For a backyard greenhouse, orienting the long side east-to-west is usually best if you want to grow in winter or year-round.Why? In winter, the sun stays lower in the southern sky. An east-west greenhouse lets its long south side catch more sunlight. That extra sunlight can help keep the greenhouse brighter and warmer.Here’s an easy way to remember it:
- East–West: Better for winter and year-round growing because it can catch more winter sun.
- North–South: Better for spring and summer because sunlight is spread more evenly throughout the greenhouse during the day.
For backyard greenhouses in Canada and the northern U.S., east-west is often a good choice. In warmer places like Florida, getting enough sunlight usually isn't the biggest problem. Good airflow, shade, and keeping the greenhouse from overheating may be more important. But there’s one rule that matters even more: put your greenhouse where it will get the most direct sunlight. A north-south greenhouse in full sun is better than an east-west greenhouse that is shaded by trees or a house for several hours.