Even in the summer months the British weather is notoriously temperamental and as such is not an ideal environment in which to grow plants. Serious hobbyists and professionals therefore will really need to look at building a greenhouse in which to grow their plants and general vegetation. The modern greenhouse is a technical marvel, which should be able to provide optimum conditions for growth at any time of year, and the guide below is a brief and effective run through of everything you need to know about them.

London’s ‘Crystal Palace’ was the first proper glass greenhouse and was built in the 19th Century, ever since this has been the standard method for greenhouse construction. Before then though the common practice was to build greenhouses from wood and leaves and before that even the Romans used to carry their plants on basic wooden wheelbarrows which they wheeled into the sunlight during the day and into shelter during the night. The greenhouse was traditionally known as a ‘botanical garden’ with the term greenhouse becoming more standardized in the 13th century when they were brought to England and The Netherlands from Italy.

In the 1960’s there was a major development in the field of glasshouse production thanks to the wider availability of polyethylene film that was far more durable and cost effective than glass and yet shared many of it’s general properties. The greater affordability meant larger greenhouses were now a possibility for farms and garden centres that were operating on a restricted budget. In the same time frame greenhouses connected by a system of gutters also became popular. This system allowed every greenhouse a larger ratio between floor and ceiling space cutting down significantly on heating control costs.

Siting is of paramount importance for your greenhouse. First you’ll need to take into account wether you’re building your greenhouse in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. As a general rule, Northern greenhouses should be built with the side of the largest surface area facing south and Southern greenhouses should be built with the side of the largest surface area facing north. Surrounding trees need to be taken into consideration too as they might block or absorb much of the light that you would ideally want to be directed towards your greenhouse.

Ventilation is amongst the most important factors to consider when finalizing the construction of your greenhouse. Without it, your plants will be exposed to infiltration from pests and decent ventilation is required to ensure that the temperature of the greenhouse is properly regulated that there is an apt airflow to allow photosynthesis to occur and that there is enough of a breeze to allow pollination between your plants.

If you’re looking for the perfect greenhouse, be sure to visit Betta Buildings.