How to Build Your Own Garden Greenhouse

Photos courtesy of Charley's Greenhouses

How do you build your own greenhouse? Gardening is one of the top hobbies in America. And with the escalating costs and health concerns of imported vegetables, growing food is becoming more than just a hobby for many. How to extend the season for growing prized plants is a problem solved by having a greenhouse. Greenhouses are also ideal places to grow orchids and other plants for horticulture enthusiasts. And with a greenhouse you can sometimes have cut flowers to bring into the house all year 'round. Greenhouses can be large or small, made of glass, vinyl or plastic, expensive or cheap. Greenhouses can be utilitarian and/or beautiful. You can build your own greenhouse designed to your own needs and budget. Here are some different ways of building your own greenhouse along with references for plans and materials.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. First you will need to find a good, sunny location to build your own, perfect greenhouse. If it is to be build cheaply, then you might want a little shelter from winds and other weather extremes, too.

2. Next you will want to decide how big your greenhouse will be, what kind of greenhouse you want and what your budget is for building it. Then you can shop for the materials or order them, be they building materials or greenhouse kits. Now it's time to start building.

3. A GREENHOUSE SO CHEAP AND EASY ANYONE CAN BUILD IT!
   This homemade greenhouse is built with simply rebar, schedule 40 PVC,
   2x4 treated wood, treated wood fence posts and garden staples. You can cover the frame with UV stabilized polyethylene or white woven polyethylene.

   You will basically be securing bent PVC tubing into the ground with the pounded in rebar creating a series of curved arches. You will then use 2 x 4s to create a base frame along the bottom of the rebar/PVC ends to attach the plastic covering which will go over the ribs to make a semi-circular tunnel inside. Using wood again, you can frame a door at either end and cover these areas with more plastic. For exact, detailed instructions, see the 'cheap and easy way to build a greenhouse' link under Additional Resources, below.

4. Inside my own greenhouse

   AN INEXPENSIVE KIT
   You can build your own greenhouse from an easy-to-assemble kit, too. Order a metal framed, polyethylene covered greenhouse. These come with instructions for do-it-yourself frames and a heavy white woven plastic cover. Prices range widely depending on size, but they cost a fraction of the price of other greenhouses. They aren't particularly beautiful, but they serve well. Mine has made it through howling winds, desert sun, 112' temperatures and snow for 10 years and is still going strong.

5. ORDER A KIT OF ANY STYLE OR MATERIAL
   Kits range from simple to major projects. There are a number of greenhouse kit builders. I have had excellent service from Charley's Greenhouses (listed below). They have a wide range of products and prices as well as good service. I can also highly recommend Grower's Supply (also listed below) for the same reasons. Greenhouse kits can range from the hundreds through the thousands depending on what you want.

6. Photo of Victorian greenhouse at h2othouse.com

   BECOME A MASTER BUILDER
   If you are good in construction and have the time, you can build your own greenhouse to impressive proportions. Below you will find a link to give you all the information to build a grand Victorian greenhouse that will become a design centerpiece for your garden.

   There are many plans you can find on the internet that will allow you to construct a basic greenhouse or the greenhouse of your dreams. I have included links to some of these in the Additional Resources. So depending on your needs, budget and construction abilities, you CAN build your own greenhouse just the way you want it!

Resources

• How to build a cheap and easy greenhouse
• Other things to consider for the interior of your greenhouse
• Grand Victorian Greenhouse
• Charley's Greenhouses and supplies
• Grower's Supply