Greenhouses for Schools

Why use a greenhouse?

Temperature significantly affects the growth rate of plants. Greenhouses are very useful
because they provide an increased temperature around plants and protect them from
weather extremes. This…

extends the growing season allowing you to sow plants earlier and harvest plants
later,

allows crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and aubergines to crop more
successfully,

provides a protected environment to overwinter tender plants like pelargoniums,
fuchsias and citrus trees,

improves the chances of propagation success when taking cuttings.
From a practical point of view a greenhouse can provide an outdoor classroom. This
can be used to carry out gardening tasks, such as pricking out and potting on during
wet weather. Science experiments e.g. investigating global warming and the
greenhouse effect can also be staged.

What should you consider when choosing your greenhouse?

Where to position it?

A sunny, south-facing position that is sheltered from strong winds is best to maximise the
potential of your greenhouse.

The base of the greenhouse will need to be placed on a level surface. A flat playground
is ideal, however you will have to grow things in grow-bags and pots rather than in the
soil. Ensure that the greenhouse is anchored into the ground.

If the site is grassed or bare soil, level footings will have to be constructed which will add
to the cost of installation. Any existing vegetation will have to be thoroughly cleared to
prevent it invading your greenhouse in future.

Access to a water supply and electricity will also be important if you want to have an
automatic irrigation system (very useful for school holidays) or want to provide heating to
your greenhouse.

Is the site near the school garden or building? Can wheelchair users access site? Is the
site a ‘stone’s throw away’ for potential vandals? Will the size and shape (see below) of
the greenhouse fit the site? Answering these questions can help you pick the best site.

Budget

This will ultimately decide the maximum size of your greenhouse. You should try to buy
the biggest you possibly can for your money without compromising on quality too much.
You will find that you soon need more space!

Remember that things like extra vents, water butts, installation costs, extra benches and
irrigation systems will all add to the cost.

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Quick reference: things to consider when buying a greenhouse
Where will you put it? A sheltered,
sunny spot is best. Will it be placed
on the playground or will there be
soil underneath? Will vandalism be
a problem?
Will you require heating
and lighting? Some
plants require frost-free
conditions over winter to
live e.g. pelargoniums.
Access. Will the
greenhouse be used by
SEN children – is it
wheelchair-friendly? Is
there a clear route?
How will you keep the crops
watered outside term time and
who will take care of the annual
maintenance?
What do you want to grow? Veg,
herbs, salad, tomatoes, flowers?
How many do you want to grow?
This will determine the size of
greenhouse you require.
Budget. How much
money do you have?
Extra costs could include
installation, additional
benches and insurance.
How many children are
to work inside at one
time? An 8ft x 6ft house
will only fit 4 children.
Which glazing material (e.g. glass
or polycarbonate) will you use?
You will need to satisfy yourselves
that it’s within your risk
assessment and insurance.
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Which crops do you want to grow?

Certain crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, grape vines, ornamental gourds, aubergines
and melons will grow more successfully in a greenhouse. They will occupy your
valuable greenhouse space across the summer months and will need watering during
the holidays. It is also important to be on the look out for pests such as red spider mite
and aphids and control as necessary.

Early harvests of carrots, beetroot, radishes, potatoes and other crops can be achieved
using a greenhouse but they will take up floor space.

Cuttings from herbs and ornamental plants, seeds sown in trays and pots and early-
sown tender crops such as sweetcorn and courgettes will all be vying for space in spring.
Figure out how many of each you want to grow and decide if you have space to do so.

If you want to use the greenhouse as an outdoor classroom, some bench space is best
left free to allow space for activities like seed sowing, pricking-out and potting-on. The
size of your greenhouse will restrict the number of children able to work inside so you
should consider the maximum you intend to have working at any one time.

Glazing

You need to be satisfied that the greenhouse you purchase fulfils the requirements of
your risk assessment. Broken glass can be a potential hazard. However, there are a
number of materials available that minimise this risk:

Tempered glass: much stronger than normal horticultural glass and shatters
into lots of small, blunt pieces rather than shards when it breaks. Benefits
include high light transmission and longevity. It is however more expensive than
other materials.

