DIY Greenhouse- Ongoing Fun For The Whole Family

Do It Yourself Greenhouse Project

If the gardening bug hit hard this year, I want you to know, I'm right there with you. By March, I'm usually twitching with impatience for getting my hands into some dirt.

This year, that twitching was more intense as my 'prepper' instincts reacted to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis and the 'dress rehearsal' of what martial law is going to look like in the beginning, and.... it came with an intense burning 'need' to get at least one greenhouse up.

"If you can control the climate, you can grow almost anything."

Even though I live in Florida, and have a pretty much 'year round growing season,' there are other compelling reasons to have a greenhouse. 

Why You Should Consider A Greenhouse

Here is a list of just a few of the benefits you'll get from providing your crops with their very own special home.  

• Protection from the sun in the summer and the cold in the winter
• Protection from over-watering.
• Easier to irrigate plants
• Requires less water
• Wastes less water
• Fewer weeds, and a lot less weed pulling. 

Plus... If your kids haven't taken an interest in gardening yet, a family 'DIY Greenhouse Build' project may be just what you need to 'disguise,' sustainability and survival lessons as a fun building project the whole family can wok on together.

What my kids think I mean when I say
'greenhouse'

Whether you have girls or boys, there is no shortage of fun to be had throughout the process...





From designing the greenhouse, to gathering the materials and supplies, to building it and seeing the finished product come to life, you're kids will never forget the experience of building your own greenhouse. 

Build Your Own Greenhouse

What I think I mean when I say
 'greenhouse'

If you've always wanted to try your hand at building a 'do it yourself greenhouse,' but were overwhelmed and confused about what to do and where to  start, you're definitely not alone.

When it comes to greenhouses, there are so many shapes, and styles, and various greenhouse materials you can use, (*and often find for free,) that it can be hard to decide exactly what you want.



How to decide what type of greenhouse is right for you

When it comes to choosing the right kind of greenhouse for you have an over-abundance of options for the size, design.   From small greenhouses with metal stands and plastic covers, to large walk-through tunnel greenhouses, you can buy on Amazon, all the way to DIY  glass greenhouses made from windows, you might even find yourself buying or building multiple greenhouses for various reasons, like different crops, or even to plant barrier plants to help control pests and other crop destroyers.  Greenhouses  huge Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help narrow down the choices of just what size and type of greenhouse you're going to build.

1.) What Crops Do You Want To Grow?
First, you should make a list of all the plants you know for sure that you want to grow.

2.) Climate
Next, you'll want to consider your climate. As some plants could be grown outside of your greenhouse depending on the weather in any of your seasons, which would free up greenhouse space during those seasons for you to grow other plants.

3.) Design
Third, You also needs to make sure that your greenhouse will be designed with proper air circulation spaces, ventilation, pest control soil, heaters for winter season, and humidity control devices. You should create an environment that is appropriate for the types of plants that will grow in your greenhouse.

4.) Location
Fourth, you'll need to locate the area of your property that will provide the right exposure to sunlight that the plants you want to grow will need.  Then you'll want to measure that area to give you an idea of just what size greenhouse you can build there.

5.) Construction
Most greenhouse are made from either metal or pvc framing, though you can also use wood, and are covered with either plastic or glass.  While you can buy greenhouse plastic in various thicknesses (called 'mils') on Amazon, you can also simply watch sites like Craigslist, LetGo, OfferUp, and even NextDoor, for people who are either giving away (happens a lot more often than you might think) or selling very cheap, old windows.

As far as the foundation goes, you could pour a cement slab if you wanted to.  Likewise, you could also use railroad ties, or even old pallets to create a 'floor.'  And the main reason for a floor is to keep pests out of your crops.

Just like your own home, as my dad used to tell me, "there is an unlimited amount of time and money you can spend on your house."

Extras for your greenhouse...

Adding benches for extra plants, and even seating areas so that you can simply sit and relax and enjoy the peace and serenity of your 'controlled garden space,' is one thing you might consider.

A most useful thing to add to a greenhouse is a rain barrel for collecting rain water so that you can always have rain water available for irrigation for your crops.

Another thing you might consider is adding storage space for things like your potting soil, fertilizer, and other conveniences like auotomatic watering equipment. A rubbermaid storage bench is an excellent choice for an addition as it does double duty, serving both your storage and seating needs. Even better, it's an aesthetically pleasing feature not just for you to enjoy, but also for guests to enjoy when they come to visit and you want to show off your beautiful greenhouse, and your amazing food preps from your liberty garden. 

Your greenhouse, whether you purchase it, DIY it, or build it, is one of the most enjoyable, as well as relaxing activities you can engage in when it comes to prepping. And a Build your own DIY greenhouse is a fun project that's even more fun with the help of family and friends, so get them involved too.  With all the different designs and shapes to choose from, your kiddos are sure to get excited about this project.

Pro-Tip; Tell the kiddos to consider it practice for building their own fort, and they'll be guaranteed to get excited and jump in to help.