Ah, spring! If you're getting excited about planting season, here are 11 awesome greenhouse ideas to suit every backyard and budget.
11 Ways To DIY Your Way To a Greenhouse Garden
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Mini greenhouse
If you don’t have space for a walk-in structure, this mini greenhouse is the perfect alternative for starting your greenhouse gardening journey. It is made from cedar boards and a repurposed window to save time and effort in construction. The hinged lid is perfect for providing ventilation and acclimating your seedlings before planting in the garden. You can make this greenhouse in a couple of hours using basic power tools.
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Fold-down greenhouse
This space-saving fold-down greenhouse is ideal for small backyards. This backyard DIY greenhouse attaches to a wall and folds down like an awning, so you can leave it up in warm weather and lower it to protect tender plants when frost is forecast. Made from PVC pipe and plastic sheeting, it’s also lightweight and easy to adjust. This is a brilliant solution for seasonal greenhouse gardening and can be built in an afternoon—less if you have the PVC piping pre-cut at the hardware store or home center.
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Portable greenhouse
How about a portable greenhouse that can roll away when it’s not needed? Place this ingenious greenhouse idea in any sunny, protected, and flat area of your yard. With windows made from plastic film, this rolling greenhouse is lightweight and portable. And it can hold up to 88 lbs. The simple assembly ensures you can start your greenhouse gardening within a few hours. Give your plant babies room to grow with these adorable and functional greenhouse shelving ideas.
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Recycled frames greenhouse
If you want to raise your seedlings and help the environment at the same time, how about a backyard DIY greenhouse made from repurposed materials? This smart little greenhouse uses recycled window frames mounted on cinder blocks to make construction quick and easy. It’s a sustainable approach to greenhouse gardening. And when you’re done, make the greenhouse all your own by adding window boxes, planters and hanging baskets for the finishing touch.
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Lean-to greenhouse
This lean-to greenhouse has an angled roof, a spacious doorway and plenty of room inside for shelving. Attaching it to your home can also help it retain heat, a major advantage for successful greenhouse gardening. Its simple design makes it totally adaptable to the available space. Best of all, you can have it up and ready to use in one day, using only basic tools and a miter saw.
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Plastic bottle greenhouse
Are you seeking ideas for “green” greenhouse gardening? Give empty plastic bottles a new life as an environmentally friendly greenhouse. The Green Optimistic provides detailed instructions on how to achieve this. This innovative greenhouse idea simply requires a basic wooden frame, some fishing line or bamboo canes to hold the bottles in place, and many plastic bottles. You can arrange the bottles vertically or horizontally for different textures and even use different colors of bottles for a stained-glass effect.
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Plastic-paneled barn greenhouse
This paneled barn greenhouse at The Elliott Homestead is a sturdy structure, built to withstand whatever the weather throws at it—a must for serious year-round greenhouse gardening. The Elliotts modified Ana White’s original plan to maximize their space. This barn greenhouse is constructed on concrete blocks, featuring a wooden frame and plastic windows; however, greenhouse plastic or film would also be an affordable alternative.
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Upside-down umbrella
Maybe you don’t have a yard, just a small patio or balcony. With a clear plastic umbrella, you can create a mini greenhouse in minutes. This quick setup can shield a beloved plant from an unexpected cold spell. This approach would also work for a deck greenhouse, where small-space greenhouse gardening is key.
“My whole mantra is garden smarter, not harder, and I learned early on that using covers helps extend my season and foil pests. They’re garden insurance!” Niki Jabbour, from “Grow Food in the Greenhouse Year-Round”
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Geodome greenhouse
With a nod to the innovative look of the iconic Eden Project biomes. Start with a wooden frame, made from stained pine or red cedar, and then choose from greenhouse plastic, greenhouse film, shrink film or polycarbonate panels for the windows. You’ll need hinges on a few windows for ventilation so the greenhouse doesn’t get too hot when the sun is out.
Your neighbors may think aliens have landed, but you’ll have the perfect home for your tender plants, especially if you use your kitchen waste to boost plant growth. This unique structure is a fantastic environment for advanced greenhouse gardening. Your neighbors may think aliens have landed, but you’ll have the perfect home for your tender plants.
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Solar greenhouse
Why spend money heating your greenhouse when you can harness the power of the sun? This eco-friendly solar greenhouse uses a variety of recycled materials, including old car tires, and has a solar panel installed on the roof to provide warmth for your precious plants. (Here are some more small-scale solar panel projects for you to try.) Constructing this greenhouse is a job for an expert, but the DVD and ebook on Greenhouse of the Future tell you everything you need to know about the project. There’s even an introductory video on their site to explain all the details. Don’t forget to check out our guide to greenhouse gardening.
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Stained glass greenhouse
OK, so this multi-colored greenhouse is probably more decorative than functional. But why not bring a little splash of the rainbow to your garden with a stained-glass greenhouse? Using a genuine stained-glass technique would be time-consuming and costly, but fortunately, there are ways to cheat! Construct a standard greenhouse frame, then use glass paints to give free rein to your creative talents. Or to make it even easier, opt for decorative window film or decals to create your own unique home for plants.
FAQ
What temperature should my greenhouse be?
The ideal temperature depends entirely on what you are growing. As a general rule, many cool-season plants like lettuce, spinach, and brassicas thrive in a temperature range of 50−70°F (10−21°C). Warm-season plants like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers prefer temperatures between 65−85°F (18−29°C). The key to successful greenhouse gardening is monitoring the temperature and ensuring good ventilation with fans or open vents to prevent overheating on sunny days.
Can I grow plants year-round in a greenhouse?
Yes, year-round growing is one of the primary benefits of greenhouse gardening, but it depends on your climate and your greenhouse’s features. In milder climates, a simple, unheated greenhouse may be sufficient. In colder regions, achieving year-round growth will require a well-insulated structure and potentially a supplemental heating source for the winter months. Furthermore, you may need to add grow lights to compensate for shorter daylight hours in the winter.
