Greenhouse Basics

Greenhouses are fairly simple structures. However to function well they need to be engineered and designed for growing. MOST GREENHOUSE MANUFACTURERS DO NOT DESIGN FOR GOOD PERFORMANCE, THEY DESIGN FOR SALES AND EASE OF ASSEMBLY. Each one needs to be oriented towards the sun (South in the Northern Hemishpere), engineered to have framing and foundation that will hold up under wind and snow loads, allow good airflow, cool itself in hot weather, and heat itself in the cold. The interior needs to allow for ample height when growing on the floor, on tables, or on shelves. 95% of the conventional greenhouses do not do most of this well. This is amazing to us, because people are paying for what they think is good performance. The drawings below show a conventional greenhouse on the left, compared to an alpine greenhouse on the right. As you can see,, most companies are selling a greenhouse that will not perform well in cold or heat. These conventional greenhouses also do not allow proper ventilation, offer no exhaust fans or heaters, will not hold up in the wind, and do not allow height inside for growing tall plants.