Adding a greenhouse is a great way to take your gardening hobby to the next level. A greenhouse gives you the chance to start seeds early or even grow crops or flowers out of season. They can be a great investment.
The first thing you have to figure out is the size you need. You'll need to consider how much growing space you're willing to give to your greenhouse and what you want the greenhouse for.
Mini Greenhouse
A mini greenhouse is best if you don't have much space or if you only want to start seedlings or grow smaller plants. It can be kept on a patio, deck or even indoors.
A good mini greenhouse comes with a few shelves for you to work with, and a plastic or vinyl cover to keep the plants or seedlings a bit warmer than they would be if they were exposed to air. These are usually not heavy duty greenhouses, and can only do so much against truly cold weather.
A mini greenhouse can be moved around fairly easily when it is empty. Full, you probably don't want to move it around, but if you put wheels on it, moving it around becomes possible at any time. Wheels are an advantage if you want your plants outdoors during the day but still need to bring them in at night.
Lean-to Greenhouse
If you want to go a bit bigger, a lean-to greenhouse may be the right solution. This is a greenhouse that is designed to lean on your house. Some models require installation on a concrete slab, such as a patio.
A lean-to greenhouse may be most stable if you attach it to the house.
Portable Greenhouse
A portable greenhouse is a good choice if you aren't absolutely certain where you will want a greenhouse, or if you expect to move it around the yard each season. The bottom is often open, so these can be set up over existing plants that need a little protection to extend their growing season.
These are usually made of PVC, and fold down very small. Unfolded, they can have a fair bit of space inside and can be tall enough for most adults to stand inside comfortably.
Hobby Greenhouse
A hobby greenhouse is a more permanent structure for the serious hobby gardener. They have enough room for you to install shelving, and include features such as attic vents or fans to help with air circulation.
These are made to last for years in one spot. Windows may be made of glass or polycarbonate. You may want to bring electricity out to your hobby greenhouse so that you can heat your plants if the winter is too cold.
Greenhouse sizes keep going up from there. You can find or build a greenhouse suitable to whatever space you have available.
