As the name suggests, lean-to greenhouses are designed so that they lean towards another building, generally your home or garage. They can be an economical option for the do-it-yourself gardener who wishes to branch out into greenhouse gardening, because they actually require less construction as they utilize an existing structure for much of their support.
Because one wall is actually the exterior of your home or garage, these types of greenhouses tend to let in less light than the free standing variety, which means that they may be less efficient in some ways. However, because they are attached, they afford you easier access to water and utilities, making it far easier to compensate for any design shortcomings you may find yourself facing.
Depending on your personal needs, you may opt for a single or multi-purpose lean-to greenhouse. For example, if you are going to use your new greenhouse solely for the purpose of year round growing, it your design should only take into consideration the room that you need to facilitate such use, as well as perhaps access to electricity and a water and drainage source. However, if you are only going to be growing part of the year, you may want to make your lean-to more of a covered porch or dining area, allowing it to be utilized for other purposes when you are not growing plants.
If you are building a home, such a multi-use area is often referred to as a sun-room or a sun-porch, and can add beauty and value to your home. It is often more cost effective to incorporate such designs into the blueprints of your home whenever possible.
However, if you have opted to utilize a lean-to greenhouse because it is an inexpensive alternative to a standalone greenhouse, you can do that as well. You can choose from do-it-yourself kits or can even design your own lean-to greenhouses, depending on your budget and gardening needs. Many people have even opted to construct tiny lean-to style greenhouses adjacent or attached to their garden sheds in order to more efficiently utilize space.
The fact of the matter is that these types of greenhouses do not need to be fancy or expensive, and are actually a great way to recycle wood and other materials and extend your growing season at the same time. The fact of the matter is that a lean-to style greenhouse can be very inexpensive to build and virtually free to maintain. In fact, if you incorporate some kind of passive solar heating system into your lean-to greenhouse, you may be able to actually decrease the amount of money you spend on gardening every year.
The trick is to use the side of your home or garage with the best sun exposure, and also to have adequate drainage and access to water. If your home/yard is equipped with a sprinkler system, you may be able to incorporate either of those systems into your lean-to greenhouse with only slight, inexpensive modifications. With only a small amount of planning, the greenhouse of your dreams can be yours sooner than you ever may have hoped.
Dave Pierson has been teaching others how to build hobby greenhouses for over 15 years, an is editor in chief at http://www.gardengreenhouseinfo.com, an information rich site that discusses all things greenhouses. From greenhouse building instructions to greenhouse supplies, and everything in between.
For detailed information on how to build your own lean to greenhouse, visit us at our website by clicking the highlighted text, and you will be taken to the greenhouse plans area of the site.
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Watch the design and building a Lean to Greenhouse, by somebody who could hardly build a cup of soup.
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