Categories » Home Improvement And DIY » BUILDINGS AND CONSERVATORIES » Greenhouses 

Add your company today and join the clever people above.

Article: An Introduction To Greenhouses

The age-old experience of farmers is that fruits grown on the protected, sunny side of a slope, mature earliest. This led the way to the development of the modern greenhouse. Some of the early stages of this development may be traced back to England, where it was the general practice to train grapevines upon well-sunned garden walls. Some conceived the idea of inclining these walls so that the rays of the sun might fall more directly upon the vines. Then, in an effort to protect the budding leaves from chilly breezes and sudden frost, glass coverings were built around them. When the warmth from the sun was considered insufficient, flues were placed in back of the wall to furnish additional heat. The resulting lean-to form of greenhouse soon became an independent structure of glass supported by beams of wood and of metal.

Greenhouses were originally used for growing flowers out of season. More recently, greenhouses have been put to other uses. In these glass-covered gardens summer conditions may be maintained at any season of the year. Careful artificial heating is used in addition to the natural warmth of the sun. Smaller greenhouses may be heated more uniformly with hot water. For the larger ones, steam has proven to be more economical and practical. In a greenhouse, ventilation is Just as important as heating. The regulation of the air supply is essential in controlling temperature and humidity. It is vital to avoid sudden changes in either.

The commercial advantages of greenhouses gardening can readily be seen. If a gardener can force the growth of his vegetables several months in advance of the regular season, he can compete with the produce shipped from southern climates. He can also send some of his crops to market before those in his locality have matured.

Greenhouses provides detailed information on Commercial Greenhouses, Greenhouse Gardening, Greenhouse Kits, Greenhouse Windows and more. Greenhouses is affiliated with Bonsai Pots.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

Article: Home Greenhouses

If you love gardening and hate the winter months when your garden is for the most part bare, a greenhouse is the perfect solution. With a greenhouse, you can enjoy spring all year round, because a greenhouse is a gardener’s haven during winter. Just like normal gardening, greenhouse gardening can be your retreat to spend some time alone, reflect on your day and gather your thoughts while tending to your plants. A greenhouse in your backyard can be a perfect getaway during the cold, harsh winter. Enter your warm greenhouse any time of day, and you will be swept away by the refreshing scent of fresh flowers.

If you are looking to have a greenhouse on your land, you will find that your options are endless. You can accommodate a small cozy greenhouse in any place that gets optimal sunlight. Home greenhouses come in a number of shapes and sizes, and you will be able to find one that suits your needs. If you feel that you don’t want a greenhouse all year long, or if you want to utilize your garden in other ways for the rest of the year, then you can purchase a portable greenhouse.

You can grow just about anything in your greenhouse. Most often greenhouses are used for growing flowers, vegetables and fruits. These are then transferred outdoors when the weather turns warm. Bumblebees are used as pollinators but seasoned gardeners use artificial pollination. However, you will have to remember that a greenhouse has it own requirements and requires more effort than outdoor gardening. A closed environment means that you will have to control the light, heat and humidity of the greenhouse while constantly watching for pests and diseases.

Greenhouses provides detailed information on Commercial Greenhouses, Greenhouse Gardening, Greenhouse Kits, Greenhouse Windows and more. Greenhouses is affiliated with Bonsai Pots.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

Article: Commercial Greenhouses

From a business point of view, a greenhouse can be very profitable, as you can grow spring vegetables all year long. This is true even in the winter months when you have to normally depend on exports. Commercial greenhouses are much bigger than the standard greenhouse, sometimes extending to several hundred feet. Like the standard greenhouse, they can be designed to fit any building and zoning codes.

The first and most important step in commercial greenhouse construction is to pick the right location. Although you can build a standard greenhouse almost anywhere, a commercial greenhouse has many things that need to be taken into consideration. From a legal point of view, you will need to check on the zoning rules (greenhouses can be built only in certain zones), building codes and environmental feasibility. From a monetary point of view and for higher profits, you will have to check land rates, highway accessibility, and availability of water and the heat and electricity tariffs of the region.

A freestanding greenhouse is best suited for a total structure area of under 10,000 sq. feet. It is also good for regions that receive heavy snowfall and for land with an uneven surface. A gutter-connected greenhouse is best suited for an area between 10,000 and 20,000 sq feet. This structure will greatly reduce your heating bills, as the heat can be centralized. Your local greenhouse manufacturer will supply you with all that is needed.

For a commercial greenhouse, you will need a good climate control system to heat or cool the greenhouse depending on the season. You will need to lay a gravel, concrete or plastic flooring to prevent insect and diseases from affecting your plants. You also need to put benches inside, so that your plants will receive even air circulation and drainage.

Greenhouses provides detailed information on Commercial Greenhouses, Greenhouse Gardening, Greenhouse Kits, Greenhouse Windows and more. Greenhouses is affiliated with Bonsai Pots.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

Article: How to build a mini green house

Follow these steps to build your own green house. Learn to grow your own fresh vegetables and herbs in a mini-greenhouse made from recycled materials.

