As food prices rise along with concerns about the methods used for
growing, more people are becoming interested in producing their own
vegetables and herbs. A greenhouse with strategically placed reflective insulation can help keep your garden alive year round.
Interest in gardening is increasing, especially where organic methods
are involved. Gardening encompasses the deliberate growing of flowers,
herbs and vegetables. If you live in a colder climate you can use a
greenhouse to keep your plants alive all year long or at least extend
your growing season. A greenhouse is an enclosed space with glass or
plastic walls designed to let sunlight in while controlling the
environment (i.e. moisture and temperature) and making it conducive to
plant growth no matter what is going on outside. The structure needs to
have a frame. Wood is the recommended material but you will find many
affordable options made from aluminum.
Your greenhouse needs to have a certain amount of sun, warmth and
moisture in the air. Most of this will happen naturally during the
warmer months and a hothouse effect will take over that encourages
faster growth than that outside the enclosed space. The windows of your
greenhouse should be glazed to manage the amount of light coming into
the area because you don't want it to get overly hot.
During the colder months, you want to capture and keep any warmth you
produce with a space heater or that comes from the winter sun. Many
people find an easy and affordable solution for insulation in bubble
wrap. You can place this on the east, west and south walls to help
retain any heat you have inside. The north wall is the ideal place to
tack up reflective insulation so that the coveted winter rays of the sun
will bounce back to your plants. It also blocks the cold north wind
from creeping in. If your reflective insulation has foil on only one
side, make sure this is facing towards the inside.
There is nothing better than having fresh herbs and vegetables for use
in cooking. You can plan for year round growing in your greenhouse with
bubble wrap, reflective insulation and a space heater. It is worth the
investment not only for your health but also because your food will
taste better!
Attic Insulation
