ABSTRACT
Greenhouses have been built on the tops of buildings, on the sides of hills and buried in the ground with only the roof showing. With greenhouse structures, this chapter develops the importance of location and climate, supporting superstructures, coverings, internal arrangements, perils to the structure and, lastly, general costs involved. It is the necessity to cover ground as cheaply as possible with an efficient structure, easily managed, that determines style for a particular climatic region. As with agricultural operations, greenhouse production is strongly dependent upon climate and weather. There are essentially two basic methods for greenhouse arrangement, separate structures or gutter-connected depending upon the crop grown. While a number of activities can be carried out inside a greenhouse, even at the expense of some crop area, almost any greenhouse requires a supporting facility, the arrangement of which will depend upon crops grown, climate, heating system and whether the operation is wholesale or retail.
