Greenhouse Technology Improvements

Growing Spaces® is an innovative, sustainable greenhouse manufacturer. We value excellence and continue to develop any and all aspects of the geodesic Growing Dome® kit and its accessories. This makes the Growing Dome one of the premier greenhouse kits on the market today.

We have made numerous improvements to to our geodesic greenhouses over the 30 years we’ve been in business. These advancements have increased the longevity, efficiency, ease of use, and look of our Growing Dome design. Some of these upgrades are included in the Growing Dome greenhouse kit, and some have an upgrade fee. The Growing Dome greenhouse has stood its ground for over 30 years!

New Solar Waterfall now includes a spillway, filter pads, and BioBalls for increased filtration in your pond (released 2021)

The Solar Powered Water Feature upgrade consists of a pump, a 8″ Spillway, two filter pads (fine and course), BioBalls to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, a solar panel, tubing, electrical cords, switch and connecting hardware.

New Installation Instructions for Customer Self Installs (released 2020)

Growing Spaces has released updated Installation Instructions and some Videos for the 15′, 18′, 22′ and 26′ Growing Domes.  The intent was to simplify the instructions and eliminate any discrepancies between the instructions and the videos.  Many other improvements were found during the process, and we hope that it makes the self-installation process even more fun and enjoyable.  We also found opportunities to reduce the costs of Owner Supplied items.

Raised Bed Designs (released 2020)

Growing Dome Owners now have access to a variety of different Raised Bed Designs for their size dome. Whether you want to optimize growing space, add extra space for relaxation, or require ADA access our plans include 3D drawings, hardware lists, and optimized cut lists to reduce scrap.

New Custom Pond Liner is more durable and easier to install (released 2020)

The above-ground pond now includes a custom made pond liner that fits directly into the sheet metal frame.  No pleating required!  It is also made of a durable 30 mil PVC, up from 20 mil of the previous liner.  It fits and looks beautiful!

Undersoil Ventilation System (released 2020)

We have recently upgraded our standard Geothermal Ventilation System.  We replaced the 70 CFM fan with a 125 CFM reversible bilge fan and located it behind the water tank to save valuable growing bed space. It increases the efficiency and reliability of the undersoil climate control system, and also reduces the time and cost to install. It is also easier to reverse the direction of the fan in the winter to get more heat from the south side of your dome to the pond.

Longer Lasting Aircraft Adhesive (released 2020)

With help from our partners at Lane Supply, we have sourced a new, thicker, longer-lasting aircraft adhesive used to seal the Growing Domes. It is UV rated for 10 years, up from 8 years on our previous tape, and equivalent to the 10-year warranty of the polycarbonate. Made by Berry, this adhesive is used by Boeing on their aircraft. It has been rigorously tested to our specifications in environmental chambers and on our Growing Domes in Pagosa Springs, CO. W

Windy Weather Package Now a Standard Feature (released 2019)

The windy weather package was available for the 26′ Growing Dome and smaller. The package included stronger bayliss openers, and for some sizes, gigavent openers. This package upgraded univents and/or bayliss vent openers, depending on the size. Since we pride ourselves on being the Best Greenhouse for Wind, this package is now a standard feature and comes with every Growing Dome kit that has automatic opening vents.

Solar Attic Fan (released 2018)

The new solar attic fan has replaced the top vents on both the 33′ & 42′ Growing Dome. It is also available as an upgrade on the 26′ Growing Dome. The fan is rated to move 1,750 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM), and really helps increase air circulation in larger Growing Domes.

New Door for Most Dome Sizes (released 2018)

Growing Spaces has upgraded the door on the 18′, 26′, 33′, and 42′ Growing Dome kits. It is a pre-hung 36″ x 80″, steel door with wood door jambs. The 15′ and 22′ dome now use an upgraded pre-hung 32″ x 80″, insulated steel door.

New Solar Waterfall Pump (released 2018)

The original solar waterfall pump, made by Rule, is designed to be used in emergency situations for boats. This pump is not designed to run continuously, year after year. We have sourced a new waterfall pump that is designed to run continuously in indoor/outdoor pond applications and comes with a 3 year limited warranty.

Drip Edge Flashing Now a Standard Feature (released 2018)

The Drip Edge Flashing protects the wood on the inside of the top of your foundation wall from moisture and long-term degradation. The drip edge is an essential component to prolong the life of the foundation wall, which is why it is now a standard feature.

Metal Glazing Strip Upgrade No Longer Available (released 2017)

Originally released in 2008, the custom designed aluminum trim strips were available for applying to the outside seams of the Growing Dome® and eliminated the need to re-tape your greenhouse. This upgrade has not proven to be cost effective nor provide the outcome we desired, therefore failing to meet our standards. Growing Spaces has determined that the strips need to be further tested and will undergo a research and development phase to improve the design.

