Comparing the competition

Designed for a bit more height, the Access Midi Growhouse provides plenty of space between the adjustable seed tray shelves and also gives enough height to enable bush tomatoes to be grown inside the Growhouse during the Summer months. It’s size is similar to the many low cost Growhouses on the market, but we think it is worth paying that bit extra to get all of the benefits of an Access Growhouse.

Competitor’s features

Solid backs – many Growhouses have a solid back to them. Although a Growhouse is often placed in front of a wall or hedge, some light can still enter the Growhouse at the back so we make all of our Growhouses with a glass back to maximise the amount of light inside. Wooden growhouses especially are often very dark at the bottom, so nothing will grow in that position.

Hinged Doors – a Growhouse with hinged opening doors has a number of disadvantages. Hinged doors generally can only be secured in the fully open or fully closed position. If they are left partially open then the doors will flap and bang in the wind. Wooden hinged doors can also warp quite quickly making them difficult to close. Hinged doors can also be a nuisance in restricted spaces, as they have to open outwards into the area where you are standing. By contrast the Access sliding door design ensures nothing slides beyond the footprint of the Growhouse and allows gentle ventilation on cooler days, keeping the air moving inside the Growhouse and reducing damp and disease problems.

Solid shelves – people sometimes comment that our shelves only have slim bars on them and that they do not go the full depth front to back. We could make our shelves deeper and thicker, but the more that is placed on the shelf, the darker the area below becomes. We don’t think there is any benefit having more space in the Growhouse if those plants are going to die due to lack of light.

Fixed shelves – many Growhouses have fixed shelves but with a fixed shelf there is no option of accommodating taller plants. With the Access Growhouses all of the shelves are adjustable and removable, making the space inside really flexible. In the Spring all of the shelves can be in place to protect tender plants, then they can be removed for Summer crops such as Tomatoes.

Twinwall glazing – polycarbonate glazing has lower light transmission than glass and, unlike glass, does not trap the heat from the sun. The phrase ‘greenhouse warming’ comes from the fact that a glass greenhouse allows the suns rays to enter but then traps the heat inside. This means that in the direct sun a glass greenhouse can be warm very early on in the season. At Access, in early February, we have seen temperatures rise to 22 degrees C inside the Growhouse when outside the temperature has been hovering around freezing. Glass also adds weight to the Growhouse, reducing the chances of it blowing over – in addition, for windy locations, we can supply optional fixing kits to bolt our Growhouses down.

Timber frames – a timber greenhouse looks really good and blends into the garden, but what will it look like in 25 years? All Access Growhouses come with a 25 year framework guarantee  – in fact we have been manufacturing in Aluminium Alloy for 40 years and we still have examples of the original models going strong. We also use stainless steel nuts and bolts in their construction, so if you do want to take the Growhouse down, the bolts won’t have rusted or corroded.