Is There An Alternative To Glass Greenhouses

There is a growing trend in the UK in recent years for polycarbonate greenhouses

. But why are people choosing polycarbonate greenhouses over traditional glass ones? This article looks at the advantages that polycarbonate greenhouses offer.

Well people certainly aren't buying them as a cost saving exercise as a polycarbonate greenhouse is generally a more expensive initial outlay than a conventional glass greenhouse. The polycarbonate is almost indestructible and will last a long time. 2mm horticultural glass and footballs don't really go together very well. It's this 'engineered' element which contributes to the higher price tag of polycarbonate greenhouses.

One of the main reasons for the recent rise in sales is due to the durability of polycarbonate greenhouses. Anyone who has owned a greenhouse will probably have experienced broken glass panels caused by children playing ball games in the garden, deliberate acts of vandalism or acts of nature such as hail or falling branches from trees. Not only is it inconvenient and costly to replace the broken panels but there can also be loss or damage to plants within the greenhouse. Polycarbonate panels have been scientifically tested to withstand baseballs and rocks, so gardeners will never experience this type of damage or inconvenience if they own a polycarbonate greenhouse.

Another advantage of the polycarbonate greenhouse is that they are one sixth of the weight of glass. Many polycarbonate greenhouses come flat packed for home assembly and being a lighter weight, it makes self assembly much easier and less time consuming than the construction of traditional glass greenhouses. It also means that moving a polycarbonate greenhouse is achievable if required too.

Polycarbonate greenhouses can have ribbed or clear panels. Both varieties diffuse light which will allow your plants grow more evenly and fruit ripens at the same time. There is therefore no need for the gardener to circulate plants to ensure even exposure to the light. There is also no need for shades to be used to protect plants from too much light exposure in summer. This again saves both the time and energy for the gardener.

Polycarbonate greenhouses come in either single or double layer panels. Whichever option is chosen, the way polycarbonate greenhouses are engineered means that they have insulating properties. The double wall polycarbonate does allow the greenhouse to maintain the heat for longer and can extend the season. Some Gardeners choose to heat there greenhouses during thee winter months. Polycarbonate is ideal for this as it is double wall and incredibly well insulated.

As with most outdoor structures these days, manufacturers have recently started to produce polycarbonate greenhouses with style in mind. The majority of polycarbonate greenhouses have apex roofs for optimum light exposure. They can be purchased with different coloured aluminium struts such as a modern silver design or green to help them blend into the garden. The sizes for the Polycarbonate are pretty much like the standard greenhouses 6ft wide or 4ft wide and a variety of depths.

As with all greenhouses, polycarbonate varieties also have a couple of disadvantages as well as the initial outlay required. It has been reported that polycarbonate scratches more easily than glass which can affect the amount of light plants receive if severely scratched. Glass Greenhouses do last along time if cared for well. Polycarbonate also doesn't currently last as long as traditional glass does against the elements however as with any new man made material, technological advancements are being made all the time.

Hopefully you should now have a good idea of what polycarbonate greenhouses have to offer over traditional glass or acrylic greenhouses and remember that any initial extra outlay is outweighed by not having to regularly replace damaged panels.

Copyright (c) 2010 Filton Kingswood

by: Filton Kingswood

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