How to Make a Creative Greenhouse
A greenhouse can substantially expand your growing season, allowing you fresh foods or flowers for more of the year each year. You can build your own greenhouse with simple plans or opt for a more creative greenhouse to add charm to your yard and garden. Add creativity to your greenhouse with design, color, materials or style. Choose a greenhouse plan that coordinates with your home and garden, functions well, and expands your gardening options. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Graph paper
- PVC pipe
- PVC joints
- PVC pipe clips
- Pressure treated lumber
- Cable ties
- Hack saw
- Staple gun
- Plastic film
Instructions
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How to Make a Creative Greenhouse
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1
Determine how much yard and garden space you have available for the greenhouse, as well as how much planting space you would like to have. Look for a spot with good sunlight and easy access to water. Place your greenhouse to the south or southeast side of a building or shade trees for the best growing success.
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2
Design your greenhouse on paper before you start building. Choose your primary building material. Use PVC pipe for an easily assembled greenhouse in a variety of styles. Figure your measurements and supplies needed from your greenhouse building plan. Purchase the supplies at your local home improvement center.
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3
Decide how to anchor your greenhouse. Build a simple pressure treated lumber frame, opt for rebar anchors, or use stakes and tie downs for your greenhouse. Choose the option that works best for your space and needs. Install your anchors, creating a foundation for your greenhouse.
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4
Lay gravel to create a floor for your greenhouse. Use a 3- to 4-inch thick gravel floor to allow for a practical walking surface and good drainage. Consider a poured concrete walkway in larger greenhouses.
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5
Build end frames for your creative greenhouse using your building plans. Use larger diameter PVC pipe. Joint PVC pipe together with purchased corner joints. Clip plastic into place on your greenhouse end pieces using PVC pipe clips, being sure to allow for a door into and out of the greenhouse. Secure the end pieces to your greenhouse foundation.
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6
Add the ribs and supports for your greenhouse design. Allow for a rib approximately every 18 to 24 inches. Secure the ribs with sturdy metal piping clamps or screws.
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7
Stretch plastic film over your completed greenhouse. Secure into place with PVC pipe clips. Use cable ties to secure long horizontal supports into place as needed.
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