If you've newly bought a greenhouse, the first thing on your mind - apart from what you'll plant! - is probably where is the best spot to put it. It's easy to overlook how essential the location of your greenhouse is to your plants when you're in the midst of things, but it's best to take your time.
Most surfaces will work for a greenhouse, but you need to find the perfect one for your needs. The ideal location for your greenhouse is one that is sunny and protected from harsh weather conditions like frost and wind. Your greenhouse must be placed in a flat, easily accessible, and sunny area.
Important Things to Consider About When Choosing a Location for Your Greenhouse
It's crucial to pick a site for your greenhouse that works well with your surroundings and is conducive to the types of plants you want to cultivate. The lifespan of your greenhouse will be significantly increased, and the amount of time spent on maintenance will decrease.
This section will discuss the various factors you should consider to determine where to put your greenhouse.
Sun exposure
Your greenhouse's optimal spot will be decided by how much sunshine it receives. For optimal sunshine exposure, position your greenhouse so that its longest north-south axis faces south. The amount of sunshine your greenhouse receives each day is directly proportional to the direction you choose to face it.
Choose a the best spot for your greenhouse that will get at least six hours of sunshine daily. When the temperature drops in the winter, this figure becomes even more crucial.
In addition, the side of your greenhouse that is the longest should face south to maximize the amount of sunshine that enters it during the day. However, you should take precautions if you're growing any plants that are sensitive to heat. Vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower are good instances. These plants like partial shade during the hot summer months but thrive in full light throughout the spring and winter.
Check the direction of the sun's rays with a compass if you are unsure. The amount of light lost can drastically change with as little as 15% rotation. The optimal orientation is south, however east, west, and even north can be enough.
The location of the sun depends on more than just the earth's rotation. The early e-sat light is ideal for warming your greenhouse, while the afternoon west sun will retain the greenhouse warmer year-round.
The size of the greenhouse
This should go without saying, but make sure that you know the exact measurements of your greenhouse before installing it - and that the measurements of your available area can handle this new construction.
Weather conditions
Considering about the typical weather and environment of your location is important. Place your greenhouse next to a wall barriers, fence, or row of trees to protect your plants from the wind and rain if you live in a high-wind or storm-prone area.
Avoid putting your greenhouse near the bottom of a slope, where water drainage is likely to be poor, if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain or snow. Instead, try to choose a place that has enough drainage.
Plants
Where you put your greenhouse should also be determined by the kinds of plants you intend to cultivate inside. If you're simply going to be raising a few plants for yourself, a little greenhouse will do. Growing for profit requires a more substantial greenhouse.
In the summer, you might want to add some extra shade to your greenhouse if you live in a very sunny area or if your plants prefer cooler temperatures. If you want to grow shade-loving plants, this may be the case. To control the amount of sunlight that reaches certain parts of your greenhouse, you can install shade cloths.
Pathways or walking space
Don't forget to give yourself some breathing room around the greenhouse in case any repairs are needed. Just make sure you don't put up another building right next to this one. You will need space to work in case you need to wash the glass or there are repairs needed, and you may also find that you need to replace the glass or plastic at some point.
Over time, greenhouses may become a breeding ground for dirt and even algae. If you want your plants to thrive inside the greenhouse, you'll need to get rid of them, and if there isn't at least one meter of clearance around the structure, you'll have a hard time doing so.
Keep some space open so you can shovel snow and clear walkways.
Accessibility
The greenhouse should be located such that it is easily accessible from the house or other primary building on the site. In this case, the answer is "yes," and there are various explanations why.
When setting up your greenhouse, you will first need to haul in several bulky items, such as plant trays, bags of soil, tools, and storage bins. It's best to plug them in from a location near to the greenhouse.
A convenient walking route is also a must. The shorter the main path is, the easier it will be to clear it of snow in the winter, so keep that in mind.
You'll also require utilities like power and water. Not having access to electricity or a reliable source of water for watering your plants might be irritating, but these factors aren't dealbreakers in most cases.
Tip!
Decide which spot you would put your greenhouse first before buying one.
The process of constructing and maintaining a greenhouse is not a simple one. If you want your greenhouse to thrive, you need to put in the time and effort to identify the ideal spot for it.
If you don't do this, you'll be under a lot of stress when you learn that your first site choice was a mistake.
Smaller hoop homes are more mobile than larger or permanent buildings, so you may change their location if you find that it's not ideal.
You'll be glad you took the time to carefully consider the pros and cons of your potential building site before we started excavating and putting it all together.