Any person would be excited by the idea of growing their own tasty fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Due to extreme weather conditions and seasons, it’s impossible to have a crop grow throughout the year unless you have a greenhouse to control the conditions. A gardening enthusiast can build their own DIY greenhouse. If you are one of the gardening enthusiasts, here are some tips and tricks to follow.
Choose the Right Materials for the Greenhouse
Before you embark on building a greenhouse, you should consider what materials you will use. Materials chosen for a greenhouse are very important as they determine how durable your greenhouse will be and whether it will function properly. A glass greenhouse is typically warmer than a plastic one. You can also use a tarp if you are looking for something more cost-efficient. If you choose this route, go for a high-quality clear tarp as it will be durable and recyclable after its useful life.
Since your project will be DIY, you should consider using natural or reclaimed materials, including old doors and windows. Always exhaust the option of using natural and reclaimed materials before buying new ones.
Choosing a Location
While choosing the materials, you should also think about the location of the greenhouse. A DIY greenhouse should be designed referring to a particular site. You should take advantage of your landscape typography to get the best location. It would be best if you also considered the site’s natural and built environment. The available site resources also matter a lot.
Light and shade affect the location of your greenhouse. It would help if you also considered the prevailing wind direction.
A DIY greenhouse is better built on a relatively sheltered spot. If you have no sheltered spot, you can improve the site before beginning your project.
The Decision of the Shape and Size
Another tip when building a DIY greenhouse is determining the size. No matter how small your greenhouse is, it will still be useful. However, it’s important to ensure that you build the biggest greenhouse you can. After you start planting, you may quickly run out of space and need a bigger greenhouse. Instead of going through the hassle of building a new one, you should build a bigger one at first. A large greenhouse will accommodate more food, and you will also be able to grow a variety of food all year round.
Although a big greenhouse is better than a small one, you should also consider whether you will be able to heat a large space, especially during winter. Also, keep in mind that you will have to do a lot of work to tend to the plants in the big greenhouse.
Building a greenhouse of the right shape will keep you from making costly mistakes. The shape should make the structure stable allow snow shedding during winter. It will also determine how well you will work inside.
Consider the flooring
Many people forget about the flooring of the greenhouse when building one. A concrete slab as your base will give you premium flooring for your DIY greenhouse. Leaving the floor bare can be messy as the leaks turn the dirt floor into the mud. Although concrete is durable and easy to clean and maintain, the upfront costs may be steep. The concrete base will also support any bench or shelf.
A wooden frame foundation will also work fine if you fill it with crushed stone or gravel. A gravel floor is cheaper and easy to clean. While building a gravel floor, ensure proper drainage as the water build-up between rocks may cause a little dirt or weed growth.
When considering the materials to use to floor your greenhouse, you should avoid wood, bricks, and mulch. Wood will attract mold and pests because greenhouses are mist places. Bricks will add to the humidity of your greenhouse, thus why they are not a better option for greenhouses. Mulch cannot be cleaned, and it decomposes rapidly, leaving behind bacteria and fungi.
Conclusion
Greenhouses are useful structures for providing a stable growing environment for crops throughout the year. Before building a greenhouse, you must consider the structure’s materials, location, size, and shape. Knowing how to build a greenhouse will help you get fresh plants all year round instead of spending money in the grocery stores.
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