Redwood Bottom Plate Discontinued (released 2017)

Building departments and codes require pressure treated bottom plates for all buildings and structures. The redwood bottom plate was provided as an alternative to the Pro-Wood, but it does not last nearly as long, especially in humid environments and locations with termites. Pro-Wood is an alternative to standard pressure treated lumber and meets building code requirements. Read more about the Pro-Wood bottom plate.

Standard Shade Cloth Replaced with Aluminet Shade Cloth (released 2017)

The standard 50% black shade cloth was mounted on the exterior of the Growing Dome. Growing Spaces has discontinued the use of this shade cloth and replaced it with the 50% aluminet shade cloth, which mounts on the interior of the Growing Dome. This shade cloth is easier to set-up, take down, and it has a longer lifespan.

Cost Effective Twin-Wall Polycarbonate Glazing Returns (released 2013)

In early 2012, we adopted the multi-wall greenhouse polycarbonate glazing as our main solar greenhouse covering because this option is what the majority of our customers were purchasing. What happened was our twin-wall polycarbonate glazing became close to invisible to the buyer, and customers in more mild climates or on a tighter budget were missing this valuable product. We brought the twin-wall polycarbonate glazing back to the fore in the fall of 2013 to offer more pricing options for our customers. Learn more about pricing of twin-wall versus multi-wall polycarbonate glazing on our Shop Greenhouses page.

Stronger Greenhouse Vent Openers (released 2013)

For years we have used the ultra-strong Bayliss Hydraulicheck solar greenhouse vent openers on our larger vents to help protect against wind damage, and we’ve found these custom-made openers to be far superior than what was available at the time. For especially windy areas and the vents on our largest two geodesic Growing Dome sizes we would place two Bayliss vent openers on each vent, and we found this to be a helpful option for many customers. Then we discovered a new product called the Gigavent Opener, that does the same work as two Bayliss openers, plus it opens the vents wider which allows for better airflow and cooling in the summer. Read more about Greenhouse Vent Openers.

Snowshed Entryway Saves on Shoveling and Protects Your Head (released 2013)

We are the first geodesic greenhouse kit manufacturer to develop and offer the snowshed entryway. With the improved snowshed entryway, the snow that slides off the top of the Growing Dome is redirected out and away from the front of the greenhouse door eliminating the problem of a large pile of snow in front of your door. This roof also protects you from the danger of falling snow and ice as you come in and out of your solar greenhouse. Read more about our Greenhouse Door Snowshed Entryway

Safer Pro-Wood Bottom Plate (released 2013)

All Growing Spaces Growing Dome greenhouse kits come standard with a Pro-Wood treated Bottom Plate. Pro-wood is a much safer alternative to traditional pressure treated lumber and meets new building code standards. Here is more information from the manufacturer of Pro-Wood:
“Clean, odorless, non-staining and non-irritating, ProWood MCA (micronized copper azole) treated lumber is safe for humans, animals and the environment. The process we use to treat has gained Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) status as certified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a third-party certification services and standards development company. The preservative in ProWood MCA treated lumber has earned NAHB’s Green Approved Product certification (pdf – 633 KB) and the GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification.”

Durable Smart Siding for the Foundation Wall (released 2012)

The 24″ foundation wall of our Growing Dome green houses are now all covered with Smart Siding. This superior product doesn’t chip or scratch. It is easier to drill than the HardiePanel cement board siding we used previously that required a special masonry bit. Smart Siding also helps protect against fungal decay and termites.

New Weather Packages (released 2012)

For years we interviewed hundreds of customers extensively to determine the weather conditions at their specific location and suggest which greenhouse vent openers, solar cooling fan options, and other add-ons were the best. After installing these options we tracked closely the performance of each add-on. Twenty-three years of experience doing this culminated in this year’s release of “Weather Packages”. Now with a few simple questions we can choose a package containing a prescribed number of solar greenhouse vent openers, solar cooling fans, etc. to match a given location. Learn more about Weather Packages by reading more on the details pages of each given size of Growing Dome greenhouse.

Eco-Friendly Lifetime Wood Treatment (released 2010)

Now, eco-friendly Lifetime Wood Treatment is used to treat the struts of our geodesic Growing Dome greenhouse kits. With Lifetime Wood Treatment, only one application is needed, ever! This treatment is completely safe, harmless, and contains no solvents or VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). Lifetime Wood Treatment is 100% water based, 100% non toxic, and non-flammable! Read more on the manufacturer’s website: Valhalco Lifetime Wood Treatment

Multi-Wall and Twin-Wall Polycarbonate Options

Our Growing Dome solar greenhouse polycarbonate glazing is made in the USA! The multi-wall (16mm) polycarbonate glazing is standard and replaces the triple-wall and multi-wall polycarbonate glazing we offered in years past. Light transmission in to our geodesic greenhouses is diffused by the polycarbonate glazing and allows about 62% light transmission which people and plants love. For those that live in milder climates (hardiness zones 8b and higher) or for those whom price is a concern, we also offer a twin-wall (8mm) polycarbonate glazing. This has a 81% light transmission.