Greenhouse insulation offers several different ways to keep heat in and cold out of your greenhouse environment. Insulation should be carefully chosen since some insulating materials might limit the amount of natural light that reaches your plants. The most common forms of insulation are flexible plastic (or bubble sheets), thermal screens, double-glazing, and base cladding.
Double-glazing is considered to be the most efficient and most expensive form of greenhouse insulation. It’s designed to be installed during the construction phase as retro-fitting is even more costly. Flexible plastic (or bubble plastic) is also considered efficient and can last three to four seasons.
Thermal screens are clear plastic or translucent and available in horizontal or vertical models. Horizontal screens are attached to wires between eaves and drawn across the width of the greenhouse at night. Vertical shades can also partition off one specific end of the greenhouse that needs heating. Base cladding is for glass-ground greenhouses and involves the strategic placement of polystyrene panels at the base of the glass in winter.
