often the stained or painted vinyl looks very real as well as maintenance-free.

Your choices when it comes to window greenhouse features are endless. For energy saving, select a bow greenhouse window structure with bendable foam insulation that is constructed into the seat board or headboard. Some really efficient kinds have foam-stuffed cavities and frames.

The glass paneling is considered to be the core of any greenhouse window for glare control, comfort, efficiency and resistance to fading. For most temperatures and weather, low-emissive or 搇ow-e?type of glass having argon gas between gaps is not a good choice. Select a glass having insulating spacer.

Examine you home and search for that area having those 搑eady-made?qualities to put up your window greenhouse. You need warmth, good light supply and easy water access. Maintaining and growing plants indoors requires that you provide humidity, sunlight and constant temperature.

Keep in mind that you will be working with the plants such as transplanting them when needed, watering, fertilizing and checking for disease, so you need an area of the house that is easily accessible to you, that will not clash with other activities in the home.

When you want and enjoy the sight of colorful flowers from where you always stay for instance, in the kitchen, it does not have to follow that you should have your window greenhouse in the kitchen, even if there is limited space; you can just rotate flowering plants to many parts of the house, and just return them regularly to the window greenhouse for some rest and sunshine.

Once you have decided where to put your window greenhouse, decide weather you will be building it yourself or you will purchase a kit.

Just remember that foliars are just the beginning. You can always purchase potted flowering plants in bloom and arrange them in your window greenhouse. During fall, you can already plant summer flowers in pots that you can enjoy when summer comes. Also, herbs are attractive, useful and fragrant addition to your window greenhouse. You can now garden all year long and enjoy it no matter what the weather brings.

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5 Factors to Consider When Choosing Greenhouse Lighting

If you are one of those few people who are in love with nature, then, having a greenhouse garden at your background is an incredible idea. In fact, according to some statistical reports, 80% of the 100 people that owned greenhouses in the United States were nature lovers, while the remaining 20% said it was purely for commercial gains.

Built specially for plant cultivation, greenhouses or hothouses are specially designed to suit the needs of every plant lover. It is a sanctuary where people and plants can bond together and enjoy each other as they fill the world with lush flora and abundant greens.

In as much as greenhouses are designed to provide the perfect environment for any kind of plant, there are some cases wherein the viability of the equipment is still dependent on the owner of the greenhouse or to those who manage the area.

In this sense, it is important for every greenhouse owner to see to it that the needs of the conservatory are being met.

The Greenhouse Setting

Technically, the main concept of a greenhouse is that the plants are placed in a space confined in a specially designed structure. Since the plants were not cultivated in an open area, it is extremely important for the owner to provide the necessary requirements that the plants have.

One should keep in mind that the plants are placed in a secured place; hence, it is the responsibility of the greenhouse owner or the one who manages the place to provide the needs similar to that of the ones being enjoyed by the plants in the exterior environment.

The Lighting

One of the most important necessities of every plant in order to manufacture its own food is the light. You have probably learned from your grade school science teacher that plants need light in order to produce its own food, along with the other factors such as water and air.

With respect to the conditions inside the greenhouse, it is important for the plants to receive adequate amount of light in order to develop and grow on its maximum state. This is especially useful during winter, where no amount of natural light can be produced.

Hence, it is extremely significant to provide some artificial lights in order to supply the lighting needs of every plant inside the hothouse.

Today, there are various kinds of lighting features that are built to suit the individual needs of the plants being cultivated in greenhouses. Choosing a specific greenhouse light can be very tricky, especially if you are not yet familiar with it.

Hence, it is so important to consider some factors when buying a greenhouse light. Here is the list that you can use when buying the items:

1. Type of greenhouse

Before buying a greenhouse light, try to consider first the kind of greenhouse that you have. Is it a commercial greenhouse or a personal one?

Knowing what type of greenhouse that you have could easily teach you what kind of light to choose. For instance, if you have a commercial greenhouse, it is best that you buy a light that is created to endure humid, adverse conditions that are commonly found in commercial conservatories.

2. Length of use

It does not necessarily mean that when you buy lighting fixtures you will absolutely use them 24 hours a day. The duration of light use in greenhouses are based on 損hotoperiods.?This means that the period, in which, the light will be used may vary. For example, one may use lighting for a ?2-hour photoperiod.?This means that within 24 hours cycle, lighting will be used for 12 hours and 12 hours with no light at all.

Hence, it is important to buy a light that will provide the necessary benefits even if it will take longer hours of use.

