Considerations about a greenhouse

This year, something very special happened that we have really been looking forward to. We have acquired the finest greenhouse from Juliana. We have made many considerations about which greenhouse we think could be suitable for the garden where the house should be located and the setup itself. In this article, we will try to describe some of the many thoughts we had before we decided. There are several things that can be a good idea to consider before getting started.

The purpose of the greenhouse

For us, the greenhouse must serve many different purposes and desires, as we both have vastly different greenhouse dreams that we want to be fulfilled.

I, Frederik, have a great and space-consuming passion for the green universe. The reason why I dream of a greenhouse is that the garden season in Denmark is relatively short, due to the Danish climate and often unpredictable weather conditions. With a greenhouse, my favourite time of year can be extended by several months and it provides opportunities to grow plants that like more heat and shelter.

Nanna, on the other hand, wants a sanctuary where coffee can be enjoyed, with room to practice her yoga interest and we can have dinner together in the unique atmospheric space that the greenhouse is.

Since our wishes for the greenhouse are many and stick in slightly different directions, we had to choose a greenhouse where there was enough space. We chose a Juliana Grand Oase of 140 square feet, which we thought could house the many purposes and dreams. Read more about Grand Oase here.

The size of the greenhouse

The word you most often hear repeated when talking to other greenhouse owners is lack of space, so it was important to us that the greenhouse had a certain size. It is generally a good idea to keep in mind that the greenhouse should not be too small.

The location of the greenhouse

Accessibility

Once we had the size and model of the greenhouse in place, we immediately proceeded with the choice of location. Here are some important considerations to make. First of all, the greenhouse should be easily accessible so that it is easy to get to. There are several daily chores in the greenhouse, such as irrigating the plants, opening and closing the windows, and then it is of course convenient that you do not have to carry the food to the far end of the garden if you decide to enjoy a meal in the glasshouse.

Drainage

When choosing the location of your greenhouse, it is also important to examine drainage conditions, it is not fun to be greeted with mirror-shiny water inside the greenhouse.

Light

Light also plays a crucial role in terms of location. If you want the full effect of the greenhouse, it is of course useless to place it in deep shade under a large tree or on the north side of the house, where the sun is blocked. The location should be sunny for at least 6-8 hours daily, especially if one has a dream of growing sun-loving vegetables and colourful flowering plants.

We have chosen to place the ends of the greenhouse so that they face east and west, and, in this way, the long side of the greenhouse gets as much light as possible.

Water and electricity

If you want water and electricity in the greenhouse, these considerations should also be made before deciding on the location. These considerations should be made before deciding the location and setting it up. We have chosen the simple solution of a rainwater butt on one side of the greenhouse and concluded that much of the electronics that can be purchased for greenhouses (electric window openers, automatic irrigation system, lighting) are available as solar powered.

The setup

We received our greenhouse in January, and we immediately started the setup.

We started by moving 282 cubic feet of topsoil into the garden to straighten our uneven lawn where we had decided the greenhouse should be. We wanted an edge around the greenhouse with tiles as well as a smaller patio at the front door of the greenhouse. To stabilize the tile foundation, we levelled the excess soil evenly to the sides.

Then the soil must be compacted and levelled so that it has a smooth and horizontal surface, and then the tiling can begin.

We ordered paving tiles (10 x 20 inch) and were almost ready until the weather decided on real winter weather and the ground froze.

We must therefore now sit on our impatient hands and wait for the ground to become serviceable again. When this hopefully happens, the tiles need to be laid, after which the base for the greenhouse needs to be cast down. It is of incredible importance that everything is levelled, as glass hardly gives much without cracking, so remember to cross measure.

Now we are looking forward to the thaw, so we can complete the project, which of course must be celebrated with a party. We can hardly wait to get started with the spring garden chores, enjoy the coffee, and generally experience the unique atmosphere you get in a greenhouse.

Frederik’s tips:

1. Make sure to choose a greenhouse that is not too small. The bigger the greenhouse, the bigger the joy.
2. Carefully consider where to place the greenhouse, and remember to think about light, drainage, water and power.
3. Make a row of tiles on the outside of the greenhouse, so the grass is kept at a distance.
4. Be patient when assembling the greenhouse – rather do it right the first time.