Are you wishing for a lean to style greenhouse as above, but own a ranch style home? You may have 8′ or 9′ attaching height for the back wall, possibly a little bit more. Do you think it is impossible to get a greenhouse attached to your home? Not so. There are 2 different ways we are able to fit these with our Acadian and Evangeline Lean To Greenhouses.
Lower Roof Pitch
Home Attached Greenhouse with Lower Roof Pitch
For our standard roof pitch you have a rise of about 5 inches for every foot that you project away from the house. With our lower roof pitch, we can drop that to about 2 1/2 inches drop for every foot. So, for a greenhouse that projects approximately 10 feet, that would drop your attaching height about 25 inches. That is quite a considerable amount and will accommodate a whole lot of houses.
Fascia Attached Greenhouse
Fascia Attached Acadian Lean To
Still don’t have enough height with our Lower Roof Pitch? We are also able to offer a fascia attached greenhouse. This greenhouse will attach directly onto the fascia of your home, rather than the wall of your home. This will gain quite a bit of extra height, as you need to leave at least a 4″ clearance when you go under the soffit. This is so your roof vents can function properly. Combine this with our lower pitch, and you can attach this greenhouse to just about any home as long as you are not trying to project away from the home too far. If you will notice in the picture we also supply what we call an under soffit fill to fill in from the back of the greenhouse to your home.
In conclusion, just because you have a ranch style home does not mean you have to give up on owning a lean to greenhouse. We are more than happy to help you design the greenhouse of your dreams.
Greenhouse with Solar Powered Roof Vents and Side Vents
Of course the answer to this question is yes, you do need ventilation for your greenhouse. But what if your greenhouse is in a location with no electricity? There are several options which will alleviate this problem. The simplest thing to add is roof vents or side vents. A lot of the greenhouse kits will come with these either as standard equipment or as an option. If you are building your own greenhouse, you would just frame them out using the same material as your greenhouse and cover them with the same material as well. To simplify matters even more, I recommend using solar powered openers with these. This is an arm that is operated by a wax cylinder. It is a pretty basic piece of equipment. It functions on the principles of contraction and expansion. When it is warm the wax will expand and cause the arm to open. When it is cool the wax will contract and cause the arm to pull shut. There is no exact temperature setting on these, but there is a thumbscrew at the end which can be used to adjust the opening and closing temperatures. They are typically able to open between 65 and 75 degrees F, depending on the manufacturer. They will definitely simplify your life during the spring and fall months. No more getting up in the morning and opening them before you head out to work. Then, if you get home and forget to close them at night, the results could be devastating.
Intake Shutter with Solar Powered Opener
If you are building your own greenhouse, or need ventilation in an existing greenhouse, our solar powered shutters are perfect. They will supply natural ventilation for your greenhouse. They come in 6 sizes and require no electricity. The 4 smaller sizes may be fitted into a polyfilm greenhouse without any further framing. Or, they may be installed in a framed out opening the same as the 2 larger sizes. These shutters are perfect for just about any outbuilding, not just for greenhouses.
Polyfilm Greenhouse with Roll up Side Curtains
A final suggestion for natural ventilation is roll up side curtains. These are typically found in polyfilm greenhouses only, and come with a manual hand crank.
In conclusion, not having electricity in an area where you want to put your greenhouse should not be a deterrent. Use any of these systems, or any combination of these systems to help ventilate your greenhouse. Also, if you don’t like any of these suggestions, another way to go with this is to use solar panels to supply electricity to your motorized ventilation systems.
Glass Greenhouse with Black Frame and Black Aluminum Knee Wall
Are you considering putting a greenhouse up in your backyard? Have you been concerned about what it would do to the value of your real estate? Afraid it may be like putting in a swimming pool, which can lower the price of your home in certain areas? Well, worry no more. Realtor.com, one of the biggest real estate websites is now promoting homes with greenhouses. There is such a great selection of kits for your backyard available now. You can attach them to the house or garage, or have a freestanding unit.
For avid gardeners who pore over heirloom seed catalogs, stress out over snails, and ID plants by their Latin names, owning a property with a greenhouse is a dream come true.
Surprisingly, it’s not an expensive pursuit. You don’t need to pay mansion-level prices for this awesome outdoor amenity. Plenty of modest ranches and bungalows boast a greenhouse in the yard. And if you’re a person who loves to get your hands dirty and grow your own food, or cultivate award-winning roses, having a handy on-site spot is key.
I received a really nice email from a gentleman the other day who had read one of my previous articles regarding greenhouse accessories. He pointed out to me that he did not use the accessories in exactly the same way as I outline in my article. This just served as a reminder to me that greenhouse growing is indeed a learning curve for all of us. Here’s the thing – We all live in different climates. We are all growing different plants. It is up to us as greenhouse owners to learn how to supply the necessary climate in the area we live in. He mentioned that he only used his heater at night in his location. I would dare to say that someone in Wisconsin growing tomatoes in the winter would totally disagree with this. He also mentioned an evaporative cooling system. He was in a location with a desert type climate. I can see where that would work for him. But here, in Louisiana we have just about 100% humidity (I am sure it just feels that way) all summer long. An evaporative cooling system is totally ineffective here. He also considered a shade cloth as an optional accessory. I consider it an absolute necessity. That is, if you are using your greenhouse at any time except in the winter months. If you have it shut down in the spring, summer and fall, I would not really suggest getting one. When someone calls me asking about greenhouses and accessories, I recommend that they at least get a ventilation system at the same time, as it is installed into the greenhouse frame. This is easier as an initial installation than it is as a retrofit. I don’t like loading greenhouses up with a whole lot of equipment that you may not need at a later time. I suggest adding additional accessories one at a time and as the need arises. Of course don’t wait for the last minute, because everyone else will be in need at the same time. For custom made items such as a shade cloth, this can lead to a delayed lead time. The thing is, we are buying a greenhouse maybe for practical reasons, but most of us are purchasing them for our love of growing. So relax, take the time, learn what you need in your area, for your plants to make your greenhouse a success. And as always, keep growing!
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Great time in the greenhouse. Teaching children to grow their own flowers and food.There is nothing better than sharing your wisdom and your passion with the next generation of gardeners. Especially when you are teaching children how to grow their own food and start their own flowers to beautify the world. We all need to take a little time out of our busy day and share this valuable knowledge that we have. It’s time to get busy “cultivating” the next generation of growers.
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