Greenhouses are constructed to grow plants in all the four seasons. The walls and the roof are made up of glass, plastic or acrylics which are used to trap and retain the heat of the sun which helps the plants to grow. Greenhouses are built to grow plants which are out of season but now they are also being used for several purposes like gardening which can be done throughout the year. One can water plants at any time of the day, in other words, you can water your plants in the day or in the evening. Besides heating cooling, ventilation and proper air circulation are also essential without which the plants would die out of excessive heat.
Initially only glass greenhouses were constructed but today they are constructed from many different materials like plastic, acrylic and aluminium which are cheap. They are easy to construct and the material used is available at lower prices which are the main reasons of the low rates of green houses. Polythene or plastic greenhouses are the cheapest of all other greenhouses but they need re-covering from time to time. They usually suffer snow or wind damage but they are affordable. Polythene or plastic greenhouses are more durable and they are the most recommended one. Corrugated acrylic sheet is also used in the construction of greenhouse as they resist discoloring with the weather and cracking.
For the framework there are a number of options like Cedar, Teak and Shesham wood. It is important to keep the wood framework well oiled and painted. The maintenance is obviously high and they have a very limited life. For a cheap greenhouse it is wise to go for aluminium framework as this metal is comparatively more durable and rust free. The cost of maintenance is low and it lasts for longer period of time.
Heating of sun is not sufficient and some times artificial heating is also required. To keep it warm and to avoid unwanted expenses you can use an electrical fan heater. This is a cheaper option for the greenhouse as it not only provides warmth but also circulates the air in all the directions. This fan may be used in summers too you may switch it to the cooler air positions. This would help in the temperature regulation of the greenhouse and circulate the air. Kerosene heaters and propane gas can also be used but they do not help in the circulation of air and also produce damp heat. In these ways you can construct a cheap greenhouse. One can also opt for some easy to handle and affordable irrigation systems. For irrigation purposes you can use small pipes that run underground and they release water slowly into the root soil. It is being observed that plants irrigated in this way respond well and it conserves water too. Plants that have been watered from the top soil tend to die early but if the required water is supplied only in the roots they show good signs of growth.
