How to Get Your Greenhouse

Step 1

Book a Virtual or In-Person Tour

Book a free in-person or virtual tour in Armstrong, BC — explore a working greenhouse, review pricing, ask questions, and see the system in action.

Step 2

Get your Custom Quote

Pick your sizing along with your heating source (liquid or air geothermal system). We’ll send
you a custom quote with estimated shipping costs, optional add-ons and payment
options.

Step 3

Send Deposit and Sign Agreement

We will walk you through the sales process and confirm all details. Check out our accepted payment methods below.

Step 4

Delivery and Installation

After 4-8 weeks, your kit will be delivered. Kits come with step-by-step instructions for
installation, and we will remain available during setup for any questions. Full installation
can be done in as little as 3 weeks!

Step 5

Start Growing!

You are now ready to start growing sustainably 365 days per year!

Which Geothermal Heating Option Is Right for You?

We offer two tested heating systems that keep your greenhouse growing even when it’s -40°C outside. Below is a side-by-side breakdown of how they work—and which one’s right for your setup.

AIR-TO-AIR GEOTHERMAL

This system uses underground air tubes to draw warmth from below
the frost line and circulate it through your greenhouse. Russ Finch’s original design, proven
for 35+ years.

LIQUID-TO-AIR GEOTHERMAL

This system uses liquid-filled tubing buried underground to pull heat from the earth and move it through an air handler. More heat, longer retention—ideal for winter performance.

Air-to-Air

Features
  • Year-round growing: ✅
  • Energy efficient: ✅
  • Highlights: Low operating costs
  • Initial cost: $$
  • Excavation: Greenhouse footprint + 250ft trench
  • Best for: Off-grid properties, DIYers
  • For grow zones: USDA Zone 2–9
  • Automatic backup heat included: ❌
  • Designed to heat a Greenhouse in the Snow: ✅
  • Your water table depth: >12ft

Liquid-to-Air

Features

  • Year-round growing: ✅

  • Energy efficient: ✅

  • Highlights: Best temperature regulation

  • Initial cost: $$$

  • Excavation: Greenhouse footprint

  • Best for: High water tables, rocky soil, humid areas

  • For grow zones: USDA Zone 2–9

  • Automatic backup heat included: ✅

  • Designed to heat a Greenhouse in the Snow: ✅

  • Your water table depth: Varies by soil condition

Greenhouse in the Snow Canada Icon

THINGS TO CONSIDER

1) Placement of Your Greenhouse
  • Choose a level, sunny, south-facing
    spot for your greenhouse.
  • Observe the water and sunlight
    patterns over different seasons to
    ensure that you have maximum winter sunlight and no pooling water.
  • Get in touch with us to discuss your
    water table, soil conditions and
    available space. We will help you
    choose the best greenhouse for your
    property.
2) Permitting
  • Check with your local municipality to see if a building permit is required.
  • Engineered greenhouse drawings are
    available for building permit
    applications. Fees apply.
3) Foundation Options
  • There are many options for your
    greenhouse foundation. Options
    include:
    – Augured holes with sono
    tubes and ground stakes
    – Insulated concrete form (ICF).
    Great for extra insulation in
    areas where the frost line is
    typically deep
    – Concrete foundation wall
    – Screw piles
4) Additional Materials
Your greenhouse kit comes with a
galvanized steel frame, polycarbonate,
screws and washers, and a detailed
installation manual.

We also offer add-ons to your
greenhouse kit, including:
• A liquid-to-air geothermal
system
• An air-to-air geothermal blower
• Exhaust fan packages
• Thermostats

Items that can easily be sourced at
your local hardware store such as
insulation, cladding, and doors are not included in your greenhouse kit to help you keep costs low. When you request a greenhouse quote, we provide you with a detailed list of additional materials to purchase.

5) Payment
  •  We accept credit card (with a 3% processing fee), bank wire transfer, e-transfer, EFT, cash, and cryptocurrency (coming soon). Secure your order with a 50% deposit.

