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Welcome to our site, hopefully you'll find the material you need to make an informed decision when purchasing one of the many residential hobby greenhouse kits on the market today. Easy to understand do it yourself DIY greenhouse plans are available to download (only $12.95) if your prefer to build your version of our hobby greenhouse. Most web sites selling greenhouse plans (mostly cookie cutter sites or affiliates) do not offer assistance of any kind. We will provide you with advice from the builder via telephone or email. How can we do this? We build greenhouse kits. Please visit our Plans Page for more information and to order the plans.

The Sun Country Greenhouse Company manufactures freestanding, wood frame greenhouse kits with continuous roof vents and covered with Lexan Corrugated polycarbonate panels. Made in Canada, this cedar post and beam greenhouse is designed to handle heavy snow loads, high winds and large hail. The 9 foot peak and 54 inch side walls allows for plenty of head room and the 12/12 roof pitch helps funnel warm air upwards thru the roof vents in summer and sheds snow with ease in winter. The rear window (30" x 34") can be removed and an exhaust fan installed to increase air flow. The interior is wide open, there are no vertical support posts to get in the way. One each side there's room for a 30" wide bench with a 36" walkway down the middle. All Sun Country greenhouse kits come with a pressure treated foundation included in price.

Sun Country greenhouse kits are constructed in our shop from Canadian Western Red Cedar. Each piece of cedar is planed and stained with Behr waterproofing clear stain. Our greenhouse kits are not only attractive but durable withstanding hurricane force winds of 85 mph (see testimonials). The side walls (2) and roof sections (2) are one piece either 12' or 16' long, not several sections bolted together. The structural integrity is second to none no matter what the price. We use hail resistant G.E. Lexan Corrugated polycarbonate greenhouse panels which allow 90% light transmission and does not burn the plants like glass. Each sheet comes with a 10 year limited warranty against yellowing. On the right the 9' x 12' greenhouse kits with corrugated polycarbonate greenhouse covering are priced at $4000.00 plus freight, the 16' model is $4800.00.

Sun Country Greenhouse Company kits are very easy to assemble, all the vents are in place and the door is hung. You simply connect the 2 roof sections and then lift the roof onto the 2 side walls already attached to the rear end wall. Slide the front end wall into place. Voila all done, assembled in less than 3 hours!

We ship to all points in Canada and the USA (even Alaska and Newfoundland) using Reimer Express in Canada and Roadway Express now YRC for U.S. shipments. For more info on features, prices and shipping costs please visit our greenhouse kits page. There are several things to keep in mind when purchasing a greenhouse kit or greenhouse plans. First ask yourself, what do I intend to use it for. Do I need a greenhouse to extend my growing season because of high altitudes or a colder hardiness zone or to over winter my plants and start seedlings in the early spring. If your plans include trying to grow veggies throughout the winter, here is a list of plants that do well. Keep in mind you will need supplemental lighting because of the shorter days as well as a reliable heat source.

Freestanding or Attached Greenhouse Kits

Do I want a freestanding greenhouse or a Lean-to attached to my home or garage. What size will I need? Keeping in mind everyone who owns a hobby greenhouse wishes they had a larger one so unless space or cost is an issue plan ahead. Make sure there are no local by-laws restricting the size of a structure on your property. Lean-to kits have the advantage of utilizing warm air from the house to help heat the greenhouse but there is less usable space and debris (ice and snow, branches and leaves) slide down from the roof of the house falling onto the lean to. Freestanding greenhouses looks great, there are several designs to choose from and they can be placed anywhere in the yard to get maximum sunlight. If you find the greenhouse is getting too much sun you can install shade cloth and you may want to consider positioning the structure where a large tree will provide shade at midday. If you have the time and the proper tools (see plans page) you can build a greenhouse yourself and save money.

Site Preparation:

You don't need to put all greenhouses on a cement pad or footing even if you're in a frost zone. The Lexan will flex if the ground under the greenhouse heaves and will not break like glass. A glass greenhouse should have a cement foundation below the frost line. Anyway...

Clear a site one foot wider and longer than the dimensions of the greenhouse and dig down about 6 inches to clear away any sod or roots. Level...add 4 inches of sandy gravel (called 3/4 down) level and tamp down. After it's packed and level, lay down black landscaping material to keep out unwanted plants. Set the greenhouse down and fill the remainder on the inside and out with decorative stone (pea gravel or limestone rock). The kits foundation consists of a 2x4 pressure treated footing, a cedar 4x4 and a cedar 2x4 sill (6 1/2 " high in total). The pressure treated footing will not be visible on the inside or out. In windy areas you can make your own hurricane anchors by running a "T" piece of rebar thru the foundation three feet into the ground at each corner.

FYI: Polycarbonate and Mosquito Repellant don't mix

One day we were assembling a roof section using Lexan Corrugated polycarbonate panels. The mosquitoes were pretty hungry and entering our shop to feast. West Nile is pretty wide spread in Manitoba and elsewhere and a few have gotten quite ill so I decided some "DEET" would be better than getting infected. I sprayed myself too close to the panels. The next day I noticed the Lexan had cracked around a couple of TEK screws and you could see where the repellant had been sprayed on the polycarbonate. It had turned opaque and had hairline cracks. In short is was ruined. This is not a warranty issue or any design problem with the Lexan. There must be some kind of petrochemical in the Deep Woods mosquito repellant that reacts with the polycarbonate. General Electric Plastics warns against cleaning with petroleum based solvents etc. Joy dish detergent works and I sometimes use Mineral Spirits to get tough marks off such as marker pen lines. So in short don't spray insect repellant near your greenhouse if it has polycarbonate covering of any kind.

