In order to maintain the livelihood of their gardens and plants, most people turn to a greenhouse in the colder months of the year. Generally, a greenhouse is a structure that is able to absorb and retain heat, lock in necessary moisture, and allow for the flow of some air throughout the building. Greenhouses come in a variety of  sizes that range from the size of a home shed to large industrial-sized buildings. Glass panels are most commonly used for the walls and roof because they are transparent and allow light in and they also provide a surface for condensation, however, plastic is also used. Often times people will solicit help when preparing their plants for the colder seasons, when in actuality, it is quite simple and inexpensive to build their own.



The greenhouse that we build uses very simple materials such as bamboo, staples, string, plastic, and duct tape to preserve the health of our plants throughout the winter.  As opposed to  building the typical "house" shaped building, we chose to build a double-domed greenhouse. Because our small plot only contained broccoli, bok choy, and radishes , the dome is 70 cm above the soil. Criss-crossed bamboo segments of 250 cm were used to hold up plastic that was draped over the internal structure.The sides of the plastic were then are stapled to the wooden sides of the plot. with flaps that allowed for ventilation.



​This design prevents condensation from getting trapped in corners (a common problem with "house" shaped structures). It also maximizes the angles at which sunlight enters the greenhouse because of the round shape. To maintain the flow of air within the structure, we used a flap system that allows stronger winds to blow in and oxygen to escape. On each side of the greenhouse there is a slit in the plastic and behind that slit, is a plastic flap that allows for access to the plants and ventilation.



​In total, the construction of our greenhouse was $29.78. In addition, it took us 4-5 hours to complete. Since its installation, we have seen growth in our plants and expect them to flourish though out the winter.

Process Overview