Greenhouse Facts

Types

• Greenhouses come in an array of sizes and shapes. There are large commercial ones, home use walk-in greenhouses, portable ones which are designed to be taken apart and stored during the regular growing season and table top ones that can sit anywhere there is sufficient sunlight.

Benefits

• Greenhouses extend the growing season allowing for fruits and vegetables to be grown year round. In some cases, plants that could never survive in a particular climate can be grown. They keep animals out of the garden, protect seedlings from wind and storm damage, save money on grocery bills during the off season and keep some types of pests away such as boring insects.

Problems

• Not all bugs will remain outside the greenhouse. Some sneak in with the gardener while others can get in through tiny crevices just as they can any house. You can quickly end up with an ardent bug colony in the off season if you're not vigilant. While warmth is important for plants in the greenhouse, too high a temperature can cook them. Humidity is also important to greenhouse plants but too much can promote diseases. Conversely, soil dries out quicker in a greenhouse.

Cost

• An outdoor greenhouse can cost anywhere from $99 for a portable plants-only model up to thousands of dollars for full-sized permanent structures. Table top greenhouses can range from $17.95 up to $100 depending on size and complexity. There are also mini kits for children that are only a couple dollars.

To DIY or Not

• Greenhouses are available as kits for gardeners to put together themselves. Depending on the complexity of the greenhouse and intended location, some people find it best to leave it up to a professional installer. Either way, many greenhouses can be installed in a matter of hours.