In the past, commercial and home greenhouses were mostly made with glass. However, in recent times, new construction materials have been used to make these greenhouses. While each of them has its pros and cons, it’s hard to deny the benefits of using glass greenhouse.
In no particular order of importance, these are some of the benefits.
It looks better
Glass is one of the best construction materials that allow for an easy see-through effect. A greenhouse is basically like a farm under controlled conditions. If you love the farm life or nature’s green color, looking through a glass greenhouse is one of the best ways to appreciate agriculture. It may seem biased, but a glass greenhouse has a more traditional look to farming than most of these other alternatives.
Light for plant’s photosynthesis
Like humans need food to survive, plants need an adequate supply of sunlight to survive. Since plants use sunlight to make food, they can only survive, grow, and reproduce when they have sufficient amounts of sun. Greenhouse may control weather conditions, and it allows plants to receive natural sunlight. A glass greenhouse offers both to the plants easily. Plants in a glass greenhouse can synthesize their food and energy as it deems fit.
Material discoloration
Over time, most of the other outer materials used for greenhouses fade or become discolored. This is because they are subject to varying weather conditions that, over time, affect their integrity. Glass, on the other hand, is not easily susceptible to the harshness of weather. At worst, the glass may fog up but will clear up with the right amount of sun.
Long lifespan
As long as the glass is not hit or broken, glass has a longer lifespan than other construction materials. When protected from breaking, it can last long.
Fire resistant
It’s a well-known fact that glass can withstand higher temperatures of heat than most construction materials. Like all materials, it does have its limits. However, it is able to protect the plants from a major fire hazard that would naturally dry them out.
Affordability
Glass is affordable when compared to other new reinforced materials. For a material with the benefits already discussed, you can get a glass relatively cheaper. Glass can be recycled and reused. Broken or dented glass can be remolded to form new glass. Depending on the level of damage, it can be salvaged and used to construct a glass greenhouse.
Easy to replace
In continuation of the last benefit, broken glass can be replaced. The ease of replacement may differ, but it is possible. Depending on what part of the city you’re in, you can easily order glass panes to replace broken ones. In addition, you can mitigate the cost of new ones by choosing to recycle old or broken glass.
Conclusion
Greenhouses have no doubt been an efficient way to support the world’s food shortages. Although some argue about its effect, a glass greenhouse is a viable option to use to grow plants.
