I finally was able to obtain my own greenhouse in my 43rd year on this planet. My first home was on a tiny city lot and simply had no room for a greenhouse. My current home sits on a near double lot ideal for city gardening. Shortly after moving in I searched for a greenhouse to add to the property. I found a redwood and glass greenhouse from a local company: Sturdi-Built a company I heartily recommend.
Preliminary Considerations.
Placement. First, you need to decide where to place your greenhouse. In my opinion, you can put one almost anywhere in your yard so long as you have the space and the sun. It sounds obviously, but you do not want your greenhouse in the shade (at least in Oregon). It really defeats the purpose of having a glass house. Sun provides the essential warmth.
Type. Next, you'll choose the type of greenhouse. Will it be made of wood, aluminum, or some other material? Will you choose walls of glass, polycarbonate, or something else? I chose a redwood model with glass walls. Why? Perhaps, it had something to do with the structure in my grandparents' yard (a greenhouse of wood and glass design). I like the traditional look of redwood and glass.
Size. There is a cliché in the greenhouse industry that you should buy the largest size that you can afford (and, of course, have room for). This is true. You will never regret buying a larger size, because you will quickly fill your greenhouse with more plants and pots than you can imagine.
Cost and Expenses.
The total cost was probably the biggest (and most unpleasant) surprise to me as I acquired my greenhouse. I assumed, mistakenly, that the cost of the greenhouse itself would be the sum total cost of the project. This was not the case. There are several other financial obligations that often go hand in hand with acquiring a greenhouse.
Foundation. The foundation where you place your greenhouse can be a significant expenditure. You may choose to place your house on less expensive pressure treated 4 by 4's, but if you choose a more substantial reinforced concrete foundation it will cost more. The more expensive the greenhouse you choose, the more likely you'll want to choose a substantial and long lasting foundation.
Installation and assembly. Most greenhouses are sold in kit form. Some--often substantial--assembly is required. If you're handy (I am not), you can certainly assemble the kit yourself. I hired a skilled handy man to assemble my greenhouse kit. It took him approximately two days. For me, it was definitely worth the cost.
Electricity. Although not required, I strongly recommend that you hire an electrician to wire your greenhouse for electricity. In my greenhouse, electricity runs two fans, heat mats for seed starting, electric heaters on the coldest winter days, a sprinkler control panel, a video camera, and a radio / mp3 / speaker system. These little luxuries make your greenhouse more enjoyable, but electricians don't work for free. I had four outlets installed in my greenhouse; I wish I had installed eight--four on either end of the house.
Water. The more plants you have in your greenhouse, the more you'll want a water supply. I have a drip irrigation system set up in my greenhouse. It operates through my sprinkler system on a timer. The sprinkler panel is also located inside my greenhouse. I wish I had installed a small sink and faucet inside.
Flooring. If you install a simple gravel floor in your greenhouse, the expense will be minimal. I chose more expensive pavers for the greenhouse floor; pavers also surround the outside of the greenhouse. Pavers are an ideal choice as they allow water to freely seep through. They are also provide a relatively flat, level base for shelving and other items.
Benches, Shelves and other expenses. You will almost certainly need shelves / benches in your greenhouse. Shelves hold smaller to medium size plants, tools, pots, seed trays, bird seed, and other items. I found some aluminum bodied shelves with plastic insets. They are light weight, strong, and water / rust proof. Excess water drains right through the plastic.
The benches measure 2 feet by 4 feet. This is a convenient size as heat mats come in the same size. Fluorescent light tubes come in 48 inch lengths, and four seed trays fit perfectly on the shelves. See photo on the lower left.
I also have a ZVOX speaker system in the greenhouse. I enjoy listening to satellite radio on the weekends when I'm in the yard. In the fall, I'll turn on a college football game or ESPN radio while working in the greenhouse. The speaker also hooks up to an mp3 player. For no particular reason, I installed an internet camera in the greenhouse.
Heating, Cooling, and Air Circulation.
Vents. Many greenhouses come with automatic ceiling vents. These vents open automatically when the temperature reaches a certain point. The vents are a lifesaver on hot days. They do not rely on electricity; rather wax in the mechanism expands in warm temperatures forcing the vents open. When the temperature cools, the wax contracts and the vents close automatically.
Shading Material. Shade cloth on the roof and some side walls can substantially reduce sun damage / heat in the hottest summer months. The shade cloth comes off in the fall. See the photo at the left. Shade cloth is on the roof windows in the lower portion of the photo.
Fans. I use two fans in my greenhouse. They operate continuously 24 hours a day. Although the fans aid in cooling the temperature in the summertime, their primary purpose is air circulation. Good air circulation is essential to greenhouse health.
In the winter months, cold is the concern. Living in Portland, Oregon, my plants don't experience the sever cold winters of much of the country. Still we do have many nights where the temperature drops below freezing.
Heaters. I don't use my greenhouse as a "hot house" for orchids, Therefore, my primary concern is keeping the interior temperature above 32 degrees. I do this through the use of two electric heaters. Electric heaters are not efficient but they do the job in the mild climate found in the Pacific Northwest.
Seed Starting. One of the great pleasures of owning a greenhouse is seed starting. Last spring, I started peppers, tomatoes, and even a couple of watermelons in my greenhouse. Heat mats are invaluable for starting these seeds. After a dark and cold winter, there is a strong temptation to start seeds before temperatures warm sufficiently. Heat mats greatly assist seed germination in cooler temperatures. Unfortunately, I have found that most heat mats do not last long, and they are expensive.
The seeds in my greenhouse sit on one of the shelves pictured on the left. I set up two sets of fluorescent lights (four 48 inch tubes). I purchased these shop type lights from Home Depot. In my opinion, fluorescent tubes specifically sold as "grow" lights are ridiculously overpriced, and regular inexpensive fluorescent tube lights work just fine. I hooked the lights to the bottom of the top shelf. The lights are on a timer and run about 14 hours a day. On the lower shelf, I placed a heat mat below the seed trays. The heat mat runs 24 hours a day. Clear plastic covers aid in keeping the seeds warm and humid until germination.
Pictured below: My internet camera; storage cubbies; greenhouse shade cloth; a front view of the house showing the Dutch doors; a thermometer; and a stainless steel table (from costco.com).
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