When designing a garden, the majority of people usually focus their attention on choosing the perfect plants and finding the right place to put them. However, not many of them try to find a way to maximize their garden’s productivity year-round.
Solar greenhouses have become quite a popular garden feature many gardeners choose to implement in their green oases. And while the traditional greenhouses rely solely on solar energy, these solar-powered greenhouses use solar panels to enhance their effectiveness. That being said, here is how you can build one in your garden.
Position your greenhouse towards the sun
As the name suggests a solar greenhouse uses the sun’s energy. That is why you need to make sure you choose the right orientation for your greenhouse. The fact that your greenhouse depends on sun exposure not only for heat but for light as well makes choosing the right location even more important. That is why you should position your greenhouse towards the sun (the South) in order to ensure maximum efficiency. This way you will ensure that your greenhouse will receive plenty of sunlight that is crucial for plant growth.
Insulate all other parts of it well
Once you determine the position of your greenhouse in your garden, it is time to start building. Lay the foundations of your greenhouse and make sure you insulate the underground. This way, you will prevent the conditioned indoor air from escaping your greenhouse as well as the outdoor air from penetrating. Additionally, insulate all the other walls that are not facing the sun due to the same reason. You want to ensure that the energy your greenhouse manages to accumulate doesn’t get wasted. Once the construction is done, install solar panels on the roof of your greenhouse – again facing the south – and make sure you get the right type of inverter to be able to use all the energy accordingly.
Use the right type of inverter
As mentioned earlier, the inverter you choose to incorporate in your greenhouse will determine the effectiveness and efficiency of your greenhouse. There are plenty of options to choose from, but not just any of them will do. Instead, you need to look for high-quality Sunny Boy inverter that will be able to take on the necessary load. This way you can ensure that all solar energy your panels manage to accumulate can easily be converted into energy you can use in your greenhouse, as well as in your household. No matter if we are talking about air conditioning, sunlight supplementation or anything else that requires energy, a trusty inverter will have your back.
Use thermal mass to your advantage
No matter how well your greenhouse is insulated, you will need to add something that will help you retain the necessary heat indoors. Things that have such properties are called thermal mass. Thermal mass can be anything that can store thermal energy. Concrete, soil or stone underground can help you retain thermal heat in your greenhouse. Additionally, some growers use stacked barrels filled with water. This is a cheap way to add thermal mass in your greenhouse. If you opt for this potion, however, make sure that you firmly secure the barrels in place to prevent them from falling or tipping over.
Make use of natural ventilation
As much as it is important to keep the conditioned air indoors, it is also important to have proper ventilation in your greenhouse. Proper ventilation is not only important to ensure that your plants don’t overheat but also to remove unnecessary moisture from the air. Otherwise, you run the risk of having your indoor air too moist, which can lead to problems such as mold, mildew and fungus growth, among other issues. Natural ventilation refers to the way the air travels naturally through your greenhouse. So, find a path that is the least obstructed and clear it for ventilation purposes.
Make it pretty
Just because your solar greenhouse is built to serve a clear purpose, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make it pretty aside from making it functional. For instance, you can go for a layered design and have vegetables and plants of different heights serve a decorative purpose as well. Furthermore, you can paint your planters in different colors or make them look rustic. This will create a cozy vibe in your greenhouse. That way, not only will you have a highly-functional structure in your garden but it will also look pretty and neat.
When building a greenhouse in your garden, consider going for a solar-powered solution. Not only will this ensure maximum efficiency and lower your energy consumption, but such a solution is far more eco-friendly than any other. So, keep these tips in mind when building your solar greenhouse to ensure that you’ve accounted for all the essentials.