Selecting the Best Site for Your Greenhouse Kit

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Installing a greenhouse kit is an ideal choice for those who enjoy gardening but have limited space in their yard. Although relatively easy to install, owning a greenhouse requires more than just picking an accessible spot in your backyard and installing it right there. You should also consider the climate and the amount of sunlight your plants will be receiving.

Sunlight

Sunlight or solar angles differ every season. Hence, you have to determine when the greenhouse will be most used. If it will be used for starting seeds and transplants or plant propagation in the summer, then you should place at a site with a partial shade near a tree, for example, to minimize heat buildup. But if your backyard doesn't offer a partially shaded site, you can use a cloth to control the amount of light going into the greenhouse.

If you're planning to grow plants in late fall or winter or to its maturity, you need to give them maximum exposure to the sun of at least six hours everyday. Use a compass and face the ends of the greenhouse east and west to create fewer shadows; this will allow plants to receive more sunlight in the winter.

Climate

For regions that receive heavy rains, make sure that the greenhouse is located where there is proper drainage. Choose a spot with well-drained and level ground instead of a low, swampy, and sloped area. Strong winds during heavy rains can also affect your greenhouse as they can drain interior heat. A spot with natural windbreaks such as trees, shrubs, and fences can be a good location for the greenhouse.

With a greenhouse in your backyard, you can extend the growing season and continue your hobby all year round because you won't be too dependent on the weather. You can also cut down food costs and grow your own fruits and vegetables for a healthier lifestyle. To ensure successful greenhouse gardening, choosing a location based on the solar angles and the climate of your region are two important factors you need to consider.

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Guidelines on the Cleaning and Maintenance of Greenhouses

 

To achieve the full benefit of greenhouses, owners will have to keep them clean and well-maintained. An annual inspection and a few modifications should be enough; leaving it longer could entail more hours of work and cleanup, which costs more and shaves off time that could've been spent on actual gardening.

It's also important to ensure that it is kept clean throughout the year as well. Plants need all the sunlight they can get especially during rainy or snowy weather; so regularly cleaning the interior and exterior of your greenhouse is necessary to prevent dirt and certain debris from limiting the amount of sunlight allowed into the greenhouse.

You may be surprised to find out that a significant amount of time is needed to clean each panel in the structure. Beginners may find it easier to maintain theirs, as they tend to own smaller models, but more experienced individuals may find cleaning more difficult as their love for gardening will have led to the collection of more plant species and the necessary expansion of their greenhouse.

During summer, proper care and maintenance of greenhouses is essential in keeping insects and pests away from plants. Obviously, it's always better to clean the space when it's less filled, so schedule major cleanups before or after growing season—around May to October in the country's northern regions, and March to November for those in the southern-southwestern-Californian regions. In between seasons or when things are hectic in your greenhouse, even just hosing down the roof helps.

Try to choose a day when there is a gentle breeze to help the structure dry a bit faster, and lift off moss or algae that have taken root on the panels. For scraping these off, any tool that won't scratch and damage the panels is good.

If you're using anything but water to clean the greenhouse's panels, make sure to protect your plants from getting doused with soap or chemicals. You can move them outside if it's warm enough and you can do it without damaging the leaves. See to it that you cover sockets, heater and AC units, exhaust fans, and other electrical components as well.

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