So you’ve finally decided to get that hobby greenhouse you’ve always wanted. Even though the winter here is mild, gardeners still find a greenhouse offers a variety of advantages.

If you have a large collection of containerized tropical plants, a greenhouse provides the ideal location to overwinter them without the necessity of moving them in and out as temperatures fluctuate. For gardeners who are into plant propagation, greenhouses can make starting plants from seeds or cuttings much more successful.

A greenhouse’s main purpose is to a llow gardeners to adjust and manipulate the environmental conditions to fit plant preferences. Light, temperature, air circulation and humidity can be controlled to an extent not possible inside a home or outdoors.

Greenhouses are especially popular with gardeners who have collections of particular plants, such as orchids, bromeliads or cactuses.

The first thing you have to do is make a few decisions: How much money do you want to spend? How much work do you want to do?

A hobby greenhouse can range from a simple, relatively inexpensive polyethylene-covered framework that you can put together in an afternoon to a pricey fully automated conservatory.

No matter which greenhouse you choose, consider how you want to use it, and how much time you’ll have to spend in it after it’s built.

Don’t be overly enthusiastic; some new greenhouse owners find they don’t have as much time as they thought for gardening.

On the other hand, there is a misconception that greenhouses require constant attention. By utilizing automatic controls, maintenance can be kept low. Automatic controls are ideal for providing proper temperatures, artificial light, watering, humidity and ventilation.

You can get the most greenhouse for your money by doing some or all of the construction yourself. How much work you do depends on how handy you are with tools.

Be honest with yourself; don’t take on a job that’s too big to handle.

If you are good with tools, you can put up any plastic-covered greenhouse and almost any prefabricated glass greenhouse.

In most cases, you will need to hire a qualified electrician and plumber to run electrical and water lines. You’ll want lights, fans and heaters.

It’s possible to water the plants in your greenhouse using a hose running from an existing nearby faucet. But it’s so much handier having a faucet in the greenhouse.

There are two basic types of greenhouses: attached and free standing. An attached greenhouse may be even-span or lean-to. These types of greenhouses provide the opportunity to make the greenhouse a real part of the main house — almost like an extra room.

A free standing greenhouse is usually even-span (symmetrical roof).

Foundations for greenhouses vary, from simply anchoring it to the bare ground to pouring a concrete slab. Be sure you know what will be needed.

It’s a good idea to check with your city or parish building permits department before you begin construction.

After you decide which kind of greenhouse you want, you need to determine where to put it. The first choice should be on the south or southeast side of the house in a sunny location.

The east side is the second best location. That’s where it will capture the most November to February sunlight.

The next best locations are the southwest and west; the north side is the least desirable location because it receives the least amount of light.

You will limit the types of plants you can grow if you don’t put your greenhouse in the best possible location for light. Remember, you can always reduce the light in a sunny location by covering it with shade cloth, but it’s difficult to provide additional light if you’re in the shade.

You can place your greenhouse where it will be partly shaded during the summer to help reduce heat buildup. Look around at nearby trees. Be sure to take into account the possibility of falling limbs or pine cones that can damage the greenhouse.

There are a variety of accessories that should be considered. You must be able to provide adequate ventilation in the summer. A fan and vents are critical.

Ridge vents, vents along the top of the roof, are needed to allow hot air to escape as it rises. These vents can be automated.

Many greenhouse owners simply move their plants outside during the hottest part of the summer. Even with excellent ventilation, temperatures in a greenhouse can easily exceed 100 degrees during the hottest months.

By contrast, heat will be needed in the winter. I spoke to a gardener who had gotten a greenhouse this past winter. When the freezes in January threatened, she put her entire orchid collection in the structure to keep them safe. Alas, she found in a few days that all of the orchids had frozen and turned black. Without heat, even a greenhouse will not save plants when temperatures stay below freezing for extended periods.

Various types of heating systems and units are available. Check with the greenhouse manufacturer for recommendations, and keep an eye toward safety.

Greenhouses aren’t for everyone, but if you have always dreamed of having one, I say go for it. They can open up a whole new word of gardening.