1. Add A Cover To A Basic Shelving Unit
If you're short on growing space, a mini greenhouse is a brilliant addition to a small backyard or balcony garden. And you don't need to buy a specially-made one either. You can easily adapt an indoor/outdoor shelving unit you already own by simply insulating it with a plastic cover to turn it into a greenhouse.
2. Create A Greenhouse Area In A Raised Bed
If you use raised garden beds for growing flowers or fruit and vegetable crops, being able to create a micro climate in one part of the bed can be useful for protecting tender plants, or those that prefer warmer growing conditions. It can also be an effective way of warming up soil in early spring before planting any seeds.
3. Re-Use Old Windows To Shelter Plants
I love the idea of putting old materials to use in my garden, giving items I no longer need a new lease of life. I've created compost bins from old wooden pallets and built an insect house from leftover bricks and scraps of wood. So the idea of using old window frames as a temporary lid or cover for a cold frame gets my vote.
4. Make A Basic Greenhouse Using Plastic Bottles
If you don't have any windows available to use as the roof of your cold frame, how about this sustainable gardening idea instead?
A basic wooden structure forms the main frame of the cold frame, while bamboo canes are pushed through the plastic bottles before being wedged into place on the frame to form the sides and lid. The plastic bottles are a great insulator, helping to keep plants protected inside the frame. A couple of extra bamboo canes at the front can be used to prop open the lid on warmer days and improve air circulation.
5. Buy A DIY Greenhouse Kit
I don't currently have space in my backyard for a full-size greenhouse thanks to a trampoline, climbing frame, and all the other paraphernalia that comes with having two kids, so a mini DIY greenhouse kit was the option I went for when I needed more growing space.
9. Make A Single Plant Greenhouse From A Recycled Bottle
Using a plastic bottle as a mini DIY greenhouse idea is a win-win on two levels. First, it means you can protect specific plants quickly and easily, and second, it recycles old materials and puts them to good use.
10. Opt For Simple Tunnel Greenhouse
DIY tunnel greenhouses are the best option for covering rows of vegetable seedling and transplants in a kitchen garden. It's an easy and cost-effective way of covering large areas of soil, and they won't take long to construct.