Whether you want to start growing your own or want to expand your efforts and prolong your growing season, a greenhouse, or hoop house, is a great addition to your garden or growing space. Even if you do not own your own space you may be able to initiate a community scheme, or arrange to construct a smaller, temporary structure in shared space.
The good news is that you do not have to spend a fortune to create a great covered growing area to give your plants and crops more protection. You can use other people’s trash (and your own) to make an amazing greenhouse.
Pop-Bottle Greenhouse
Households, schools, colleges and community groups can collect plastic bottles and make a great greenhouse for very little money. All you may need to buy is the wood to make a frame and some simple wire to hold the structure together. The rest of the structure can be made using plastic bottles that are very easy to obtain for free.
There are several different designs for such greenhouses that you will be able to find online but all have the same basic idea – and it’s a great one! These greenhouses can look surprisingly good and can work very effectively. Many people around the world have been putting their own creative stamp on this simple idea and growing more healthy home-grown food.
Reclamation Yard/ Scrap Yard Greenhouse
More quirky, yet beautiful, and very sturdy greenhouses can be created using old windows and doors with their frames. Piecing these together does require some simple skills, of course, but anyone can learn how and can achieve a great structure without too much effort. By choosing a range of interesting windows and doors, you can customize your space and use it to reflect your tastes and personality.
Use your imagination and you can create a growing space for a few delicate plants or a large lean-to or free-standing greenhouse large enough for all your needs. You can pick up old windows and doors for next to nothing, so you can get a custom-look greenhouse for a fraction of the cost of a brand new one.
Small Scale Growing – Cloches
If you do not have enough space to put a greenhouse in your garden, you may still be able to do some container or small-scale growing and you too can extend your growing season and protect more delicate plants by making cloches to cover your crops. Cloches for small seedlings can be made from cutting plastic bottles in half and a range of other deep food packaging trays also work very well. Simply wash the packaging thoroughly and place them over your plants. You can also use clear food trays to cover germinating seeds and make a make-shift propagator.
Think twice before buying a greenhouse. Think twice before throwing out your trash. By being inventive and open to new ideas you can reuse items that would otherwise put pressure on the waste system in your area and improve your garden into the bargain.
