3 Easy DIY Greenhouses for Under $300. © Angela Davis It’s seed-starting season and spring is just around the corner. If you’re looking to start seeds indoors and realize that you don’t have enough windows space to sprout seeds indoors, or don’t want to raise your electrical bill by installing grow lights, building a greenhouse from recycled and salvaged items might be the solution you need. 1.
The Window Frame Greenhouse Probably the most popular examples of DIY greenhouses you’ll find on the Internet. The best time to salvage windows for this garden project is during construction and remodeling season where you live. . © Michael Taeuber Here's another window frame greenhouse, this one by Michael Taeuber, who created an Instructable to demonstrate how to build a greenhouse from old windows for his plants. 2.
. © Alex Campbell Alex Campbell built this lean-to greenhouse, also using old windows, for his food growing operation. He graciously documented his project so others could follow along and do the same. 3. . © Wolfie and the Sneak. How to Make Your Own Coldframe. A coldframe—simply an enclosed area with a clear top to let in sunlight—is one of the easiest ways to extend your growing and harvest season. All you need are a few basic supplies and your imagination. (Imagine: crunchy fresh lettuce for the holidays!) Here’s what to do. Start at the Top The only essential for the frame’s cover is that light gets through. Almost any transparent material will work: glass, fiberglass, polyethylene, or flexible greenhouse coverings—the differences between them are insignificant.
Many people use old window sashes. Be aware, however, that some old frames may be covered with lead-based paint. In extreme northern areas, glass isn’t always the best option. If you’re buying material to cover your coldframe, consider Lexan, an improvement over Lucite. Other gardeners prefer the corrugated fiberglass (4-by-8-foot panels) sold for greenhouse walls. Build a $300 underground greenhouse for year-round gardening (Video) Growers in colder climates often utilize various approaches to extend the growing season or to give their crops a boost, whether it's coldframes, hoop houses or greenhouses.
Greenhouses are usually glazed structures, but are typically expensive to construct and heat throughout the winter. A much more affordable and effective alternative to glass greenhouses is the walipini (an Aymara Indian word for a "place of warmth"), also known as an underground or pit greenhouse. First developed over 20 years ago for the cold mountainous regions of South America, this method allows growers to maintain a productive garden year-round, even in the coldest of climates.
Here's a video tour of a walipini that shows what a basic version of this earth-sheltered solar greenhouse looks like inside: © Benson Institute It's a pretty intriguing set-up that combines the principles of passive solar heating with earth-sheltered building. SilverThunder/via. Inexpensive Mini-Greenhouse - DIY. Thirty years ago, I bought MOTHER EARTH NEWS to help pass the time while I was a U.S. Navy sailor stationed on an aircraft carrier. I enjoyed reading the magazine from cover to cover — often three or more times per cruise — and I couldn’t wait for the next issue.
The magazine has inspired me to do many projects. Recently, I wanted to try growing in a small raised garden bed. I had railroad ties lying around, and I used the ties to build a three-tier, 4-by-8-foot raised garden bed. I drove rebar into the ties (after pre-drilling smaller holes in them) to tie them together. I also made a mini-greenhouse cover for the bed so the crops could get an earlier start. Robert FordMontrose, Pennsylvania. Does Your Community Need a Public Greenhouse?
One of things my town has going for it is that it provides community gardens (not just sports fields). Unfortunately, there’s so much demand for these gardens, there’s a long waiting list. Of course, it’s understandable why there is a demand for these plots. They make growing food easier and more enjoyable. How so? The tilling and compost delivery is done as a service. NOTE: I’ve heard that a good way to foster conversations at an allotment is to put the water faucet in a central location rather than deliver it to each plot.
While community gardens/allotments are great, it’s possible to improve upon it. So, how does this apply to community gardening? One of the best ways to build a gardening or micro-farming space is to build a greenhouse. Here’s an example from a town that’s north of the Arctic Circle called Inuvik: This community greenhouse rents small plots to residents and serves as one of the epicenters of the community. Hope this gets you thinking. Resiliently Yours,