Ready to Grow Your Own Food — All Year Long

Book a free tour, see a working geothermal greenhouse, and get full pricing to plan your build.

BOOK AN IN-PERSON TOUR
BOOK A VIRTUAL TOUR

Accepted Payment Methods

Credit Card

E-transfer

Bank Wire Transfer

EFT

Cash (In Person)

Crypto (coming soon)

Greenhouse in the Snow Canada Icon

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) What can you grow in a geothermal greenhouse?

In most Canadian climates, the greenhouse increases your local USDA grow zone to Zone 10b, with temperatures similar to California and Florida. Over winter, the greenhouse should be above 2-3°C. This allows you to grow many varieties including citrus, banana, pomegranate, figs, hibiscus,
passionfruit, avocados, pineapple, traditional vegetables and herbs, and
much more!

Some customers maintain a higher temperature in their greenhouse to be able to grow even more tropical varieties, too.

2) How many crops can you grow?
It depends on what you are growing
and their days to maturity. Get in touch with us to discuss your growing plans.
3) What temperatures can a geothermal greenhouse operate in?
Our design is very efficient, and we currently have greenhouses operating in areas as cold as zone 2b. A backup heat system is recommended, set to come on at 2°C.
4) What’s the difference between our liquid-to-air geothermal system and our air-to-air geothermal system?
Check out this table to compare the
liquid-to-air and air-to-air geothermal systems. Some customers also choose
alternative heat sources to best suit
their properties. For example, some
customers have used a boiler system
inside their Greenhouse in the Snow.
Get in touch with us to discuss your
best options.
5) What do you suggest for a backup heating system?
To protect your plants in extreme
weather conditions, we recommend
that you have a backup heat source.
There are a variety of options including natural gas/propane shop heaters, small vented diesel heaters that run on 12V, or electric heaters.
6) Can you do aquaponics in a geothermal greenhouse?
Yes. We have several customers
that have tilapia or trout ponds
and/or hydroponic systems in
their greenhouses. Water in a
pond is a great way to store heat
from the daytime that is released
at night. Most people who are
raising warm water fish like tilapia
will supplementally heat the water.
7) Can I build a geothermal greenhouse where there is a high-water table?
Yes. Our liquid-to-air geothermal
system is designed specifically for customers with high water tables. There are extra considerations, so please get in touch with us if you are considering building in an area with a high water table.
8) Can a geothermal greenhouse function off grid?
Yes. A big advantage of our greenhouse design is that it uses about 10x less electricity than a conventional fruit and veggie greenhouse. Some customers run their greenhouses on solar power. Get in touch with us for more details on energy usage.
9) What should I expect to spend on a geothermal greenhouse?
Current prices can be downloaded on our website, but generally speaking, you should expect a Greenhouse in the Snow kit and installation costs to be similar to a traditional heated greenhouse.

The BIG difference is the energy costs for a geothermal greenhouse versus a traditional one. Operational costs for a Greenhouse in the Snow are about 10x less expensive, as we use 10x less energy!

10) Is a Greenhouse in the Snow environmentally friendly?
Yes, very much so!
• Our greenhouses use about 10x
less energy than a conventional
greenhouse because of our
extremely heat-efficient design
and geothermal systems
• The Canadian-made steel frame
has a high recycled content
• Our polycarbonate sheets are
very durable, with a 10 year
warranty. They can withstand
harsh climates for many years.
• Many of our greenhouse growers
use little or no commercial
pesticides in their operations,
preferring to grow organically.
11) Can I install my Greenhouse in the Snow myself?
Yes, many of our customers install their own greenhouses. We recommend hiring an excavator operator, electrician and plumber for specific parts of your build. For the rest of the build, you can either hire a contractor or complete it yourself, with the help of a few friends or family members. Be sure to abide by all local regulations.

With purchase of a greenhouse kit,
you will receive a detailed installation manual. We also provide phone and email support to all our customers.

