Greenhouses buying guide

It doesn't matter whether you're a green-fingered expert or an enthusiastic beginner, making sure your plants and seedlings are protected during the winter is an absolute must. At Tesco, we have a range of affordable greenhouses that'll give your plants plenty of room to grow.

Greenhouse styles

• Traditional greenhouses

  This popular style has a traditional apex roof, giving you plenty of space to work in. Their generous size can be more expensive to heat in the winter, but their standalone design gives the plants exposure to the sun all day long.

• Lean-to greenhouses

  These greenhouses are designed to be positioned up against a wall or fence and are ideal if you only have a limited space to work with. Lean-to greenhouses cost less to heat; in fact, they need additional ventilation in order to avoid overheating in south-facing positions. If your garden only has limited access to sunlight, it's best to avoid north-facing walls.

• Polythene greenhouses

  If you don't need to use a greenhouse all year round, this is perfect for you. These greenhouses don't need a base, so can be easily folded away. However, they do have their limitations - they're fairly small, can't be heated and, due to their lightweight nature, aren't ideally suited to wintry conditions.

Size

A greenhouse needs to be large enough for what you want to grow, and for you to move around inside comfortably too. It's also advisable to get a greenhouse with a wide doorway; preferably wide enough for a wheelbarrow.

Installation and location

You will need to install your greenhouse onto a perimeter base plinth using bricks or steel reinforcements. Measure out the base to help you visualize its size and make sure it fits where you want it to go.

You should position your greenhouse where it gets maximum sunlight, as well as avoiding the shadow of neighbouring buildings, trees or hedges. This can be a particular issue for lean-to greenhouses where, as suggested, using north-facing walls should be avoided. If you build your greenhouse close to the house will also get you easier access to mains power for heating and lighting, plus a handy supply of water.

Glazing

Our greenhouses come with a variety of glazing options to suit your gardening needs:

• Standard horticultural glass

  Crystal clear for superior looks, horticultural glass makes your greenhouse a magnificent addition to your garden for both functionality and style. However, horticultural glass can be difficult to clean, and can break or crack as the greenhouse ages or under extreme frost.

• Toughened glass

  In addition to offering a beautiful, clear design, toughened glass also offers the added safety of crumbling rather than splintering if broken. You may need to pay a little more for toughened glass compared to standard horticultural glass.

• Polycarbonate safety glazing

  Two sheets of polycarbonate act like double glazing, providing better insulation for your plants. It's also stronger than horticultural glass, lightweight, flexible, shatterproof and offers good light diffusion for even illumination. In comparison to glass, polycarbonate greenhouses are more difficult to keep clean, are relatively opaque and can be unstable in high winds.

Accessories and extras

In order to get the most out of your greenhouse and extend its capacity, you may be interested in adding shelving and other accessories. Shelving can offer you a flat surface, or a tray for putting plant pots and other garden necessities. A fan heater could make heating your greenhouse easier during winter months, and water butts offer an economic water source for your plants.