Growing edibles and keeping your potted plants alive is often tricky in the moody British weather. A greenhouse can save the day – or season – but buying one might be expensive. Nevertheless, you don’t have to invest your hard-earned money. All it takes is a few materials and some handyman skills to recycle stuff and make yourself a one-of-a-kind greenhouse. Here are 5 awesome DIY greenhouse ideas to get you inspired.
1. Welded Wire Greenhouse
A hoop greenhouse is very easy to build from galvanised wire used for fencing and clear plastic rolls. You could use standard cattle panels, too – you can procure them from your local hardware store. The panels are ideal to build a simple wireframe that is both solid and flexible. The rounded roof is an excellent choice if you live in an area with strong winds. If you feel fancy, you could even fix a standard door frame to the wire structure before covering both the structure and the door with clear plastic. A perfect greenhouse for most vegetables, including all kinds of beans, various leafy greens, and tomatoes.
2. CD Case Greenhouse
Do you have lots of old CDs you don’t listen to anymore? Don’t bin them. CDs can be used for many creative projects, and their empty cases are perfect for making an original and fully functional greenhouse. It won’t be big enough for you to walk and stand into, but it will be big enough for a few pots. All you need is around 40 CD cases and some glue. Using a simple greenhouse model, glue cases together to create the walls and roofs. The clear plastic cases will create a protected environment for your perennials to thrive throughout winter.
3. Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
Acrylic greenhouses are on the wave, but plastic for a greenhouse doesn’t necessarily have to mean acrylic. Old plastic bottles are an excellent alternative, and a nice solution if you’re looking to save money and the planet whilst growing edibles. The bottles are very easy to tie together with clear plastic string or wire and you can use them for the walls and roof of a standard wooden frame. Making a greenhouse has never been easier.
4. Old Windows Greenhouse
There is hardly anything as satisfying as making a greenhouse out of recycled objects. Including old windows. There are many ways to transform old windows into a greenhouse, but perhaps the easiest is to make a cube or rectangle out of them. Use a smaller window as a door – this greenhouse is perfect for smaller pots, or you could use more windows to cover a raised bed.
5. DIY Fold-Down Greenhouse
A greenhouse may not be useless in the summer months, so why not make a fold-down one for your plants to thrive in all kinds of weather. Like the welded wire greenhouse, this project uses clear plastic but this time fixed on a foldable frame. Ideal for covering your raised beds and protecting your vegetables from wind and cold temperatures.
