If the foil tent no longer offers enough space or tomatoes and cucumbers should also thrive in winter, many people ask themselves whether they should perhaps build a lean-to greenhouse themselves. It would not be particularly difficult or expensive and the space requirement is also limited.

A high-quality lean-to greenhouse can function as a conservatory

Especially in row house settlements with their small front gardens, every square meter of garden land is particularly valuable. A space-saving and cost-effective option for do-it-yourselfers: A Build your own lean-to greenhouse and enhance the look of the building. There is always a place on the wall of the house to grow a few plants and the most important kitchen herbs. It goes without saying that statics and safety are also taken into account when building this type of greenhouse yourself.

Alignment matters

The south walls of buildings are ideally suited for cultivation, since this way the incidence of light is greatest and it does not have to be heated excessively in winter. A decisive advantage, by the way, if you build your lean-to greenhouse yourself instead of a free-standing construction, because this way a considerable amount of Thermal energy over the wall of the heated residential building can be used easily and virtually free of charge.

The building authority wants to know beforehand

You should definitely inform the responsible municipal building control authority about your project, because sometimes your cultivation is even subject to approval, even if, as in most cases, it is not about additional living space, similar to the conservatory. There are very different interpretations of this in the building codes of the federal states, and especially in cases when larger roof areas are built or a water or heating connection is installed.

Style, architecture and cost of the plant house

Whether you buy a prefabricated complete set or build the new lean-to greenhouse yourself, it should harmonize well with the outer shell of the residential building. Therefore, the following aspects are worth noting:

  • Type of thermal insulation (glazing, plastic panels, foils)
  • Ventilation options (windows, doors, fans)
  • Construction of the foundation (fully solid, strip or base foundation)
  • Weather resistance (storm, roof loading with snow)
  • Material quality of the supporting elements (plastic, metal, wood)
  • Drainage (gutter, rainwater tank)

Some of the factors mentioned are very closely related to which plant species are grown in the new lean-to greenhouse and whether it later used all year round.

Vegetation and type of use in the new plant oasis

In principle, there are no restrictions on the types of plants that are housed in the greenhouse. However, the tall species should be placed further back and the small ones more in front, in order to make optimal use of the incidence of light. Building a lean-to greenhouse yourself has the advantage over a prefabricated kit that the architecture and external appearance are very different exactly to your individual gardening needs as well as the desired type of use can be adjusted, such as:

  • spatial subdivision into sitting area and planting zone
  • Hibernation of existing potted plants from the garden
  • exclusive use for flowers, fruit and vegetables
  • Use as a conservatory with or without access to the residential building

tips

Even if you build your lean-to greenhouse yourself, take into account the costs for the interior design when planning your budget. In addition, plant cultivation requires a number of useful accessories (shading mats, plant tables, shelves, lighting and ventilation devices, cultivation boxes), which should find their place after the cultivation is complete.

Category:

Garden design