Savings on grocery bills, an extended growing season, and protection from uncertain weather are just a few reasons to build a backyard greenhouse. Greenhouses can prolong your growing season by at least a month on each end, meaning your family can enjoy homegrown veggies sooner in the spring and later in the fall. Better still, you don’t need to be a master craftsman to build one! With the help of a few design tips, you’ll be enjoying the bounties of your homemade greenhouse in no time!
How Do I Build a Greenhouse in my Backyard?
Before we get to the designs, let’s first consider your options when it comes to greenhouse installation:
- Your first option is to purchase and install a pre-built greenhouse in your backyard. This is by far the most expensive greenhouse option; however, some people find the durability, professional construction, and convenience that come with it to be well worth the investment.
- A less expensive option is to buy a greenhouse kit that you build yourself. This approach gives you all the precision and material quality benefits of a professional design, but without the pricy assembly costs.
- The final option is to build a greenhouse yourself from scratch. This is the least costly option, but it does require more effort and initiative on your part. However, so long as you find a solid design to work from, it’s a very straightforward and gratifying project to take on!
The best option for you will depend on a host of different factors, including budget and time restraints. If option #3 is the one for you, these DIY backyard greenhouse designs will help you hit the ground running as you undertake this rewarding garden project!
DIY Greenhouse # 1: The PVC Hoop House
A PVC hoop house is one of the simplest designs to make and uses some of the most cost-effective and accessible materials. It consists of PVC piping joined together with PVC fittings, like Y’s, elbows, and T’s, that you gently bend to make an arched greenhouse frame. Next, simply cover your frame with plastic sheeting and secure it with staples, zip ties, or stakes. You can build the base frame of your house out of either wood or PVC pipe; just remember to stake it into the soil either way so it remains stable.
A hoop house is very effective for growing food, and the materials are inexpensive and lightweight. However, one disadvantage is that while the PVC pipe frame is durable, you’ll need to replace the plastic sheeting at least every 4-10 years, depending on its thickness and quality.
DIY Greenhouse # 2: The Wood Frame Greenhouse
It’s possible to build many kinds of small, lightweight greenhouses in your backyard out of wooden frames. An easy and popular design is a “lean-to,” where a wooden frame is leaned against and attached to one of your garage or house’s free walls. However, you can also use wooden frames to build freestanding greenhouses:
Start by building a rectangular base for your freestanding greenhouse out of 4x4s and secure it to the ground using wooden stakes. Next, use standard 2x4s to build the walls and rafters. For best results, cut your wood using a miter saw and fasten everything together using wood screws. Once the framing is complete, use lightweight polycarbonate siding to finish your greenhouse’s roof and walls. If you have sufficient skill, a door and roof vents to release heat during the summer are other handy features to build into your greenhouse.
While more daunting for the beginner builder, a DIY wooden frame greenhouse will provide a solid, durable, and aesthetically pleasing addition to your backyard garden for many growing seasons to come, all at a reasonably low cost.
Other Small-Scale Gardening Structures
If you don’t have the space for a full-size greenhouse in your backyard, or if you simply want to protect your existing gardens and raised beds, these smaller structures will help you extend your growing season while conserving your limited outdoor space:
- Cold Frame: A cold frame is a small wooden box built over a garden or raised bed. Covered with glass or plastic, it keeps the heat inside the garden during the shoulder season, allowing you to start plants sooner and enjoy your harvest longer. The box is big enough that the plants can get air through the wood.
- Row Covers: A row cover is a miniature hoop house that you can build over rows in your backyard’s garden and raised beds. You can build it by curving PVC pipe in an arch over your plot and attaching them to either a frame on the ground or directly onto the sides of your raised bed. Covered with plastic or fabric, it creates a warm microclimate that lets you start your vegetables before the last frost. Once temperatures warm up in the spring, you can remove the covers and hoops and reassemble them again in the fall.
Building a backyard greenhouse and other infrastructure does have a significant upfront cost, but it’ll pay dividends as these structures extend your growing season. Imagine your tomatoes, peppers, and squash ripening sooner, or your greens being ready to go before your neighbors even have seeds in the ground; these are just a few of the rewards you can look forward to thanks to your new DIY greenhouse!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
How to Plan Your Gardening Season
Best Uses For Garden Soil vs Topsoil
How to Prepare Garden Soil
For supplies, more advice, and other ideas for backyard greenhouse designs, please stop by and visit our garden centers in Bloomingdale and Carpentersville today!