The 4 most common mistakes when choosing a greenhouse

A greenhouse is a wonderful addition to your garden — a place where plants flourish and you can enjoy the outdoors all year round. However, we see that many gardening enthusiasts unknowingly make the same mistakes when choosing their conservatory. In this article, we list the four most common mistakes and give tips on how to avoid them. This will help you choose the greenhouse that perfectly suits your garden and your needs!

1. Disregard legal requirements

Which greenhouse you ultimately choose will probably depend in part on whether or not a permit is required. In the vast majority of cases, a permit will not be required to build a greenhoiuse in your garden. At least, if you adhere to these rules:

For a wall greenhouse:

Different rules apply to wall greenhouses, as technically speaking you are extending your home. You are required to report this, but you do not need a permit if you comply with the following rules: 

• The total surface area of attached outbuildings may not exceed 40m². 
• The ridge height must be less than 4 metres. 
• The greenhouse must be at least 3 metres (side garden) or 2 metres (back garden) from the property boundary. 
• The greenhouse may not be used as living space. 

Please note that local authorities may deviate from these regulations! It is therefore always advisable to obtain information from your local authority.

2. Fail to observe the objectives

The most important functional variables when choosing a greenhouse are its surface area and height. It is therefore extremely important to define the purpose of your greenhouse. 

Herbs and low-growing crops such as lettuce can be grown in a low greenhouse with a gutter height of 1.5 metres or even lower. Climbing crops such as tomatoes or cucumbers need space, both in terms of height and surface area. 

Is the main purpose of your greenhouse to overwinter your plants? Then you should know that polycarbonate sheets insulate even better than glass. In spring, a polycarbonate greenhouse warms up faster than a glass greenhouse, and in autumn it stays warm longer.

3. No attention to ventilation - climate control

You can create optimal growing conditions in a greenhouse, but the structure consisting of profiles and glass panels alone is not enough. You also want to be able to control the temperature, humidity and fresh air. To maintain the air quality in your greenhouse – and thus ensure your crops grow well – there must be sufficient ventilation options. If not enough fresh air can enter, you run the risk of mould, with all the consequences that entails. 

So be sure to consider adding an extra skylight, an automatic window opener, a louvre window or a screen door. 

In winter, however, even in a greenhouse, the temperature can be too low for your plants. We offer specialised heating elements for greenhouses to solve this problem.

4. Not taking light and wind into account when considering placement

When choosing a greenhouse, it is best to keep in mind where you would prefer to place it. The perfect location is one with plenty of sun and little wind. The more hours of sun per day, the wider the range of vegetables, fruit and other plants you can grow. It is therefore best to place your greenhouse in a location that is as wind-free as possible. Wind increases the risk of glass breakage and lowers the temperature in your greenhouse. It is best to position the door opening facing south. 

The ideal location may influence your choice of a particular type, for example due to restrictions in terms of size or height.

Want to know more about greenhouses? Read these blogs!

• Enjoy the conservatory all year round, even in winter
• Which type of greenhouse should I choose?
• How much does a greenhouse cost?