Rigid plastic: includes polycarbonate and acrylic which do not last as long as
glass but are incredibly difficult to break, especially polycarbonate which is stone-
proof. They do not transmit as much light as glass and can be blown out of their
frames during windy conditions because they are lightweight.

Plastic film: includes polyethylene (polythene) and is the cheapest cladding
material but only lasts 3 – 5 years before it is degraded by ultraviolet light and will
need replacing. You should budget for this. It is easily slashed by vandals or
misplaced tools. It is commonly used on polytunnels (see below).

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Frame material

Aluminium greenhouses are often labelled ‘maintenance-free’ but still benefit from an
annual clean to remove algae and dirt and to prevent the spread of plant diseases.
Because the structural supports are slim, they allow more sunlight into the greenhouse
than a bulkier wooden frame. They can have sharp edges. Look for a model with
rounded corners and well-made benching that is unlikely to cause abrasions and cuts.
Wooden greenhouses are more aesthetically-pleasing than an aluminium frame –
although green powder-coated aluminium frames can be attractive. Wooden frames
tend to be more expensive to buy, install and maintain, and the bulkier supports intercept
more sunlight than a thin aluminium frame.

Shapes and sizes

A minimum practical size for school

gardening would be 2.5 x 1.8m
(approx. 8’ x 6’), although this would
accommodate only four children and
a teacher.
Practically-speaking, there are three
shapes or forms of greenhouse:
freestanding, lean-to, and
octagonal/odd shaped.

Freestanding (above right):

the most common, often
square or rectangular, they vary from 1.2 to 3m wide (4’ to 12’) and up to 6m (20’)
long. The height of the eaves (where the roof meets the walls) influences light
transmission so you should aim for at least 1.5 to 1.8m (5 to 6’). This also gives
you more headroom!

Lean-to: these have one side that adjoins a building and are useful where space
is at a premium or you want the greenhouse near a building. They should be
positioned against a south-facing wall to capture the most sunlight. While they
do not receive as much overall sunlight, they are thermally more efficient than
freestanding models because the wall will absorb warmth during the day and
radiate it out at night. They are therefore less expensive to heat when
overwintering frost-tender plants.

Octagonal/odd shaped: these can be quite tricky to manage in terms of
spacing plants and controlling ventilation but offer a different look.

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Health and safety considerations

Look for a ‘kick-board’ that spans the width of the bottom of the door. This
prevents accidental breakage and
provides strength.

Try to avoid large threshold steps (left)
which present a trip hazard across the
doorway. A small step allows easy
wheelbarrow access too.

A glasshouse can get very hot in summer,
which can cause dehydration and heat
exhaustion. It is important to avoid
working inside it for prolonged periods in
hot weather. Use a thermometer with a
minimum and maximum temperature
reading to assess if conditions are not
suitable for children. Increasing ventilation
by installing additional vents and leaving
the door open will help to reduce excessive heat. White-wash shading can be
applied to the glass or green shading fabric can be attached to the inside of the
glass. Damping down (with tap water only), which involves throwing water onto
the floor of the greenhouse, also helps to reduce temperatures. There should be
no way that children can get locked inside while working – remove any padlocks
etc. and place out of sight.

Because they can get very dry, greenhouses can get dusty which can present a
respiratory risk. Keep them clean and tidy and wet surfaces down before working
if necessary. Avoid storing compost, perlite and vermiculite in greenhouses
which can cause bacterial pneumonia.

Ground surfaces can be slippery, especially when wet and children should be
advised of this.

The greenhouse should not be used as a shed. Having lots of tools, pots, and
bags of compost everywhere can present a trip hazard as well as take up
valuable growing space.

Unheated glasshouses will be cold in the winter months. Warm clothing should
be worn when working during these months. Conversely, some heaters get very
hot and must not be touched and electric heaters must never get wet

Always check the glazing of the greenhouse for any breaks before each session
and allowing the children inside.

Never store water tanks in a greenhouse for health and safety reasons.

