It’s best to find a solution that will best suit your greenhouses’s desired purpose. Will you be starting and propagating vegetables or cuttings? Then a simple and inexpensive solution may be best for you. Will you be growing and maintaining delicate tropical plants, like orchids, for display? Then a more complex, permanent structure designed for the needs of these plants might be best. Would you like to grow vegetables or flowers in your greenhouse year round? Then you want a structure that can perform well in cold weather. Do you want your greenhouse to be a part of your home, or do you want a stand-alone structure? Take some time to think about the specific use of your greenhouse before you dive in. If you form a clear idea of what you want beforehand, it will be less confusing once you start to sort through the different structure options.

1. Choosing a Location

• In order for a greenhouse to work as intended, it needs plenty of exposure to sunlight. This is especially true if you will be growing in the late fall or winter. As a rule, your greenhouse should receive about 6 hours of sunlight per day. If you are using your greenhouse only for propagation or seed germination, you may be able to get by with a site that receives less light and is partially shaded. Usually however, your greenhouse should be located on the south side of any large, light obstructing object, such as your home (if in the northern hemisphere). If the building is to be attached to your home, it would be best to attach it to a south facing side. If this is not possible, then an east or west facing side would be suitable, as long as there are no other major obstructions. Keep in mind that with this kind of sun exposure, your greenhouse will get pretty hot inside during the summer and some kind of cooling solution will probably be necessary if you plan on growing inside during these months (as opposed to just moving plants, seedlings, or cuttings outside in the summer).
• Something to consider is that if your greenhouse is positioned in a great location for sun exposure, but this positioning also exposes it to high winds, especially in winter, then you may want to consider either a different location or some type of wind block. This is especially true if you are growing or overwintering plants. The reasoning for this is that the wind will sap heat from your greenhouse, thus raising your heating costs and/or making it hard to maintain a proper temperature. If you decide to erect some kind of wind block, which can be in the form of trees, shrubs, or bushes, make sure this solution doesn’t obstruct your greenhouse’s exposure to sunlight.

• Another thing to ensure is that the site you have selected has adequate drainage. It is not advisable to place your greenhouse in a location on your property that has a tendency to flood or pool, and ideally the ground should slope away from the building on all sides.
• Also, take a moment to consider the ease of access your greenhouse will have in the location you have selected. This is especially true if you plan on receiving large shipments of supplies or plan on moving plants in and out of your greenhouse on a regular basis.