Need to protect your seedlings from the cool nighttime air? Make your own miniature greenhouse for free in just minutes!
We have this old carport frame that I’ve been wanting to turn into a greenhouse. I’m hoping we’ll be able to get it done this summer so that it will be ready for use next spring.
Awhile back I found this tutorial that uses a carport very similar to ours. I’m hoping we’ll be able to sort of copy the way they built theirs.
If not, I could always buy my dream greenhouse…
Yeah, maybe not this year…
In the meantime, I had to figure out a way to protect a few of my early plantings from the frost that doesn’t seem to want to leave.
Being the innovative woman that I am, I didn’t want to go out a spend a bunch of money to create hoop houses over my garden boxes. I’d rather create my own.
If you DO want to put hoop houses over your seedlings, I suggest checking out the Easy Tunnel from Tierra Garden on Amazon. They are very affordable and super easy to put up.
Plus they fit over garden boxes or long rows in a traditional garden bed. Because of their available sizes, you can use them in a variety of places, over almost any of your seedlings.
The Making of My FREE Miniature Greenhouses
Since I have plans to build large greenhouse, I chose to head to my recycling bin instead of buying hoop houses.
Using nothing but a couple of empty juice and coffee creamer bottles, I managed to create a miniature greenhouse for each of my little baby plants…without spending a single penny.
And the very best part is – you get 2 little greenhouses out of just 1 old juice jug! For FREE…
It’s so easy to make your own miniature greenhouse that it almost seems silly to have a large one.
But, please don’t tell the husband or he won’t help me build mine and I really want it!
We don’t have a super long growing season here in Vermont and I’d like to be able to hang out inside my warm greenhouse, playing with plants, in March or April instead of having to wait until May or even June.
But, for now, I’m satisfied with how well protected my little baby plants are inside these miniature greenhouses!
So, how can YOU make your own miniature greenhouses for free?
Save Your Clear Plastic Bottles And Save the Planet, too!
Throughout the year, save your juice, coffee creamer and soda bottles.
Not only are you going to have the most awesome garden (before your friends and neighbors!), but you’re helping the planet by recycling a product that is otherwise just thrown away, too.
Be sure to wash them out and remove the labels before adding them to your “save pile”!
When the ground thaws out and you can manage to do some digging, plant your early plantings.
Early Planting Suggestion: Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach and cabbage do very well in the early spring…even in Vermont.
Make Your Own Miniature Greenhouses
Now, cut each of your plastic bottles in half, so you have 2 equal (or somewhat equal) pieces.
Place 1 miniature greenhouses over each of your baby plants. Be sure to press the plastic into the soil so that they don’t blow away in the wind!
Remove each little greenhouse during the day when the temperatures are warm and replace them in the evening when the sun goes down to protect your plants from the cool, night air.
And that’s it!
Wallah – you’ve made your very own miniature greenhouse and it didn’t cost you a single penny – how awesome is that?!
Have a Spectacular Day!
~Vanessa
Vanessa Hamlin is the owner and founder of Food Life Design and VLHamlinDesign. With her passion for frugal living and homesteading, Vanessa loves to write about easy recipes, making money, gardening, home remedies and everything else that a good life entails! When she’s not writing for Food Life Design or creating products for VLHamlinDesign, you’ll find Vanessa reading, drawing, gardening, cooking or spending time with her family.