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Ventilation

As a general rule the roof area occupied by vents should be around 20% of the total floor
area of the greenhouse. This prevents temperatures getting too hot. Roof vents are
very important features and you should check how many are supplied with your choice
and purchase more if required.
Side or louvre vents are useful to help circulate air around the whole of the greenhouse
but are difficult to draught-proof in the winter.
Automatic roof vents which open at preset temperatures are available. These have a
reservoir of wax in them that expands onto a piston as air temperatures rise. They will
open as wide as the temperature requires. The only downside of these is that they will
remain open when it rains and during windy conditions, until the temperature drops
below the set level. They are particularly useful for providing ventilation over the
weekend and holidays but should only be seen as supplementary to opening vents
manually.
Doors are also important to control ventilation and can either be double or single. If
ordering a single door, you will be able to choose opening to the right or left. You should
consider what will be nearby the greenhouse when deciding which way the door opens.
Double doors obviously provide improved access and ventilation. A kick panel across
the base of the door is vital to prevent accidental damage.

Guttering and drainpipes

Water collection is a very useful way of reducing dependency of mains water for
irrigation. This will save you money if you are on a meter and it promotes sustainable
practices to children. You should check whether the model of greenhouse that you are
interested in has guttering and drainpipes fitted as standard. Water butts and stands are
often purchased separately and often it makes sense to purchase two or more to collect
lots of water.

Maintenance considerations

A greenhouse needs to be looked after. As a minimum this involves an annual clean

carried out in winter or early spring. Give the glazing a good scrub with soapy water to
allow maximum light penetration. Clean down the frame of the greenhouse with soapy
water to remove any algae and debris that has built up. Remove any leaf litter or other
debris that has accumulated inside. All of these activities help to remove sheltering sites
for plant pests such as red spider mite.

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Irrigation and feeding

Irrigation is vitally important to producing a good crop. In the summer it will be a daily
job, or more on very hot days and depending on the size of pot, and needs to be co-
ordinated between teachers, pupils, and interested adults in the community.
Automatic irrigation systems that use a leaky hose supply a steady drip of water directly
to the ground around the plants that are near the hose. They can be set up on a timer
and connected to the mains water supply for ease of irrigation at weekends and during
holidays. Set them to a minimum to avoid overwatering.
If feasible it is better to put plants outside of the greenhouse during the summer holidays
so that they are not subject to extremes of temperature.
Other more complicated automatic systems are available that provide water directly to
the pot or growing bag that the plant is set in. You should consider whether they are
within your budget and whether they suit the way that you intend to grow your plants.
It you do grow your crops in pots or grow-bags your plants will need feeding weekly or
fortnightly with a balanced water-soluble fertiliser. This will only need to be applied while
they are actively growing. You could also consider using controlled-release granules that
will release nutrients over the holiday periods.

Heating
If you want to grow tender plants that are killed by frost, for example oranges, bananas
and avocados, then you will need to heat your greenhouse over the winter months.
Similarly, if you want to sow plants such as courgettes, sweetcorn and tomatoes early to
give them a head start, you will also need heating.
The size of heater you purchase will depend on how big your greenhouse is and what
temperature you require. Your heating supplier should help you with this.
A minimum temperature around 5 to 7°C can be provided by a number of different
heaters. There are two options most applicable for school gardening:

Electric: these often have a thermostat to ensure that they come on as and
when required. They are cleaner with minimum fuss and arguably the safest
option. Fan-type heaters are the best to get started with and have the advantage
that they move the air around the greenhouse. Drawbacks include the need to
have an electricity supply to the greenhouse which presents health and safety
risks.

Gas: bottled gas heaters have the disadvantage that they pose a potential fire
risk and can get very hot. However, new units have a number of safety features
and as long as they are placed correctly they should be safe. Thermostatically-
controlled models are also available. A carbon monoxide alarm should be fitted if
you use a gas heater. Mains gas can be used too but carries installation costs.

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You can always improve the insulation of your greenhouse by attaching bubble wrap to
the inside of the glazing, especially on the sides of the greenhouse that receive the most
wind. Remember it is not worth trying to heat polytunnels because they are not good at
retaining heat.

Alternatives to greenhouses

Polythene tunnels
(Polytunnels): A large
polytunnel like this (right) can
be a real boon for your
school garden. They consist
of polythene film pulled
tightly over a curved metal
structure to provide a cost-
effective protected
environment. They are
inefficient to heat however,
and should not be used for
overwintering frost-tender
plants. They are good for
growing summer crops like
tomatoes, cucumbers,
melons and squashes and for raising salad crops earlier in the year. They are
best installed by a professional because it can be particularly difficult to get the
skin tight across the framework. If you can afford it, a polytunnel with straight
sides improves working conditions by providing more headroom and allowing
more ventilation. Straight-sided polytunnels often have a mesh that allows air in.
They are adjusted by winding
a sheet of polythene up and
down over the mesh. See
below for more information
on polytunnels and how they
compare to greenhouses.