3. Purpose

Buy a light that will focus more on your desired results. For instance, if you want to motivate the growth of your flowering plants like the orchids, it is best to buy a light that will put more weight on the 搒pectrum colors?like the red, blue and the 揻ar-red wavelengths.?

Besides, the colors of the light have notable effects on the plant growth. This means that not all light can actually produce the desired results.

4. Electrical efficiency

Even if lighting can provide most of what your greenhouse needs, it is also important to take note of the efficiency of the product. This means that you should better opt for those lighting products that provide optimum effect without having to compromise the amount of energy that they consume.

It would be better to buy lights that are efficient but can still conserve as little energy as possible.

5. Heat

Do remember that lighting should only be used where it is needed. This goes to show that any light that emits more than what it is needed for is actually worthless. Simply put, a light that emits more heat as it releases light is of no use. Too much heat on plants will trigger its death. For example, it is not a good idea to buy an incandescent bulb because it gives out too much heat.

Indeed, lighting is such an important factor in a plant抯 development. Hence, it is very important to consider the kinds of light to be used in your greenhouse in order to ensure the quality of plant growth that you want to achieve.

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Choosing The Right Greenhouse Design

When one has a greenhouse, it means that one never has to quit gardening just because of weather conditions. You can keep on propagating cuttings and seeds and grow several plant varieties whatever the season.

When choosing a greenhouse, select a greenhouse style that matches the design of your home and the layout of your garden. Weather conditions should also be taken into account, as when your area experiences heavy snows during the winter, most likely you will not select a flat or straight roof design, rather a roof that will allow the snow to slide off easily.

The standard free-standing with curved or peaked roof greenhouse up to now is very popular that can be found in so many gardens. The rectangular or square shape permits for utmost growing space for plants, usually designed with benches on the sides and at the back.

Lean-to or home or wall attached greenhouses designs are manufactured and used when there is limited space at the backyard. These greenhouse designs are very accessible and convenient for connecting much needed water and power supply.

When choosing a certain design in the market, the 搒ky's the limit? Small solariums of various designs are widely available, medium and large sized greenhouses and even prefabricated greenhouse kits for easy installation.

Here are some greenhouse designs:

1. Gable greenhouse. This design type usually is attached to a wall or garage or any structure utilizing only half the gable抯 actual gable design. Generally, this type has flat roof panels but slightly sloping and vertical sidewalls. At times, the gable types of greenhouse are also attached to another greenhouse employing the use of the end wall rather than sidewall.

2. Barn style greenhouse. This design type is, as the name suggests shaped similar to a barn having wide roof and interior and with shorter walls. This design is usually incorporated in a garden of country setting or theme or a rustic garden appeal. This greenhouse design can be attached to another greenhouse or can be beautifully constructed in a garden freestanding.

3. Dome greenhouse. This design is identical to a dome, meaning it is half a ball and placed directly on land. This design can not be attached to a structure and only can be constructed as a freestanding type of greenhouse, as this design has no sidewalls. This type of greenhouse is a bit expensive to make due to the many pieces of different glazing that generally are needed to complete this design shape.

5. Gothic style greenhouse. This design type has a very historical gothic appearance. The walls and roof are formed in such a manner as to create a continuous form, allowing snow to fall down easily. This design type can be either attached or freestanding, however it is usually not recommended attached except when your home抯 design is very much similar to a gothic design.

6. Hoop greenhouse. This type of design is constructed with a metal pipe or PVC to make the hoop抯 shape then enclosed with plastic covering. This type of design is very cost effective on your initial purchase, but the maintenance of continuously replacing the cover (plastic) can really add up.

One will find that the majority of greenhouses are manufactured from aluminum material that is weatherproof and lightweight. Galvanized steel also is sturdy and lightweight. Wood can also be used, but one has to make sure to use a lumber that has been pressure treated such as redwood or cedar because these are weather resistant.

As to whatever greenhouse design should you decide on, be sure to look for a structure with the highest strength and stability and must have these features:

? Will be cable to endure extreme weather conditions, like very high winds and snowfall build up.

? Should have the necessary support for grow lights, sidewall shelving and hanging baskets.

? Should have an intricate detail of having hinged screened storm doors as well as large side or individual roof vents.

? A wide selection of styles and sizes offered. Keep in mind that costs can limit your greenhouse size, however extensions can later be added when needed and when you already have enough budget for it.

? The door may be easily adjusted to be dropped or lowered into the foundation抯 opening so to get rid of an elevated step when you feel that it is needed.

Take note that often, most greenhouse owners complain of a limited space when they built their greenhouse on a budget. So whatever design you choose, just remember to get the largest that your money can buy.

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