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A greenhouse, also called a hothouse or glasshouse, is a structure where vegetables, fruits, and flowering plants are cultivated under a controlled temperature. The roof and walls are made of either plastic or glass. It protects the crops from extreme weather conditions. It also helps keep away pests. Hydroponic gardening can also be done inside a greenhouse.

The ceiling and walls transmit sunlight, which is then converted into thermal or heat energy. The sunlight, after being absorbed by the plants, is reflected back. However, the sunlight can no longer pass out through the structure, because the reflected waves have longer infrared wavelengths. It continues to heat as more and more sunlight is trapped. As the plants start heating, they emit moisture, which in turn produces humidity inside the greenhouse. These conditions are extremely favorable for the overall growth of the plants. However, during winter, artificial heat has to be provided to maintain a stable temperature inside the greenhouse.

Before starting with the construction of a greenhouse, you should select the plants or vegetables that you want to cultivate. For instance, if you wish to cultivate exotic flowering plants, it should be constructed in a way that it meets the temperature and other conditions needed by those plants. Moreover, if you want to cultivate tropical plants throughout the year, you will need to build a permanent greenhouse. You can build it either as a freestanding building or you can attach it to your house or terrace.

You should select the site of the greenhouse in a way that it beautifully blends with your home and garden. The site should receive adequate sunlight, especially during the winter months. It should however, be sheltered from strong winds. A good water supply and drainage system near the greenhouse is absolutely necessary. For growing plants it is important to ensure that tall buildings and trees near the site do not block the sunlight.

You can design your greenhouse in a variety of styles. Lean-to ones, though smaller in size, can be attached to the wall of your house or garage. Classic A-frame styles have high ceilings and are slanted at the sides. They are inexpensive and easy to build. You can use polyethylene sheets if you plan to build your greenhouse in hoop style, also known as Quonset hut style. Gothic arc style, similar to hoop style, have straight wall and pointed roofs. You should style it depending on the temperature you wish to maintain inside the structure.

Before building the foundation, you should level the site and remove all the weeds and plants from the soil. You can either opt for wood or concrete foundation. For home greenhouses, wood foundation is an excellent choice. It is inexpensive, as well as easy to build. If it is attached to your house or garage, it is better to build a strong concrete foundation.

It is important that you plan a drainage system before building the floors and walkways. If your greenhouse is a permanent structure, you can build a concrete floor. But the floor should be sloped so that the excess water naturally flows to the drains. If you think that building a concrete floor is an unnecessary expense, you can leave the floor bare and instead construct concrete walkways. This will facilitate easy mobility of tools and equipment inside the greenhouse. Decorative tiles and colored stones make beautiful walkways.

You should select a work area where you can store your garden tools, potting soil, and fertilizers. It will be convenient if your work area is near the potting benches. You can also install a wash basin and a tool rack in that area. Storage area, if located outside the greenhouse, should be protected from rain.

Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/make-your-own-greenhouse-how-to-build-your-own-greenhouse.html