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Small patio greenhouses
Small terrace greenhouses are suitable if you need to house a few small plants. This type of greenhouse is usually about 70 cm wide and 50 cm deep. They can be divided into two shelves, for a height of about 90 cm, or have three shelves, and therefore be a little higher, about 130 cm. These greenhouses are not heated, so the optimal position will be, if possible, against a wall that dissipates the heat. Optionally, in greenhouses of this type, it is also possible to house a single plant that is sufficiently high by removing the intermediate shelves. The convenience of these greenhouses is that they are completely removable, so they can be stored during the summer, when our plants do not need to stay under cover.
Some tips
If there are many plants to protect, but the space we have is limited, you can opt for a greenhouse with four or five shelves, in which you can place a greater number of plants. In fact, excessive crowding of plants on a single shelf should be avoided. This is mainly due to two reasons: a large number of plants in a small space does not allow adequate air circulation and causes excessive humidity which can lead to plant rot; In addition, too many plants in close contact favor the proliferation of fungi and parasites. Second, the excessive number of plants on one shelf causes the leaves to come into direct contact with the plastic sheet, thus causing frostbite on your plants.
Features and Costs
There are different types of terrace greenhouses, but generally their cost is between 20 and 50 euros. The cheapest are also the most delicate, so they are fine if placed in a fairly sheltered place, while the more expensive are more resistant, so they can also be exposed to atmospheric agents without fear of being damaged. All patio greenhouses come with simple instructions and are fairly easy to assemble. The frame, as well as the shelves, are usually in PVC or steel painted with anti-oxidant powders. All terrace greenhouses are covered with a UV-filtering PVC fabric. The frame has a hinged opening to allow the greenhouse to be ventilated and thus prevent the plants from rotting.
If you are particularly good at DIY, you can consider designing and building your own greenhouse yourself. On dedicated sites you will find many suggestions on how to proceed with the construction of a greenhouse. The biggest advantage of making a greenhouse yourself is that you can decide to design it according to your needs and your space. You can create a greenhouse by using wooden slats or flexible pipes to build the frame. The important thing is to make sure that you have fixed all the components well so that they are resistant to wind and weather. The PVC sheets will then be fixed to the frame with nails or a point shooter. At this stage of the work, it is essential not to forget to prepare an opening for the ventilation of the greenhouse.