Supplemental Lighting Kits

If you live in a hardiness zone where you can use your greenhouse during winter months fairly efficiently you will still need supplemental lighting. Plants "survive" with 9 or 10 hrs of sunlight but do not thrive or produce flowers and fruit. Visit a commercial greenhouse and you will see lots of HID lighting. High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights. These are the same powerful lights used by professional growers and come in kits; a bulb, ceramic fixture, ballast and hood. HID lights are highly energy efficient. You can grow any plant, anywhere, anytime you choose. The “high intensity” light energy is effective much farther than fluorescent: 250 watt/3 ft., 400 watt/5 ft., 600 watt/6 ft. The 400 watt is recommended for most hobby greenhouse applications.

High Pressures Sodium (HPS) kits: This light has extra output in the yellow, orange and red spectrum which increases flower quality and size. It is the best choice for use in a greenhouse.

Metal Halide (MH) kits: A full light spectrum is the advantage of MH. It is the most effective light for use indoors where there is limited sunlight and for the vegetative growth stage in a greenhouse then switching to sodium bulb for flowering.

Fluorescent Light Kits: These lights are recommended for starting seedlings and cuttings. They are also popular for growing herbs and other low-light plants like African violets. Fluorescent lights are “low intensity” and need to be within 6" to 8" of the plants to be effective.

Ventilation:

Ventilation is the exchange of inside air for outside air to control temperature, remove moisture and replenish carbon dioxide (CO2)that's necessary for photosynthesis. Excellent ventilation and air flow could be the most important factor in a thriving greenhouse. Without proper ventilation your plants become prone to a myriad of diseases and pests.

Natural ventilation uses roof vents on the ridge line with side inlet vents (louvers). Warm air rises on convective currents to escape through the top drawing cool air in through the sides. The Sun Country Greenhouse kits have continuous roof vents (six or eight) and a removable rear window where an exhaust fan can be installed.

Mechanical ventilation uses an exhaust fan to move air out one end of the greenhouse while outside air enters the other end through motorized inlet louvers. Exhaust fans should be sized to exchange the total volume of air in the greenhouse each minute.

Good ventilation prevents pest infestations and promotes important pollination inside the greenhouse by both insects and wind. Good air flow will also reduce the occurance of mould, mildew and other destructive diseases. Insects such as white flies hate a breeze. Selecting the proper exhaust fan and vent kits for your greenhouse can help to alleviate most of the problems mentioned.

Pests and Disease.

Plant health depends on good nutrition and environmental control, this is the first line of defense against both pests and diseases in any hobby greenhouse.

Diagnosing plant problems is a learnable skill that gets easier with experience. Making a proper diagnosis may require the help of a university or private laboratory, but growers can often combine their background knowledge with careful observations to make a good working diagnosis. Here are some tips for diagnosing your pest problems in a hobby greenhouse.

• Look closely at individual plants, noting which leaves or other parts exhibit symptoms.
• Use a magnifying tool to look for signs of the presence of arthropods (the pests themselves or eggs.) mould, and fungal spores on the top and bottom leaf surfaces.
• Remove a few plants from their containers. Look for poorly developed root systems, scorched tips, soft decay, discolouration, or evidence of feeding on roots or root hairs.
• Don’t forget the big picture. Do symptoms occur most often near doors, bench edges, where the roof drips, or where flood floors drain most slowly? If the answer to any of the above is “yes,” cleaning up standing water might be a good start toward containing or even solving the problem.
• Consider the history of the crop and your operation’s cultural practices. Have any materials been used on this crop for the first time, or have you recently used a familiar material at a higher rate than usual?
• Consult reference books, Extension literature, and notes from grower seminars. Talk with experienced growers, Extension agents, and consultants.
• Form a tentative diagnosis, and send samples representative of early and intermediate stages of the problem to a diagnostic lab.
• After determining the problem, discard plants with contagious diseases and take appropriate control measures.
• Continue to watch the crop carefully. The initial diagnosis may only be telling part of the story. For example: You found the fungus gnats and treated the crop for them, but the Pythium infection they were carrying might not show up until later.

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At top is a nice shot of our 9'x12' greenhouse kits with Lexan Corrugated covering. Middle shot rear view and yard. Bottom 12 foot kit w/ Lexan Corrugated and cedar. There's lots more photographs of our customers greenhouse kits in the Photo Gallery

Controlling temperatures in a cold frame or greenhouse is straightforward with this automatic control unit. This vent opener incorporates a gas-charged cylinder of adjustable volume. As the Temperature rises the gas expands opening the vent. This unit will open a 15 lb. vent or window more than adequate in most cold frames and hobby greenhouses. As temperatures fluctuate, the 12 1/2" long unit will open and close a window as necessary to prevent disasters. Made from non rusting anodized aluminum. Purchase this vent opener at Lee Valley.com for $50.00.

Mosquito

Repellant

and

Polycarbonates

don't mix

"Greenhouse Kits at Night", The corrugated polycarbonate panels diffuse the interior light like a golden jewel in your backyard.

above HID Lighting Kit

below: Exhaust Fan Kit

Daylily leaves show orange spore pustules on the back when infected with rust.

Edema and webbing are clues to heavy spider mite infestation on this ivy geranium.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map