Introduction
Do you consider yourself a serious gardener? Are the only limits to your yearly harvest dictated by the weather? Do you spend the majority of your free time in your garden or thinking about it?
If you answered yes to any or all of those questions, and you also are searching for a way to control the climate around your garden, this product review is for you.
We are writing this review as authorized dealers and builders of the Growing Spaces® Growing Dome®. That being said, this article is an unbiased review of the product from a greenhouse builder perspective.
In it, we discuss different residential greenhouse factors like beauty, practicality, growing, ease of installation, and who it is for.
Who is Growing Spaces®
Growing Spaces is one of the most unique greenhouse manufacturers in the United States. Inspired by the Windstar Foundation Biodome, the original Growing Dome was created to be an affordable backyard geodesic dome greenhouse.
Hailing from Pagosa Springs, Colorado, the company has over 30 years of life and has made several iterations and improvements to their products. The Growing Domes continue to serve backyard gardeners, schools, businesses, and communities as the demand for them grows.
Comparing on Beauty
The look of the Growing Dome is nothing short of a spectacle. The geodesic shape is eye-catching and unique, in a ‘there’s a futuristic space station in my backyard’ kind of way.
On the exterior, the polycarbonate triangles make a mesmerizing design that gleams in the sunlight. The interior is an intricate web of wood and metal that create a sturdy structure to house your dream garden space.
The Growing Dome is beautiful, but it is an acquired taste. It may not suit most architectural designs, or HOA requirements, but that isn’t what it is designed to do.
Comparing on Practicality
Growing Domes were designed with backyard gardeners in mind from the beginning. They are greenhouses through and through, from the exterior glazing to the above ground pond that is an integral part of the whole experience.
Every kit comes standard with automatic vents, solar powered undersoil ventilation system, a shade cloth, and more to give your plants the climate they need. There are also more systems that can be added in to best fit your goals and climate.
Growing year round is not always guaranteed, but many Growing Dome owners in the Mountain West are able to do it with little help from alternative heat sources. The above ground pond acts as a thermal mass to regulate the temperature inside the dome.
The shape of the dome along with the Reflectix® North wall insulation allows for even lighting all throughout the year. This keeps your plants happy and growing all around the greenhouse.
For a serious gardener, or someone that wants to grow food year round in Utah’s climate, the Growing Dome may be the most practical option.
Comparing on Growing in Utah
Utah’s climate is a beast that can be difficult to produce crops in. Cold winters that never seem to end, then hot, desert-like summers favor specific plants. Not to mention the short growing season that can be rudely interrupted by unexpected freezes.
The Utah gardener that is aiming to get ahead of these detrimental factors can escape them with a greenhouse. But not just any greenhouse will do the trick. Growing Domes are produced in a climate that is much like the Utah’s, and they have years of success stories from owners to prove their ability to thrive year-round.
A Growing Dome will serve a different purpose than a high tunnel, or aesthetic greenhouse. That purpose will be the one you give it.
Comparing Ease of Building
Though it may look complicated, the Growing Dome isn’t the hardest thing to build. In fact, they go up a lot quicker than you would expect. They definitely are not a feat you would want to take on with no building experience, but their detailed instructions and resources make the installation much easier.
The smaller sizes are simpler and quite fun to build. The larger sizes (26’, 33’, and 42’) are also fun to build, but because of the size, can be a little more difficult. We’ve built 18′, 26’, 33’, and two 42’ domes. They all have easy to follow instructions that are meant to guide you to success.
If doing it yourself (DIY) is your goal, we don’t want to discourage you. You can totally build a Growing Dome on your own. If you would like, Growing Spaces offers to send out a supervisor to assist you in the process, or you can hire a full crew from them, or us to complete your installation.
For Schools and Commercial Structures
There are many schools, restaurants, and communities that have gone with the Growing Dome for their greenhouse. They are a great tool for teaching and learning many things on top of gardening.
Their ability to produce food is the ultimate solution for farm to table type restaurants especially in Utah’s winters.
If your school or company is looking for a unique space to do research, teach, or common area, the larger sized Growing Dome’s are a fantastic option.
Understanding the Growing Spaces® Products
Growing Spaces offers six Growing Dome kit options. The product names are simply the diameter of the greenhouse. Curious about kit pricing? Click here!
- 15’ – Solar Standard
- 18’ – Solar Standard
- 22’ – Solar Standard
- 26’ – Solar Standard
- 33’ – Electric Standard
- 42’ – Electric Standard
All kits include:
- 16mm multi-wall UV resistant, shatter-proof, five-wall polycarbonate glazing panels
- a full set of pre-cut,
- color-coded struts and framing
- all hardware
- automatic vents or fan(s)
- depending on size
- undersoil system
- Reflectix® insulation for north wall
- select materials for the Above-Ground Pond
- water feature
- AluminetTM shade cloth
- snow shed entryway with a 1/2 lite door
- 24” foundation wall with structural siding
- drip edge flashing
On top of these features, you can add more amenities to customize your greenhouse and control your growing environment.
Buying/Building through Monarch
Monarch does not sell the Growing Dome, but if it is what you are looking for in a greenhouse, we connect you with Growing Spaces. They quote the kit, and if you want full crew construction, they quote the build as well.
The process for buying a Growing Dome is easy. We connect you directly with Growing Spaces and they quote the structure and installation of the dome itself. This is how they ensure their product is built with their direct guarantees and warranties.
Monarch is subcontracted by Growing Spaces on the installation as certified installers in your region.
Do you need site preparation, a foundation, or additional systems not included with the kit (such as a soil climate battery)? Work directly with Monarch on getting this priced out.
Once all quoting and deposits are completed, Monarch breaks ground and handles all timing of the installations from start to finish. We can work directly with Growing Spaces to ensure shipping is properly handled so you don’t have to worry about unloading the truck or handling inventories.
Conclusion
The Growing Spaces Growing Dome is the ultimate greenhouse for year-round growing in Utah and the Mountain West climate. They are designed with the gardener in mind, and the amount of happy customers proves the quality of the product.
As builders with the goal of bringing fresh food production closer to home, we couldn’t be more happy to recommend Growing Spaces greenhouses to serious gardeners, homesteaders, communities, and schools.
Our review is that the Growing Dome is a premium greenhouse and it is definitely an asset to the customer that uses it.
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