The best reason to have your very own greenhouse is so that you have a bit of an advantage against your living area’s climate changes. The idea of growing flowers, fruits and vegetables that aren’t in season is not only a neat thing to do but also cost effective because of the price increases at your local market for out of season fruits, veggies, and flowers. The highest cost to get your DIY greenhouse going will be the heating and supplemental lighting in case of any overcast weather. Along with the power of extending the growth season of your favorite plants, a greenhouse can provide a relaxing place to visit to get lost in your thoughts. We have compiled a list of economical DIY greenhouse ideas that will include plans or tutorials. Please enjoy our post on 13 Frugal DIY Greenhouse Plans.
#1 The $50 Hoop Garden
Image source: Doorgarden.com
In this tutorial, Door Garden shares a detailed guide to making a 165 Sq. Ft. Hoop greenhouse for just $50, which comes to be about around 30 cents per square foot.
#2 The BuildEasy Greenhouse
Image source: Buildeasy.com
In this tutorial, Build Easy shows you how to build a greenhouse with instructions, suggestions, and shares some modifications that can be done to suit your individual needs. The greenhouse shown above optimizes height and floor space that is customized to fit your financial needs.
#3 Geodome Greenhouse
Image source: NorthernHomestead.com
In this tutorial, the builders give us a very extensive how-to guide on how to create this beautiful GeoDome greenhouse that is a lot easier than it looks to build. Don’t let its appearance intimidate you and jump right in. As an added bonus, there is no fixed foundation so you won’t need to get any permits and it is portable.
#4 PVC $25 & Under Greenhouse
Image source: pondplantgirl.com
Here pond plant girl built a 5 x 5 greenhouse using PVC pipe, connectors, zip ties, plastic sheeting and all under $25. It’s an easy hoop style greenhouse. Check out her tutorial with instructions. *Note – the image is larger than it the greenhouse is – ideal for small potted plants.
#5 Barn Style Greenhouse
Image source: ana-white.com
Here you will enjoy a comprehensive tutorial equipped with a bonus video showing how to cut plywood gussets that are needed for the barn style greenhouse project!
It came with a lot of space providing plenty of room for a variety of plants and was a quick build.
#6 Fold Down Greenhouse
Image source: bonniesplants.com
Here Bonnie from bonniesplants.com shows us how to make a fold down greenhouse that is inexpensive and easy to make so that your plants stay fully protected during the cold snaps and early frosts while allowing for raising when the hotter months and rain approach us. Check it out here.
#7 Storm Window Greenhouse
Image source: designdreamsbyanne.blogspot.com
You’d be amazed at what you can build using items unrelated to the project. Well, one lady from designdreamsbyanne.blogspot.com did just that when she incorporated her storm windows and a few other miscellaneous items found in her shed to make a DIY greenhouse. Check out her tutorial and start looking around your shed or garage for inspiration. The whole project cost her $0 buckaroos.
#8 Upcycled Greenhouse
Image source: Cheft c/0 instructables.com
Here is a 7h x 10d x 6w DIY greenhouse made from upcycled windows that Cheft (the creator) found lying around torn down houses near his home and transformed them into a greenhouse. Check out his brief guide.
#9 Basement Greenhouse
Image source: tomsgardens.wordpress.com
Here is an interesting off-the-basement type of greenhouse where the frame was constructed just outside of the walk-out. No need to walk out in the rain to check on your ‘babies’ to make sure they’re growing as they should when you can enter straight from your home. The tutorial.
#10 CD Case Greenhouse
Image source: soyouthinkyourecrafty.com
Soyouthinkyourecrafty.com earned their website name when they came up with this DIY greenhouse built from recycled cd cases. Hmmm, I wonder if anyone has 40 Vanilla Ice and Milly and Vanilli cd cases they want to part with for a greenhouse? 🙂 TUTORIAL.
#11 Trampoline Greenhouse
Image source: howdoesshe.com
The kiddies have left the nest, and you got stuck with their old trampoline? Turn it into a greenhouse growing machine – unless of course, you don’t want to use it for yourself. 🙂
Here is an extensive tutorial on how to make this greenhouse using upcycled trampoline all costing just $100.00 – wow!
#12 The $5 Pallet Greenhouse
Image source: thegreenlever.blogspot.com
For just $5 and some change this greenhouse owner was able to build a greenhouse using untreated-pallets that took some labor induced deconstructing but with an affordable result. You could go to local grocery stores, etc. and see if they have any old pallets they are going to trash to save yourself some money. Check out the tutorial along with a video clip they’ve provided.
#13 Instant Cloche
Image source: learn.eartheasy.com
Here we have a cold frame ‘cloche’ that took the builder no more than 45 minutes to construct when she was facing a sudden change of weather while transplanting her young seedlings to their permanent garden bed. Needing to act fast she came up with an impressive last minute “Oh know! Rain!” instant cloche – the best part is that it was free for her to make. Tutorial.
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