How to Build a Greenhouse
Basic Information
You can find basic information such as greenhouse selection and placement in the article How to Choose a Greenhouse.
I've prepared a guide for building a polycarbonate greenhouse with a pre-made base. It will definitely save you a lot of work with concrete foundations.
So we can get straight to the implementation.
Measure Three Times!
If you want to have raised beds in your greenhouse, roughly stake out the selected area according to the greenhouse dimensions (feel free to add 10 cm on all sides). In this area, you need to remove the top layer of grass turf. If you'll only have the greenhouse for growing plants of all kinds in pots, you can build directly on the grass.
Unpack all parts of the base construction and you can assemble it. When assembling, follow the instructions that will be included with the construction. You don't need to tighten all the screws firmly, you'll have to tighten them again later anyway.
Then you need to dig holes for concreting the base legs, according to the greenhouse dimensions. The holes should be approximately 50 cm deep - it's better to fill them in than to dig again :) So I recommend getting yourself a proper spade and shovel!
And now the most important part of the entire construction! Measure, measure, measure!
You need to level the entire construction using a spirit level so that your greenhouse won't be crooked :) Better to measure several times - once you pour concrete into the holes, you won't be able to move it much anymore :)
Then all you need to do is mix the concrete (for 6 holes I needed 2 wheelbarrows) and pour it into the holes and wait at least 1 day for the concrete to set properly.
The next day you can cover the base with the soil you dug out earlier and tighten all the screws as much as possible.
Congratulations, your base is complete :)
Check, Think, Assemble
Never build a greenhouse in windy weather, rain, storms or other bad weather conditions.
In the next phase, you can unpack all the greenhouse parts and sort them into individual sections.
You'll definitely need a reliable cordless drill - you'd screw yourself up with just a screwdriver :)
Think about where you want to start, but it's probably best with the front and back sections, then the sides, roof, windows, and finally the doors.
After assembling the frame, during which you must also follow the detailed instructions and use common sense, you can insulate the entire greenhouse.
You should have narrow black rubber available, which needs to be wrapped around the entire structure.
Only then can you insert the individual polycarbonate panels.
Install windows and doors last and the final meticulous task is securing the parts with aluminum clips.
And that's it!
Move In and Grow
So the greenhouse is finally standing and now comes the more pleasant phase - settling in.
Everyone wants a greenhouse for different purposes; maybe you want to grow both in beds and in pots.
If so, start with preparing beds along the sides. This is where great mixed soil comes in! So dig, till, dig and till. You'll probably need a new hoe and other tools.
But what if you also need to pre-grow seedlings - where to put them? You can either buy shelves and various tables directly for the greenhouse, or like me, get great wooden shelves for just a few bucks, which you can paint to make them last longer and incorporate into the back of the greenhouse. It's practical and looks really nice too :)
What about a pathway? Search the garden to see if you can find some old fired bricks.
A brick path like this has its purposes too! To prevent mud in the greenhouse when watering and also for heat accumulation. During the day, the bricks heat up and at night they retain at least some warmth.
Of course, you can also use other materials such as flat stones, beams, boards, or just mulch with straw. The only limit is your imagination!
If you're happy with your greenhouse setup, you can finally start growing :)
I'll give you advice on what and how to grow in the greenhouse in another article, but now go measure and build :)