For those living in apartments, having a garden is only a dream. But what if you could grow your own vegetables and herbs at home in your windowsill, or on a balcony? By building these easy mini-greenhouses, you can have fresh produce year round.

To get started you'll need some sturdy cardboard boxes. You can use old packing boxes from your last move or go to a supermarket or grocer and ask for a couple of their boxes. You will want them to be at least six inches deep, more if you plan to grow root vegetables such as carrots or radishes. Save up all those bent metal wire coat hangers for this project too, and get some sturdy plastic, the kind used to cover insulation works well for the base of your greenhouse and thinner clear stuff like grocer bags will work for the top.

Using the heavy plastic, line the inside of your box. Make certain that the edges of the plastic come at least to the edge of the box to prevent leaks that will make your box soggy later on. The last thing you want is to have dirt and water seeping onto the carpet! Trim the plastic if necessary and tape the edges to the box. Fill up your new planter with soil. You can go out and dig up lots of dirt if you like, but the stuff you buy at nurseries is free of weed seeds and contains the nutrients your plants will need.

Now use wire cutters to snip the hook and twist part of the coat hanger off. Bend the rest of the hanger into a U shape and invert. Stick the upside-down U into the soil at one end of your box. These will be the supports for the greenhouse roof. Add another one at the other end of the planter and if it's a long box, another in the middle.

Decide what seeds you would like to plant (see the list below) and follow the directions on the package as to planting depth and spacing. You can plant more than one type of plant in a box, but I suggest that you stick to one per planter. Label the outside of the box with a marker so you won't forget what's growing where. It can get really confusing when you have several types of herbs that you've only seen dried before. Labelling clarifies everything and keeps you from having to guess.

Now water the seeds. Not too much, just enough to dampen the soil and stick a finger in to make sure it's all damp, not just the surface. And now you're ready to put a top on the greenhouse. Spread your thinner plastic over the top of the planter, so it covers the supports. Staple one side to the inside of the box (not the outside, or it will drip water) and tuck the other edges into the soil at the edge of the planter. Set the greenhouse in sunlight and watch your veggies grow!

If you notice that the soil is looking soggy, lift the edge of the plastic and let it dry out a bit. The water in the soil should evaporate and condense on the plastic where it drips back into the soil and rewaters it. If you notice there is no condensation on the plastic, you might need to mist a bit of water inside the greenhouse. Good luck and enjoy!

Good Vegetables For Mini-Greenhouses: Carrots (deep box), Radishes, Lettuce, Mini tomatoes (may need to raise roof plastic), strawberries, spinach and mustard greens.

Good Herbs For Mini-Greenhouses: Parsley, sage, mint, thyme, rosemary, lemon balm

Article: Pest Control Tips for Maintaining Your Greenhouse by Holly Masters.

Greenhouses provide a warm, humid atmosphere and are home to a variety of different plants and flowers which is why they are a perfect target for insects. There are numerous types of insects which will want to live in your greenhouse and feed off of the wonderful plants and flowers which you have put so much time and effort into maintaining. The information below will provide you with tips and guidelines to follow in order to ensure you are doing everything in your power to ward off any unwanted pests.

The first step in learning how to prevent and eliminate insects from entering into your greenhouse is to understand and become familiar with the types of insects which are likely to reside there. The following is a list of the most common types of insects which you will likely find in your greenhouse:

● Aphids ● Fungus Gnats ● Flies (many forms) ● Bloodworms ● Thrips ● Caterpillars ● Mites ● Slugs and Snails

Now that you are aware of the different types of bugs and insects which may have taken up residence in your greenhouse, it's time to learn how to prevent and/or eliminate them from remaining there.

Here are a number of things to keep in mind in order to ensure there are no bugs in your greenhouse:

1. Always keep all doors, screens and windows shut when not being used for specific purposes.

2. Inspect all new plants to ensure there are no bugs on them to begin with. Bugs have the ability to multiply quickly and can potentially cause a huge infestation in your greenhouse.

3. Make sure there is no water lying around whether it is in jugs, cups or in a puddle on the floor. Insects are attracted to wet areas.

4. Keep your greenhouse in good, clean condition. Not only do insects like water but they like to disguise themselves under areas of clutter. This also means keeping the lawn around your greenhouse mowed and neat at all times. Many pests reside in weeds, if you keep your lawn cut there will be no weeds for the insects to reside in.

5. Bright colors such as yellow and red attract insects. Try not to wear or display (other than on the flowers themselves) any bright colors which may attract unwanted insects.

These guidelines will provide you with the basic knowledge you will need to ensure there are no unwanted insects in your greenhouse. Now you can relax and enjoy all the hard work which went into creating such an amazing atmosphere.

About the Author

Holly Masters loves to garden and takes pride in her greenhouse. She has spent much time learning about greenhouses and serves as a contributing writer for http://www.greenhousesandgazebos.com - a site that offers information about everything from sunrooms to greenhouse kits.