What to consider before buying a greenhouse?

Maybe you already know everything there is to know about which greenhouse you want. If you have had greenhouses before, you know all the pros and cons – and what you prefer. If you are about to order your first greenhouse ever, we are pretty sure that you have several questions. It would help if you considered lots of things so you and your plants can enjoy the greenhouse for many years. You need to decide which kind of greenhouse you like, how much money you want to spend, how big the greenhouse is, where you will place it in the garden relative to the sun and shade from large trees and more. Do you need a building permit, should you talk to the neighbours, and so on? It would help if you spent some time considering all this before ordering the greenhouse or the materials. The planning can sometimes be a bit time consuming, so you should start early.

A greenhouse expands the gardening possibilities enormously as, in general, you can grow lots of plants that would not thrive in the garden. Here we have selected and listed some general advice you need to consider before ordering a greenhouse. Do you have other questions you like to have answered before making the decision, please contact our experts – send us an e-mail, call us, or use the chat.

Before buying a greenhouse - Advice no. 1 

Find the right spot for your new greenhouse. Most of us love spending time in the garden, and it is important where you place the greenhouse as it will play an essential part in most gardens. Sometimes it is obvious where to put the greenhouse; sometimes, it takes some consideration. No matter the size of your garden, you should spend time finding the right spot – for the sake of the plants as well as for your sake.

How big is your garden? Will the greenhouse take up a large amount of space, or is it just another structure somewhere? Do you want to make it an integrated part of the garden and maybe even patio, or do you want it someplace off the beaten track? Do you want to keep it a little to yourself, or does the greenhouse experience include friends and family? It would help if you placed the greenhouse where the sun can warm it and not in the shade behind a building, large trees, or similar. You need to have easy access to the greenhouse – and preferable near water and maybe electricity. Please make sure that you consider the local rules for small buildings in your garden – distance to boundary, height, and size.

Before buying a greenhouse - Advice no. 2

Consider which kind of greenhouse you want and how you are going to use it. Most greenhouses are for the summer season only and are meant to be more or less vacant during the winter, depending on the climate where you live. You can also have a heated and insulated greenhouse, where you can have plants in the winter. If you want plants in the greenhouse during the winter, you need to find out how to heat and insulate the greenhouse and which plants you are going to have inside the greenhouse. Some plants can withstand a slight frost while others cannot. We offer both greenhouse heaters and unique winter protection plant tents so you can take good care of your plants even if you do not have a heated greenhouse as such.

One way to insulate your greenhouse is by lining the greenhouse with bubble wrap or covering it from the outside. It may not be the prettiest way to protect, but it can be quite effective – especially with a bit of help from an electric heater to ensure that the temperature never drops below a certain degree.   

If you have plants in the greenhouse during the winter, please ensure that the plants are treated correctly. Ask at your local plant market how to go about this. If the plants need watering or special light during the winter, you have to make sure that you can supply this. While some plants may go into hibernation, others may need water and more.

Suppose you live in an area with much snow. In that case, you need to consider one of our Snow-proof greenhouses, which are ordinary greenhouses for plenty of produce during the summer but with a reinforced frame and sometimes even stronger window panes to resist the snow load that may come during the winter. Most of these greenhouses are arched, so the snow in most cases will automatically slide off to avoid too much pressure on the structure. 

Before buying a greenhouse - Advice no. 3

Style, look, and materials are essential issues to consider, too. The size of the greenhouse is also vital for more than one reason. The structure must fit into the garden where you want to place it – with room enough to move around the structure for care and cleaning. On the other hand, you would like as much room as possible for growing all the flowers and more you have dreamt of. Immensely few people regret buying a large greenhouse, while many have lamented that they only bought a small greenhouse if they had room for a larger model.

Do you have any preferences about glass, polycarbonate or more? Do you want the greenhouse on a cast foundation or just on flagstones or similar? How will you decorate the greenhouse – with raised beds, planters, or with room for chairs and more? Our various greenhouses are maintenance-free and can be assembled without using hired help by most.