How to make a clean energy greenhouse
A greenhouse is a great way to cultivate plant life and appreciate the amazing miracle that is the earth. You can learn all about ecosystems and experience the sense of accomplishment that comes from nurturing something until it blooms. And there are plenty of different sizes of greenhouses, from massive, food supplying structures to tiny backyard huts. Whatever you want to do, there are some basic principles to go about making your first greenhouse that will help your plants grow effectively without having to take any shortcuts. Here are some tips for making your greenhouse the most “green” it can be.
Construction
Your greenhouse needs to be able to let natural light while being able to preserve the climate of your garden. Glass is the most sustainable option with a life expectancy of about 25 years (if it doesn’t break). The problem is that glass can be pretty expensive, but you save on your costs by finding used glass panels. But if you chose to go with glass, you’ll want to put special care into making sure your greenhouse is sturdy. Glass is the heaviest and needs the most support. An alternative is polycarbonate paneling or fiberglass, which will last you about 7-12 years, but is cheaper and much more resistant to weather. Polyethylene film is the cheapest and easiest to use, but only lasts around four years.
Atmosphere
The ability to control the climate of your garden is the main reason to have a greenhouse in the first place. You’ll need your garden to be at about 60 degrees for active growing and 40 degrees to extend your season. Around 25% of your heat is going to come from the sun, but the rest will need to supplied by you. Greenhouses are often heated by oil, gas, or electricity. To keep your greenhouse as green as possible, you’ll want to choose a renewable heating source. You could pick an electrical option and hook up a small solar array to power the system. It’s best to install the solar panel near the greenhouse instead of on top of it because you don’t want to block any of the sun’s light. There are other clever and very sustainable ways to heat your greenhouse, such as with compost. The idea is simple. Place large piles of compost near or beneath your plants, and the heat generated during the process of the breakdown will warm your plants. Over time, the compost will become nutrient-rich mulch you can use on your plants. You can also use passive solar heating. This takes a little planning, because you’ll want to orient your greenhouse to capture as much of the sun’s warmth as possible, and use a material like concrete or solar to hold onto that heat so it can disperse it through the greenhouse.
Irrigation
Other than light and heat, the next most demanding resource a greenhouse needs is water. Finding a natural water source is a great way to provide the moisture your garden needs, but plan for drainage by making your foundation slope towards some sort of outlet. Another way is to use methods found in hydroponics, which allows excess water from one plant to flow to another, increasing the efficiency of your watering and reducing waster significantly.
If everyone had some sort of home gardening solution, people would have access to constant fresh garden foods in a way that is much more sustainable to the planet than simply buying your groceries from the store. And, we’d all get a greater appreciation for the miracle that is the earth, and what it takes to make it happy. So if your thinking about nurturing your own green thumb, explore these techniques and look for others to make your home gardener the best that it can be.