Grow Big or Go Home: Cindy Lovell's 13'x40' Grow Smart Greenhouse

Carrie and Cindy knew that in order to get their new microgreens business of to a strong start, they needed to invest in a high quality greenhouse. But  like most new business owners, they also had their eye on the purse strings of their start up budget.

The 13’x40’ Grow Smart greenhouse design by EarthCare fit the budget, and had the right combination of a sturdy aluminum frame, corrugated polycarbonate panels, double doors at both ends, and high performance features like UV protection and automatic vent openers.

We started by grading the sloping site, and pouring footers at key points around the perimeter of the greenhouse for structural stability.  Next we placed a baseboard around the perimeter using pressure treated 2”x6” lumber and fastening it to the piers. While not essential, the baseboard will give a much cleaner, even surface on which to fasten the base of the greenhouse frame.

The hobby and light commercial greenhouse kit market is competitive, and almost all of the designs are made overseas. The instructions that come with most kits are iffy at best, and the grainy cad drawings that came with the Grow Smart were no exception.  Disappointment about unclear assembly instructions and missing parts abounds in online forums and reviews about foreign made greenhouse kits.

Lots of patience and intermediate to advanced experience in carpentry/construction will make the difference between assembling a fun but challenging puzzle and wrangling in vain with a monster.

Fortunately all of the parts were present in Cindy’s kit, and once the site was prepared, the 13’x40’greenhouse came together nicely in about 3 days.

It was a chilly but sunny day when we put the finishing touches on Cindy and Carrie’s greenhouse, and the automatic vent openers were already scooping fresh air into the balmy interior, when Cindy and Carrie finally walked through their company’s newly completed headquarters, eager to get growing.