Cold frames: these are
smaller box-like structures
made of wood, metal, brick
or glass that have a sloping,
hinged lid glazed with glass
or plastic (see the right hand
side of this picture). They
are cheap to make and are

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 useful for hardening off seedlings in the spring. They are also useful for
growing on hardwood cuttings during the winter months.

Cloches: these are
structures that are placed
directly over the plants
growing in-situ like this tunnel
cloche pictured right. Plastic
drinks bottles with the bottom
cut off are also useful. It is
important to add a few extra
ventilation holes to allow
some air to circulate around
the growing plant. They also
provide some degree of
protection from garden pests
such as slugs and snails.
Other examples include bell-
cloches and sheet-cloches
that are placed directly over the plants as they grow.

DIY plastic bottle greenhouses: Although
they are not as efficient for growing plants,
building a plastic bottle greenhouse is a great
community or team-building exercise and
highlights the importance of recycling and re-
using waste products to children. To reduce
the amount of rainfall that gets in, it is a good
idea to use a sheet of polycarbonate across
the roof of your bottle greenhouse. For
instructions on how to construct your own,
visit our website at:
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening/uploads/docu
ments/Bottle_Greenhouse_837.pdf

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Greenhouse or Polytunnel?
Greenhouse
Potentially more expensive
especially if you opt for a large
model.
Cost
Small greenhouses can be
relatively easy to set up but may
Installation need level foundations installed.
Check your insurance if
considering self-build.
Tend to be smaller and thermally
more efficient. This makes it easier
to manage the internal
Management
temperature with heating,
ventilation and shading.
Require an annual clean and the
occasional replacement of a
glazing panel and repairs to
Maintenance
fittings. Weeds should be removed
frequently from inside.
Because they are restricted in size
and may have glass glazing (which
Potential for can break) they are less
outdoor successful as an outdoor
classroom classroom. May need to buy
specific benches (staging) that fit
your greenhouse.
A greenhouse with strong glazing
(see previous section for glazing
Damage
choices) can be incredibly resilient
factor
to footballs etc. Horticultural glass
is brittle and should be avoided.
Polytunnel
Can be much cheaper and you will
get a much larger structure for
your money. However, it will need
re-skinning every 3 to 5 years
which will add to eventual costs.
Cost effective if heating not
required.
Polytunnels are best erected by
professionals since it can be
difficult to get the polythene tight
over the metal supports.
Temperature can fluctuate by as
much as 40°C on a hot spring day
with cloudless nights. Difficult to
manage this variation without large
vents and internal shading. Not
worth heating in winter.
Cleaning can be more difficult,
especially on the roof. Re-skinning
required (see above). A weed-
proof membrane should be used
inside and can be planted through
if required.
A large polytunnel makes a great
outdoor classroom especially if
there is plenty of headroom and it
has straight edges. Due to extra
space, old tables or desks can be
used for working benches.
It is very easy to tear a polytunnel
with a stray gardening tool and
they are easy targets for vandals.
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Glossary:

Frost-tender plants: these are plants that are significantly damaged when
temperatures fall to zero and below. They require a glasshouse that is heated to
between 1 and 5°C to avoid being irreparably damaged.
Hardening-off: this involves subjecting seedlings to progressively more exposure to
normal garden conditions and is achieved by opening the lid of a cold frame more and
more each day and closing it at night.
Perlite: an inert, lightweight, white, granular product added to compost to improve its
aeration and drainage properties.
Potting-on: occurs when a plant grown in a pot or module tray is transplanted into a
larger pot.
Pricking-out: the transfer of newly-germinated seedlings into pots or module trays
using a pencil to lift their roots and your hand to pick them up by the seed leaves.
Vermiculte: gold-coloured, laminated, lightweight granules that can also be added to
compost to improve drainage and aeration. It is also used to cover seeds that require
light to germinate.

All photographs copyright of RHS.

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