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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.

Before building a greenhouse there are a few things that have to be addressed. Warm climate greenhouses usually have no need for heating. The sun comes in and heats up the house during the day and keeps it warm enough during the night. What does have to be addressed is shading so that you do not fry your plants when the sun is high in the sky and how to ventilate the greenhouse so they do not smother with the sun’s heat. Cold climate greenhouses have to be concerned with how they should be heated and insulated to keep that cold out during the winter.

Make sure to pick a spot in your yard for the greenhouse that is in direct sun. It is good to give the plants an east west exposure to get the most out the sunlight you can. If you do not have any space in direct sunlight then go with partial shade.

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.

Many gardeners love to build benches that run all around the edges of the greenhouse. They put plants on the benches so they do not have to bend down all the time. An important decision is how you are going to be heating the greenhouse, with gas or electric and if you need to have electrical outlets available. You must also decide where you are going to put a spigot in order to get water into the greenhouse. Some people opt to have it outside and some inside.

Cheap DIY greenhouses are the ones that look like a big tunnel made from plastic sheet draped over PVC or other piping. Since PVC is not environmentally friendly these types of greenhouses are sometimes avoided. They are functional and most important they are very affordable. The next level of green house is one made with a wooden frame and then glass or fiberglass is installed. The most expensive is to install the polycarbonate panels and if you live in an area where kids play all the time, this might be the best in the long run because the panels will not break or shatter no matter what hits them. Building your own greenhouse will be an adventure and you are sure to find a green house that you can build easily and afford even if it is built out of water bottles or old back doors.

To build a DIY greenhouse is not all that difficult. Diy greenhouse kits on the market today make it so incredibly easy that every home owner can build their very own greenhouse.