Building The Right DIY Greenhouse For You
March 18, 2010 by Eddie John
Filed under DIY
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Most gardeners’ hearts start to twitter when you talk about greenhouses. Winter is a dull time for them and if they have a greenhouse they can putter about even in the winter. Seeds can be started for spring planting in a greenhouse and you can be ahead of the game when it is time to plant. This is also a place where you can put your rosemary or lemon verbena plants so that you do not loose them and have to start all over again when the season starts. DIY greenhouse kits are available, somewhat inexpensive, and they are very easy to build. There is no excuse for not building your dream greenhouse.
There are certain things you have to decide before you build your own greenhouse. The climate in which you live has a great deal to do with the greenhouse you choose. If you live in a warm climate you probably will not need to heat the greenhouse but you will need to vent it so it does not get too hot. You will have to think of ways to shade the plants during the hottest part of the day. If you live in a cold climate you need to think about how to insulate the greenhouse and what method you will use to heat it.
Location is another big factor in building a greenhouse. The spot you pick to build should be level and flat, well drained so that no water seeps, and it should be in a sunny spot to make the best use of the sunlight. If your yard is shady you need to find a place where filtered light is coming in at least most of the day.
There are so many different materials to make a greenhouse from it will make your head spin. You can construct a wood frame and attach glass as they did in days of old, but you can also go a little more modern and choose fiberglass. There are panels made of polycarbonate that work very well in making the walls of a greenhouse but these panels are extremely expensive. There are greenhouses that are made with a pipe frame with plastic sheets draped over them. Many people choose to make their greenhouse out of items that can be recycled. Look online for the greenhouse plan that utilizes a wood built frame filled with plastic pop bottles. Another plan details how to build a greenhouse from a bunch of storm doors.
What should the floor be made of? Many greenhouses do not even have a floor. Instead the dirt on the ground is the floor and more dirt is added so that you can plant seeds in it. Some people prefer some sort of flooring in their greenhouses. You can use gravel or pour concrete for a very sturdy and durable floor. You can even build a floor out of wood. A nice floor can be made from setting bricks and pavers into sand on the ground. When building a greenhouse right on the ground make sure it can never flood or you will have one big mess on your hands.
You can build wooden benches all around the perimeter of the greenhouse. This gives you some space that is up from the ground to put plants ready to grow. You also must think about putting electricity or gas into the greenhouse so that it can be heated. Another important decision is how you are going to water the plants in the greenhouse. Do you need to run a water line to it so you can just turn the hose on from inside the greenhouse or are you going to tote water from another area?
The most inexpensive greenhouses are the ones that are made from PVC pipe and plastic sheeting. The pipe is put into the ground in a horseshoe manner and the plastic sheet is draped over it. You will also need some wooden parts on a greenhouse like this. Some people have a problem with this type of structure because PVC piping is not environmentally friendly. The next alternative is to build out a frame of wood and cover it with glass or fiberglass. The polycarbonate panels are the most expensive but they do not break either. You have to decide what is right for you and your budget. You might not mind having a greenhouse made out of millions of plastic beverage bottles or discarded aluminum doors.
To build a DIY greenhouse is not all that complicated. Diy greenhouse kits available on the market today make it so unbelievably easy that every single home owner can build their very own greenhouse.
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