Indoor growing can allow you to have fresh vegetables and flowers all year. It can protect your plants from cold winter temperatures, snow, sleet, blistering summer temperatures, and pests such as insects and animals that might damage the plants. If you are thinking about building a greenhouse on your property, choosing the right location is essential.
When selecting a site for your greenhouse, you should think about how to maximize the amount of exposure to sunlight. The best location is to the south or southeast of a building or shade trees. It is best to choose a location that will provide sunlight all day. However, if this is not possible, morning sunlight is best because it will allow the plants to begin to produce food early in the day, which will make them grow faster.
Setting up your greenhouse to the east of a building or shade tree will allow it to collect a lot of sunlight from November to February. The next best location is to the southwest or west of a building and trees, which will allow plants to receive sunlight in the afternoon. Building your greenhouse in a northern location is only advisable if your plants do not need much sunlight.
Deciduous trees near your greenhouse can provide shade from intense late afternoon summer sunlight, but they should not provide shade in the morning. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall, which will allow the greenhouse to be exposed to sunlight in the winter. You should not choose a location for your greenhouse that is near evergreen trees, since they will block the sun in the winter. Since the sun is lower in the southern sky during the winter months, it will create long shadows from buildings and evergreen trees.
Another important factor to consider when choosing a site for your greenhouse is drainage. Try to choose a location that is higher than the surrounding area so that rainwater and irrigation water can travel away from the greenhouse.
You will also need access to heat and electricity to control the temperature in the greenhouse and water for the plants. The site you choose should be shielded from strong winter winds. You should also have a work space and storage area nearby.
Growing plants in a greenhouse can allow you to enjoy fresh vegetables and flowers throughout the year. Choosing the right location for your greenhouse can help you achieve the best results possible.