A basic greenhouse consists of an enclosed structure covered by a clear material, usually glass or plastic.

• This material is specifically designed to retain heat while allowing heat from the sun to enter the greenhouse.
• This generally means that the temperature within the greenhouse is much warmer than the external environment.
• A greenhouse is generally used for growing plants, although gardeners often customize their hobby greenhouses for a particular purpose, this greenhouse buyers guide will help to make things easier for you and cheaper!
• The additional features a greenhouse should have will depend primarily on the type of greenhouse plants you want, and the time of year they will be grown. This article will help you to choose the best greenhouse manufacturer to buy from and choose the best free greenhouse plans.

Gardeners in cold climates may need to supplement the passive heating of a greenhouse with an active heating system.

1. Heaters that burn fuels such as natural gas, fuel oil, propane or wood produce gases that can harm plants. Propane heaters are actually affordable and efficient.
2. Gardeners generally use an electric greenhouse heater, which does not produce gases.
3. Utility greenhouse heaters should use 220-volt electricity so you can simply plug them into the electrical outlet.
4. Portable heaters can be easily repositioned to regulate the temperature within the greenhouse.
5. This capability is especially important for plants that grow best within a narrow temperature range.
6. Heaters can often be connected to a thermostat, which will turn the heater on and off automatically keep the temperature in the greenhouse within a specific range.

The enclosed environment of a greenhouse can cause the accumulation of gases that can keep plants from thriving.

1. A green house typically has vents that prevent this from occurring, but a fan is often needed to provide additional ventilation.
2. Ceiling fans push warm air at the top of the greenhouse down to the floor to prevent heat from escaping.
3. A long, thin greenhouse will typically have a fan at one end and open vents at the other end to produce a strong airflow through the greenhouse.
4. A square greenhouse will often have fans in opposite corners to provide good ventilation, we recommend purchasing automatic greenhouse vent openers with your order. The primary ventilation fan in the greenhouse should be able to replace one fourth of the air in the greenhouse each minute.

Greenhouses are often used to grow plants during the winter.

1. Light levels are lower during this period, particularly in the northern latitudes.
2. Growing plants in winter often requires artificial sources of light as well as heat.
3. Grow lights are specifically designed to produce light in the frequency range that is most useful to plants.
4. These lights are typically suspended over a row of plants at a distance of 2 to 6 inches from the top of the plant.
5. Seedlings often grow best when the lights are as close as possible, while mature plants can benefit from grow lighting and grow lights that are further away.

Plants in the greenhouse do not receive rainfall, so they must receive their entire water supply through artificial means.

1. A fully equipped greenhouse has at least one type of irrigation system and many greenhouses have more than one irrigation system.
2. Drip irrigation consists of a system of hoses or pipes that run along the rows of plants.
3. The pipes contain perforations, which allow the water to drip slowly into the soil. This method waters the plants without allowing water to accumulate on the leaves, which can promote the growth of blight, fungus and mold.
4. Drip irrigation often involves burying the pipe or hose to a depth of 3 inches.
5. These systems must be checked regularly as a small leak can completely soak the soil.
6. Irrigation systems are typically connected to timers, allowing the plants to be watered automatically.

The humidity level in the greenhouse is normally high and many plants benefit from a lower humidity level.

• This can be accomplished with greater airflow, which will also lower the temperature. Tropical plants often grow in greenhouses, because they require high temperature and high humidity levels. A misting system and humidifier blows moisture into the air without lowering the temperature within the greenhouse. The primary disadvantage of a humidifier is that the water in the humidifier must be replaced frequently.

The greenhouse can also be made more functional with the right furniture. Gardeners typically need shelves on which to store container plants.

• Tables and benches are also a common requirement for various greenhouse kits.
• Gardeners frequently perform procedures such as filling seed trays and dividing plants, which are easier in a sitting position.
• The tables should be at least 33 inches wide and accessible from both sides to provide an adequate workspace.
• The table should be about 30 inches in height to allow the gardener to work comfortably.

