What do I want to grow and when? In other words why do you want a greenhouse? This is the first question we start with when planning any greenhouse, because what you want to grow, over what seasons, dictates a lot about your greenhouse design. Generally, we group greenhouses into three categories by their temperature…
*Note: This post is from 2015. The workshops mentioned below are most likely outdated Over the years we've been contacted by many people interested in designing and / or building their own energy-efficient year-round greenhouse, using passive solar design, our Ground to Air Heat Transfer (GAHT) system and other methods which allow the greenhouse to…
Whether gardening year-round in a greenhouse, or starting up an outdoor garden this spring, here's a quick round-up of several ways to make your own raised garden beds. Cinder Block Raised Beds Easily stackable, these can be combined in any configuration. Blocks should be secured together using mortar or rebar. We suggest also filling the pockets with stone…
Even an insulated year-round greenhouse doesn’t need a finished floor as a house does. Most of the footprint will be used as a planting area, which may or may not need a level finished surface. Your flooring option usually depends on how you want to grow in the greenhouse – whether growing directly in the…
“What’s that white stuff? “Roots!” And so proceeded the conversation between two second graders at Vail Mountain School about that hidden elemental part of the plant. Despite the chilly November afternoon that existed outside, this exchange occurred in a warm sunny greenhouse attached to the school. Instead of seeing a pictures in a textbook, these second…
We use the term glazing to describe any transparent structural material, whether glass, rigid plastics like polycarbonate, or plastic films. If designing your own solar greenhouse, these materials are critical to greenhouse efficiency and performance. Here are the main variables to pay attention to: light transmittance, insulation, placement, durability and cost. In our next blog we’ll…
Even a well-designed solar greenhouse will overheat sometimes. This is because greenhouses are excellent solar collectors. While all that light is needed for growth, it often creates too much heat. Ventilation is essential not only for cooling but also for plants’ health. A leaf surrounded by stagnant humid air is a bug’s best breeding ground.…
