Hobby Greenhouses

A hobby greenhouse can change a gardener's life. With one in your backyard, you can grow tropical plants year-round or get a head start on seasonal plants.

Greenhouses come in many sizes and range in price from several hundred to many thousands of dollars.

Start out by doing a little research to decide whether you want to build one yourself or buy a kit. A few simple hand tools are usually all you need, and most materials can be purchased at building supply stores or from greenhouse companies.

You can cover your greenhouse with plastic, glass, or polycarbonate materials. Plastic-covered greenhouses may be the easiest and least expensive to assemble.

UF/IFAS Sites

• A Home Greenhouse Makes Gardening A Year-Round Pleasure

UF/IFAS Publications

• Arbor, Trellis, or Pergola—What's in Your Garden: A Mini-Dictionary of Garden Structures and Plant Forms
• Greenhouse Manufacturers and Suppliers

Also on Gardening in a Minute

• Greenhouse Benches
• Greenhouse Covering Materials
• Greenhouse Heating
• Greenhouse Site Location
• Greenhouse Watering Systems
• Preparing Your Greenhouse for Summer

Other Sites

• Greenhouse Plans--Colorado State University Extension
• Hobby Greenhouse Association
• Hobby Greenhouse Construction--Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
• Hobby Greenhouses--Clemson (SC) Cooperative Extension
• Hobby Greenhouses--University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
• Planning a Home Greenhouse--University of Maryland Cooperative Extension (PDF)
• Planning and Building a Greenhouse--West Virginia University Extension Service
• Season Extenders--Virginia Cooperative Extension