A temporary greenhouse is typically one you put up during your winter months for protection of tender plants. You should not have to do any ground preparation with these models. They may have a steel frame or a pole frame, but the covering is usually some type of film. These may be put up and taken down in a reasonable amount of time. There are even some that will pop up. They will have no snow loads or wind loads. In fact, usually the manufacturers recommend that you take the covers off in high wind conditions. They will usually have a short warranty, a year is typical.

A temporary greenhouse is often built similar to a tent. These seasonal greenhouses consist of a semi-transparent plastic covering stretched over a frame of PVC, aluminum, wood or steel. They can be installed in a few hours and do not require a foundation. Plastic films are available for the cover that will serve for at least 5 years. Tunnel or hoop houses are one type of temporary greenhouse that is commonly used by hobby growers.

It is easy to make a tunnel or hoop temporary greenhouse to fit a single raised bed, or to cover a specific area. They use a series of rods and/or framing, then are covered with a plastic, vinyl, or other covering. The covering is usually made of clear plastic to allow sunlight through. A temporary greenhouse can come in many sizes and shapes. One can get a small dome greenhouse to cover a flower bed or get one big enough for them to stand up and move around in.

A temporary greenhouse might come with shelving, or other add-on kits that one can use to customize their house and make it more useful. They are easy to set up, put away, and move. Setting up the temporary greenhouse early in the spring will allow you to get a jump start on the growing season and grow your favorite plants to maturity.

Temporary greenhouses are sold by grower’s supply companies, hardware stores, and even big box stores. Prices usually run between thirty to hundreds of dollars. The price will depend on the size and quality of the greenhouse in addition to varying between retailers.

• If you decide to try your hand at building your own greenhouse, follow these tips to cut costs and build a inexpensive greenhouse:
• Use all available resources to gather information. Turn to the internet, library, local bookstore, friends, seasoned gardeners, garden accessories retailers and any other resource that you can think of. Draw comparisons and analyze options available.
• A DIY kit, portable or hobby greenhouse would substantially save money. Limit the size of your greenhouse to small so that you can save on heating, ventilation or cooling.
• To build the structure yourself, scout for secondhand or used lumber in your neighborhood. You might be pleasantly surprised to get much of the needed timber for free or at throwaway costs. Wood is an excellent choice for the framing material as it is a non-conductor and your greenhouse will lose less heat through the framework during winters. Also, wood is very easy to work with.
• Go in for a lean-to greenhouse so that a portion of your greenhouse comes ready made. Plus, proximity to the house would provide easy access to water and electric supply.
  Look for a spot in your yard that does not need you to spend substantial time, money and energy in clearing and leveling. Keep in mind the orientation and availability of sunlight.
• Poly films or polyethylene are inexpensive choices for glazing. PVC framework will not support the weight of glass well, though it works perfectly for lighter glazing. Hold the PVC framework down with weights at the base if you are in a windy area.
• If you have managed to obtain glass for paneling, be sure to support it with a heavy framework of wood. If you are a die-hard glass glazing fan, look for discarded tempered glass sliding doors at recycle shops.
• A hoop house is the perfect temporary structure that would really fit into any budget. You can use PVC framework and then cover it over with ordinary clear plastic sheets from your local hardware store.
• It is easy to ventilate a hoop house in summers by simply opening up flaps as needed. Hoop houses are efficient at trapping heat and can generally be left unheated. They are perfect for over-wintering plants.
• For benches and shelving look for used treated timber benches or tiered plastic racks that can tolerate water.

A final secret to building an inexpensive greenhouse: some greenhouse owners may be upgrading to bigger and permanent structures. So, keep an eye on the newspapers for ads for a discounted second hand hobby or portable greenhouse!  You could end up with the bargain of your life!

If you want an easy to follow, inexpensive guide to building your own perfect greenhouse check out Building A Greenhouse Plans. It doesn’t matter if you are a master carpenter or a total beginner, if you require a big or small greenhouse or if you have a big or small budget, these plans are for you.

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