Every gardener wishes they had a greenhouse no matter how big or small it might be. You can watch the snow pile up and still be able to start seed in preparation for spring and planting of the flower or vegetable garden. Those plants you loose every winter can be safe and sound inside a greenhouse and be ready to come out once the temperatures get more moderate. DIY Greenhouse building is not a hard undertaking. There are many different styles of greenhouse you can purchase and construct that will take you just a few hours to a few days of some work.

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.

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 make benches out of wood that line the perimeter inside. They put their pots on those benches and do not have to stoop to the ground to garden. Heating units can be run from either gas or electricity so you need to build your greenhouse where there is a gas line or availability of electricity. You might even decide to put some electrical outlets in the greenhouse or lights so you can see at night. Do you want to run a water line right into the greenhouse instead of having to carry water to feed the plants? These are all considerations that have to be met.

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 hard. Diy greenhouse kits on the market today make it so incredibly easy that every gardener can build his or her own greenhouse.