Greenhouses are often unattended for long periods, so alarm systems are an effective method of improving a greenhouse.

These typically include detectors for carbon monoxide, fire and smoke. Gardeners should also conduct periodic inspections of the electrical devices in their greenhouse. Devices with exposed wiring in the electrical cord are generally impractical to repair and should be discarded. Defective wiring is especially dangerous in a greenhouse where the floor is often covered with water. For those who don’t own a greenhouse, and don’t want to buy one, you can always build a DIY greenhouse kit in your home or backyard, to do this you will need the right greenhouse plans for the job.

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Related Resources:

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#: 1 - Drip Irrigation History Lesson – www.Climate.org

Summary:

“Drip Irrigation has been used for centuries across the globe to more efficiently make use of scarce water resources. Early examples of the use of drip irrigation range from clay piping in Afghanistan in the 1880s to the invention of perforated piping in the 1920s in Germany.”

Written by: B Berger

Publishing Organization: New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University.

Original Source: http://www.climate.org/climatelab/Drip_Irrigation

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#: 2 - Water Quality Information Center from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – www.USDA.gov

Summary:

“Water Quality Information Center (WQIC) provides electronic access to information on water quality and agriculture. The center collects, organizes, and communicates the scientific findings, educational methodologies, and public policy issues related to water quality and agriculture.”

Written By: WQIC assisted by the USDA
Original Source: http://www.wqic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php

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#: 3 - How to Buy an Energy Efficient Fluorescent Tube Light – www.Energy.gov

Summary:

“Federal agencies are required to procure energy-efficient products. FEMP produces energy efficiency requirements and resources to help Federal buyers comply with Federal requirements while saving energy and costs. This section outlines FEMP’s energy-efficient products program.”

Written By: U.S. Department of Energy, from the Federal Management Program of 10/2011

Original Source: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/technologies/procuring_eeproducts.html

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#: 4 - White LEDs with Super-High Luminous Efficacy, Could Satisfy all General Lighting Needs – www.Physorg.com

Summary:

“Researchers from the Nichia Corporation in Tokushima, Japan, have set an ambitious goal: to develop a white LED that can replace every interior and exterior light bulb currently used in homes and offices. The properties of their latest white LED – a luminous flux of 1913 lumens and a luminous efficacy of 135 lumens per watt at 1 amp – enable it to emit more light than a typical 20-watt fluorescent bulb, as well as more light for a given amount of power. With these improvements, the researchers say that the new LED can replace traditional fluorescent bulbs for all general lighting applications, and also be used for automobile headlights and LCD backlighting.”

Written By: Lisa Zyga

Published By: Physorg the Science Physicals Tech Nano News Company

Original Source: http://www.physorg.com/news202453100.html

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#: 5 - Improving Greenhouse Production Efficiency – www.Ofa.org

Written By: Erik Runkle and Mathew Blanchard

Publishing Organization: Plant and Soil Sciences Department of Horticulture Michigan State, University

Summary:

“Two primary environmental factors that control plant growth and development are temperature and light. Although, these two factors have distinct effects on plants, they interact in many ways. In order for growers to be able to optimize crop production, knowledge of how these factors influence plant growth and development is very important.”

Original Source: http://www.ofa.org/pdf/energy/article_improve_efficiency_runkle.pdf

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#: 6 – Record Increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions for 2010 – www.Climateimc.org

Summary:

“Greenhouse gases increased 6 per cent during 2010, one of the largest annual increases on record according to the US Department of Energy. In 2010 about 512 million metric tonnes more of carbon was emitted to the atmosphere than in 2009. Total emissions for 2010 were 30.6 Gigatonnes, 5% higher than the previous record year in 2008, according to an International Energy Agency report in June 2011.”

Original Source: http://www.climateimc.org/en/original-news/2011/11/26/record-increase-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2010

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