If gardening is your hobby why limit yourself to the summer months. Extend your enjoyment throughout the winter by building a cheap greenhouse. Not only will you increase your gardening knowledge, You can also free yourself from unhealthy insecticides by growing your own fresh fruit and vegetables.
Plans But where to start, How much will it cost? What materials can I use? and the big question, Can I do it? The answer to that is yes! The answer to all the other questions is simple, get yourself a set of ready-made plans. Why? With the proper set of plans you can easily pick the design and build that suits your needs the best. The plans will also act as a "How to" guide to ease you through the whole process.
Designs When you decide to build your cheap greenhouse, there are various designs to choose from. The more traditional Victorian style is very popular, as is the Lean-to style. With the Lean-to style an existing building or wall is incorporated into the design to act as one side. Hooped or "arched" styled greenhouses are also very popular and have proved to be the most simple, yet effective solution when it comes to building your own cheap greenhouse.
Materials Choice of materials will vary depending on your needs and budget. For the base you can use anything from the ground itself to wood or concrete. If you decide to build your greenhouse on the ground clear it of grass and weeds and then apply a light covering of bark mulch. This will provide both insulation and will inhibit the growth of weeds. A concrete base requires a bit more work. The area should be marked out using pegs, use old lumber as shuttering, and then pour the concrete to a depth of about 4 to 6 inches. Laying good concrete slabs or squares will give you a similarly solid base. If you decide to use wood for the base ensure that it is well treated to avoid rot and dampness.
In the interest of cheapness the framing can quite easily be made from PVC piping attached to the ground via metal pins. A step up in your budget would allow the use of timber framing, again a set of plans would be of advantage here, with exact measurements and designs the process is simplified. Covering your cheap greenhouse can be accomplished by using polyethylene or clear corrugated plastic sheets. Both are relatively cheap and very easy to work with. Again in the interest of cheapness glass should be avoided, due to the initial cost and the inevitable cost of having to renew broken panes.
Don't Stop So there you have it, my quick guide to building your own cheap greenhouse. Hopefully this has given you some food for thought and maybe answered some of the questions that were holding you back. You've came this far, don't stop. Go to it and see a whole new side of gardening.
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