Winter is coming as temperatures begin to drop in Georgia. If you have a small garden and are wanting to protect your plants from the freeze, a greenhouse is a great option. For under $200, you can build a 12 x 14 feet greenhouse.
Select a location
Before building a greenhouse, you will need to first choose a level, well drained piece of land. We plan on using our greenhouse to transplant our seedlings in the spring (so we chose a spot with maximum exposure to the sun). Easy access to water and electricity is also a good idea.
Constructing the greenhouse
Vinny used treated wood from a local Lumberyard and PVC pipe, PVC cement, and plastic film covering from Lowe's. Before building, you will need to level out the land, unless the site is very flat. This is done by digging a small trench in the high side. Be sure the foundation boards are not below ground level, to keep rain out.
Depending on what you want to use your greenhouse for, you can use different kinds of plastic coverings. 4 or 6 mil can be used for growing plants. Milky or white copolymer is great for transplanting, like we plan on doing. To attach the plastic film to the wood, staples are sturdy enough to hold and are quick to put in. Make sure they are tightly stapled without gaps, as retaining heat is essential. Since temperatures can get lower in Georgia, we will also use an electric heater. This greenhouse can support up to 4 inches of snow, which will be more than we get in the South (we average about 3 inches a season).
Material List
*Vinny used schedule 40 because schedule 80 was not available, still sturdy.
Looking forward to updating how our plants do through the winter!
We used this resource for further information.