How to Start Your Own Greenhouse
Last Updated: Apr 9, 2025Gardening with a greenhouse is incredibly empowering. That is until you start shopping for one. How do you choose between hoop houses and A-frames? Do you need glass, or will plastic do? How big a greenhouse do you really need? And what should you even grow in your new greenhouse?
Today we're taking a look at the many types of greenhouses available to hopefully help you zoom in on the best greenhouse for your home. You'll also learn about permitting requirements, whether you need a foundation and the best placement for your new greenhouse. Let's get started!
Table of Contents
- Types of Greenhouses
- What Is a Hoop House Greenhouse?
- What Is a Gothic Arch Greenhouse
- What Is a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse?
- What Is a A-Frame Greenhouse?
- What Is a Portable Greenhouse?
- Which Type of Greenhouse is Right for You?
- How to Build a Greenhouse: Kits and DIY
- Where Should You Place a Greenhouse?
- What Should You Grow in a Greenhouse?
- Can I Use a Greenhouse Year-Round?
- How Does Local Climate Affect What You Can Grow?
- Are You Ready to Start Your Own Greenhouse?
Detached Greenhouses
Greenhouses fall into two main categories; detached and attached. Detached greenhouses stand separate from your home.
What Is a A-Frame Greenhouse?
The A-frame greenhouse is arguably one of the most picturesque options for hobby gardeners and suburban homeowners. These compact greenhouses can be built in a variety of sizes for seed starting and year-round use. A-frame greenhouses are usually framed in aluminum, steel, or wood and covered with glass or polycarbonate panels. Like those by Palram, easy-to-build A-frame greenhouse kits often include vents, locking doors, and even rain gutters.
These sturdy greenhouses can withstand snow and wind, especially when built on a foundation and securely tied down. A greenhouse heater can quickly transform an A-frame greenhouse into a relaxing outdoor space for reading, playing music, or napping amongst your plants in cooler climates. Just imagine cozying up with a good book, surrounded by fragrant herbs and flowers, on a bitterly cold day.
Attached Greenhouses
If you'd rather keep your greenhouse closer to home, an attached greenhouse might be just the ticket. Also known as lean-to greenhouses, these little greenhouses are built right onto an exterior wall of your house, shed, barn, or garage. These greenhouses provide all the benefits of a detached greenhouse, but also provide extra insulation to the structure they're built onto. Planned right, a lean-to greenhouse can improve your home's energy efficiency while providing a warm space to grow plants and enjoy your morning coffee.
When building a lean-to greenhouse, you must plan the placement to ensure it gets plenty of sunshine. If a greenhouse is built on the wrong side of your home, it may be too shady to be productive. For this reason, builders recommend lean-to greenhouses be added to the south side of a structure.
Lean-to greenhouses are built with a roof that angles away from the structure for safe snow and rain shedding, but do require a building permit and may increase your property taxes.
Which Type of Greenhouse is Right for You?
Every gardener has different greenhouse needs. Some may only need the greenhouse in the spring to start vegetable plants from seed, while others may need one for tropical flowers year-round. Consider the following questions:
- How big is your yard?
- What do you plan to grow?
- How many plants are you planning to grow?
- Do you have HOA restrictions?
- Do you get lots of snow or wind?
- Do you plan to use it year-round?
How to Build a Greenhouse: Kits and DIY
Now that you know which type of greenhouse you prefer, it's time to decide how to build it! You can either build your greenhouse from scratch or buy a kit complete with all the pieces and assembly instructions.
DIY Greenhouses
Since greenhouse kits still require quite a bit of building, many homeowners opt to build one from scratch. Doing so allows for the use of previously deconstructed materials and a custom style and size. Hoop houses are among the most popular DIY greenhouses as they're quick and easy to erect.
Before starting your DIY greenhouse, be sure to draw up a plan to ensure you have sufficient materials. Accurate measurements will help you make confident cuts, resulting in a sturdy and robust greenhouse.
Where Should You Place a Greenhouse?
The single most crucial aspect of any greenhouse is its placement on your property. Greenhouses should be built in full sun for optimal plant growth. Be sure to build it clear of trees to prevent shade, damage, and leaves from piling up. If you're unsure of the proper placement in your yard, spend a few weeks tracking how the sun moves around your home. Remember, the sun's position changes by season, so a space that's sunny now might not be in a few months.
You'll also want to consider the greenhouse's proximity to your home and garden. A greenhouse built close to your garden beds will make transplanting vegetable starts much easier. If you plan to use your greenhouse year-round to grow cut flowers, citrus, or herbs, you might want to keep it closer to your home. A greenhouse built too far away may not get watered or weeded often enough.
What Should You Grow in a Greenhouse?
Wondering what you should grow in a greenhouse? You're not alone. If you're new to gardening, the best place to start is with what you enjoy. Grow the fruits, vegetables, and herbs you buy most often. One of the top reasons people start gardening is to grow things that aren't easy to buy. For example, you might love carrots, but most stores only carry traditional orange carrots. Growing carrots from seed will open the doors to new varieties like the Cosmic Purple Carrot and the Lunar White Carrot. You might also explore new herbs for cooking, like lemon thyme, or uncommon squash, like delicata.
Your greenhouse can be used in so many ways. With it, you can start seeds and harden them off, propagate perennial cuttings, or grow things that don't traditionally grow in your zone. Maybe you'll choose hibiscus, cilantro, or citrus fruits. It's all up to you!
Can I Use a Greenhouse Year-Round?
Yes, greenhouses can extend the gardening season for homeowners in the north, making it possible to grow things like tomatoes, lemons, and flowers year-round. Greenhouses also make a wonderful space to relax and wash those winter blues away. You might leave space for a cozy Papasan chair, a bistro table, or funky garden art you pick up on your travels.
If you plan to use your greenhouse year-round, be sure you build it strong enough to withstand the weather. You may also need to add fans, vents, and heaters to keep the interior climate right for your plants.
How Does Local Climate Affect What You Can Grow?
Your local climate determines what will grow well in your garden, but a greenhouse makes it possible to grow more. For example, homeowners in the Great White North often have trouble growing tomatoes as nighttime temperatures drop too low. These gardeners might keep their tomato plants in a greenhouse to keep them warm at night for juicer tomatoes and a bigger harvest.
Laura Bourland
Laura grew up in the California suburbs, far removed from environmentalism, but nature always has a way. She uprooted her life in 2015, moving to the countryside of Washington to live a more sustainable and simple life on 12 acres. She and her fiancee are learning on the job as they attempt everything from gardening and natural pest control to eco-friendly building and home improvement.