12) Can I heat a traditional greenhouse using the geothermal heat tubes?
Generally speaking, no. A Greenhouse in the Snow is designed to retain heat, while a traditional greenhouse has too much radiant heat loss for low-grade geothermal heating to overcome.
13) Is there a climate too cold for a geothermal greenhouse?
We have greenhouses all across Canada, with customers growing year-round in winters as cold as -50C. The original Greenhouse in the Snow in Nebraska is a USDA zone 4b (-29C to -32C) area, but being almost 4,000 feet above sea level, they can be plagued with harsh winds and snow storms. At our demonstration greenhouse in Armstrong BC, our winters can get to –30C with heavy fog. Many
factors affect greenhouse performance in different climates, including sunlight, fog,
temperature and humidity. Please get in touch with us to discuss your climate.
14) What size greenhouse do I need?
Our greenhouse kits are available in 4ft increments, from 60ft to 140ft long. All kits are 17ft wide. Depending on what crops you
grow, a 60-80ft greenhouse can generally feed a family year-round. Market growers, multi-family groups and community garden operators tend to choose larger sizes.
15) Can I request a custom greenhouse size?
Yes! Although the 60-140ft long greenhouse kits are the most cost effective to run a geothermal system,
we have had customers request custom geothermal greenhouses as small as 32ft. Get in touch with us to discuss your options.
16) What is the cost of a greenhouse kit?
We sell our kits at $330 per linear ft.
Greenhouse kits generally run from
60ft to 140ft. Get in touch with us if you would like a custom size.
17) Do you offer smaller backyard greenhouse kits?
Yes! We now offer backyard greenhouse kits ranging from 12ft to 20ft long, by 17ft wide. Made with our galvanized steel frame and polycarbonate, these are very durable and high-quality backyard greenhouses. They are great options if you want a three-season greenhouse, or you can DIY customize our kit to make it a small four-season greenhouse with a heat source. Get in touch to discuss our recommendations. Please note: Backyard greenhouse kits are available for PICKUP ONLY from our shop in Armstrong, BC. We generally
will not ship these smaller models across Canada.
18) Do you ship greenhouse kits?
Yes, we ship our kits across Canada.
You can also pick up your greenhouse kit in-person at our shop in Armstrong, BC.
19) Are the greenhouse kits made in Canada?
Yes, we manufacture your greenhouse kit right here in Canada. We bend and weld
Canadian steel by hand at our shop in Armstrong BC. We also source Canadian polycarbonate for your kit. We take pride in supporting local businesses when sourcing
materials!
20) How many geothermal greenhouse kits have you sold?
As of June 2025, there have been around 900 greenhouses sold across the USA, Europe, and Canada. This number is growing rapidly.
21) How does year-round growing work?
Because our greenhouses are designed to stay above freezing all winter long, you can grow fruits and vegetables year-round. Depending on the season, you will be planting and harvesting different crops.

During the warmer months, you can enjoy heat-loving plants including: tomatoes, peppers, melons, watermelons, flowers, okra, cucumbers, cucamelons, basil, etc. In the colder months, you can continue to grow cold-hardy plants like: celery, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, beans, herbs, kale, lettuce, swiss chard, flowers, etc.

You can also grow perennial trees,
shrubs and vines that would otherwise not survive a harsh Canadian winter. These include: citrus, figs, pomegranate, banana, hibiscus, passionfruit, guava, papaya, etc.
These flower, fruit, and go dormant at different times of the year depending on their natural cycle, so you can have harvests well into the shoulder seasons. At our demonstration greenhouse, we harvested our last pomegranates and guavas in December!

22) Do you have issues with pollinating crops?
No, we have not had any issues with
pollination. Many pollinators find
their way into the greenhouse on
their own. You can also choose to
bring in mason bees and other
beneficial insects.
Greenhouse In The Snow Canada Inc.
Greenhouse In The Snow Canada Inc.