These days, commercial or industrial farming is one of the best ventures. However, in light of the climate changes worldwide, you need to guarantee that your plants can grow throughout the year. The ideal way to ensure this is greenhouse farming. This includes a range of alternatives that aim to mimic the best conditions for plant growth.
When buying a mini greenhouse in New Zealand, different factors should influence your choice. Among them is the greenhouse’s foundation. The ideal foundation is primarily determined by your greenhouse type and the region’s building codes. Here are the available options for your greenhouse’s foundation:
Wood
The most common and simplest foundation option for greenhouses is wood that has undergone different treatments to make it insect-resistant. Wood is a good and inexpensive alternative for small greenhouses. In a wooden foundation, timber boards are directly placed into the ground. These boards are then anchored using bars attached to frames and driven below your ground’s frost line. The framework for wooden foundations is mostly similar. You should be diligent in picking the type of wood treatment used for the boards to guarantee that it offers protection against the threats in your region.
A Concrete Slab
This is one of the strongest greenhouse foundation options. A concrete slab foundation can be used in both attached and freestanding houses. In an attached greenhouse, the foundation is installed one to two steps below the floor of the supporting structure. In a freestanding greenhouse, it is several inches above the supporting structure’s finish grade. The concrete is reinforced with fibres or wires, which are removed after setting. Insulation boards are then vertically installed with a sill to buffer the concrete and insulation board as well as reduce heat loss.
A Concrete Wall
Your concrete wall is installed about a foot below your area’s frost line. Concrete wall foundations are stronger compared to concrete slabs since they are about two times thicker than the latter. They are hence generally used for large greenhouses, like those with glass glazing. Concrete wall foundations are built in much the same way as concrete slabs and used in permanent greenhouses.
Beam and Post
This is somewhat a concrete and wood hybrid foundation. The foundation consists of treated wood or concrete posts equally spaced around a greenhouse and buried below your area’s frost line. These posts will support the beams that form your greenhouse’s floor. They allow the easy movement of your greenhouse to a different location if need be with minimal disturbance to the area. Beam and post greenhouse foundations are also stronger compared to wooden ones and can be used in areas with strong winds.
In the end, your greenhouse’s foundation is crucial to its stability or durability. As such, choosing the appropriate one for your needs is essential. To ensure that it efficiently meets your farming needs, get your greenhouse from the best manufacturer that you can find. The money that you spend on getting the best will result in a plentiful harvest.
