Some of the first greenhouses were built in Rome and were considered a luxury for the wealthy and royals. Today, you can bring a little of this luxury to your own home with mini greenhouses.
Greenhouses are popular for scientific studies on plants, extending planting seasons, and growing non-native (exotic) plants. With a greenhouse you can grow your own food, no matter the weather, saving money in the long run. While greenhouses are sold in stores, more and more individuals are building their own greenhouses for their backyards.
While these greenhouses are useful, they’re also massive. Fortunately, there are ways of getting this green thumb experience on a small scale. A mini greenhouse can fit on your small deck or patio, a shelf, or even your desk. These mini greenhouses are similar to terrariums. However, greenhouses usually require watering while terrariums have a lid, creating a natural water cycle and making them self-sufficient.
Thinking about creating your own unique mini greenhouse? Listed below are a few unique mini green house ideas.
- Greenhouse windows. You can make your own greenhouse will simple changes to your home. Consider creating a vertical greenhouse with a window in your home that gets a lot of sunlight. All you need is to line the window with several glass shelves and you’re done.
- CD case greenhouse. Have any old clear CD cases that you no longer need? “Upcycle” them! To make a greenhouse that’s (11” x 18” x 20”) all you’ll need 40 CD cases and lots of plastic glue. In the end, you’ll have a miniature greenhouse for your patio, balcony, or deck.
- Umbrella greenhouse. Have a clear, plastic bubble umbrella and a large circular container or pot? Then you too can have a greenhouse. This is a great eco-idea because, once again, you are recycling or “upcycling.” All you need to do is cut off the handle on the umbrella and plant it in the pot.
- Plastic container greenhouses. For other greenhouse ideas, all you need to do is search through your kitchen. You can turn plastic egg cartons, plastic soda bottles, and even plastic rotisserie chicken containers into seedling greenhouses. The bottle can hang and the rotisserie and egg carton containers can sit on an end table.
Bonus: USB Greenhouse. If you work in a cubicle that doesn’t get sunlight, consider a tech-powered, mini greenhouse. This egg-shaped design is discontinued, but you can find ideas and plans to make your own.