Currently, the brands that are most readily available in the US are primarily sold online. Even the big box retails including Costco, Wal-Mart and Lowes do not have greenhouses in their stores. One can find them on their websites which can be purchased and shipped to homes and businesses, but it's very difficult to find a garden store where you can shop and compare, walk inside the floor models, feel the strength of the frame and discuss the features with a greenhouse expert.
The brands that are available online include:
* Sunflower
* EasyStart
* Silverline
* Greenline
* EasyGrow
* Rion
* Sunshine
* Solexx
* Riga
* Sun Garden
* SunGlo
* Prince
* Victorian
A majority of these greenhouses have 4mm and 6mm twin-walled polycarbonate panels, aluminum frame and steel or aluminum base.
The small, 4mm polycarbonate greenhouses start at $550.00 (including shipping); the larger ones with 6 or 10mm polycarbonate panels sell for $2,000 to $6,000.
Without going into a lengthy discussion on the pro's and con's of 4mm vs. 6mm vs. 10mm polycarbonate panels, the company believes that a 10mm triple wall polycarbonate panel is the most favorable for the majority of American locations.
Sol Greenhouses, L.L.C. also knows that they do not have to be overly expensive. "The price of triple wall polycarbonate panels is under $5.00 per square meter. A typical 8' x 12' greenhouse has about 25 square meters of surface area. That totals $125 to $175 in polycarbonate panel. This greenhouse retails in the US for between $3,000 and $5,000! Yes, there are other components including the aluminum frame, base, roof windows and side vents and labor, but anyone can easily understand that there is a tremendous markup from manufacturer to retailer. We aim at changing that!"
Mr. Cory along with his staff and manufacturing partner have produced a line of greenhouses (Sol Greenhouses)
The Sol Greenhouses will also include many more features than are currently included in greenhouses available today. Although these added features are available in today's greenhouse selection, they are optional items that have to be purchased as extras and are not included in the basic greenhouse price.
These "extras" that are included in Sol Greenhouses are:
* Extension Kits
* Roof vents
* Automatic vent openers
* Side vents
* Greenhouse base
* Staging tables
* Hooks for hanging baskets
* Solar lighting
By including these "extras" which cost the manufacturer very little, the greenhouse grower will receive a complete greenhouse which is ready for growing. Sol Greenhouses are categorized as the "Complete Garden Greenhouse In-a-Box".
The other important feature that Sol Greenhouses have are Extension Kits which allow growers to purchase varying lengths of their 6' wide or 8' wide models. A standard 6' W x 6' L greenhouse can be lengthened by adding 4' long Extension Kits to make a 10', 14' or 18' long greenhouse.
These feature also is important in reducing the manufacturing costs. The manufacturer only has to product 4 basic products:
* 6' W x 6' L Greenhouse
* 8' W x 8' L Greenhouse
* 6' W x 4' L Extension Kit
* 8' W x 4' L Extension Kit
The most important features of Sol Greenhouses is the triple-wall polycarbonate panels which allow growers to cultivate most plants & vegetables year round anywhere in the United States. The company's research included growing vegetables in their 10mm triple-walled polycarbonate greenhouse in the mountains of Colorado during the winter of 2008. Adding a 10,000 BTU heater maintained an internal temperature of 75º even when outside temperatures dropped well below 0º F.
Another factor the company is using to reduce manufacturing and shipping costs includes creating components that are modular is design and that will fit in boxes that are 6' or less in length. Many manufacturers have boxes that are 10' to 12' in length. The packaging is also designed so that the entire greenhouse is shipped in two boxes, not three which is typical with most greenhouse kits. Both the frame and base will be shipped in one carton; the polycarbonate panels in a second carton.
One last strategy that the company is using involves loading greenhouse boxes into shipping containers on pallets with a forklift, instead of hand loading cardboard boxes into the container. Many manufacturers still hand load their products due to cheap labor. However, when the containers arrive in the US, they also have to be hand unloaded because they are not on pallets. They sit directly on the floor of the container.
Sol Greenhouses will be introduced in the United States in March of 2010 and will debut at the National Hardware Show on May 4, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The company's sales and marketing strategy includes selling their product line directly to retail garden stores, big box retailers and online stores. Brick and mortar stores will be required to have at least one model where customers can "touch & feel" the product. Online retailers will have the convenience of Sol Greenhouses drop shipping directly to their customers.
Sol Greenhouses, L.L.C., is based in Denver, Colorado with their sales and marketing offices located in Western Colorado near Glenwood Springs.
Email: solgreenhouses@
Phone: 970-927-5075
Inquiries from stores and online retailers should be directed to Mr. Charles Cory, VP Sales & Marketing in the company's Western Colorado offices.
The company's mission is to produce and sell high quality complete garden greenhouses in North America at prices well below what current greenhouses are selling for.
