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A greenhouse is always a gardener’s dream. It is a place that one can start plants while the snow still drifts around and once it is planting time there is an abundance of plants that were grown from seed. It is also a place where you can over winter some more delicate plants that you do not want to loose during the cold months. Building a DIY greenhouse is not all that difficult. Kits on the market today make it so easy that every gardener can build their own 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.
You can make a greenhouse out of anything that is clear. There are plans Online that detail how to make a house out of old beat up storm doors that you would use on your back door. There are other plans on how to make a greenhouse from a wooden frame that his stacked with plastic water and pop bottles. There are also the more common materials with which to make a green house like fiberglass or old fashion glass. If you want something that is not going to break if a stone flies up from the lawn mower try the more expensive polycarbonate panels that are made especially for greenhouse use. If you are on a budget you can get the type of green house that is made of plastic sheets over a series of pipes.
The floor of the greenhouse is an integral part of building. Many people construct the floor from concrete because it makes the greenhouse stable and flat. Other people prefer not having extreme elements between the greenhouse and the ground and opt for gravel and some just have a dirt floor. Still others construct wood floors or use railroad ties all along the floor. You can also set concrete pavers or bricks in the ground on sand to make a floor for the green house. If you use just a dirt floor you can just add some top soil and plant right there instead of putting everything in pots. It is very important to make sure the floor does not get flooded or wet from outside weather.
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.
Kits on the market today include the cheap plastic sheet and PVC pipe greenhouse. The PVC is hammered into the ground then brought up like a big horseshoe with plastic sheeting put over top of it. Some parts of this type of greenhouse are wooden as well. It is said that PVC can cause cancer and it is not the most entirely environmentally proper substance to use in a garden but it is cheap and easy to install. You can also make a wooden frame for the greenhouse and install fiberglass or glass. The most expensive undertaking is using the polycarbonate panels but it is worth the money because they will not break even when junior puts a baseball through it. Make a decision based on the area you have to build a greenhouse and the amount of money you have to spend. If you have to you can always guild a greenhouse from a bunch of pop bottles or a collection of storm doors.
To build a DIY greenhouse is not all that complicated. Diy greenhouse kits available on the market today make it so easy that every home owner can build his or her very own greenhouse.