Most people today are aware of the environment, and many are trying to find small ways to do their share in helping to protect our world. Biological produce such as fruits and vegetables are ways in which we can help ensure that the food we eat is free of pesticides and undesirable substances. But how can we get fresh, home-grown produce all year, when we live in places where climate does not allow us to have year-round gardens?
A mini green house can be the answer. While it may not feed a family of four, what building a mini green house can do is keep some of our food biological and pesticide-free and also reduce the amount of food commercial growers place on the market shelves. Not only that, if you have children, building a mini green house can instil a sense of value and pride in growing your own food and it will also show your children that there are other ways to sustain ourselves throughout life.
How to Build your Greenhouse
Using recycled materials to build your mini green house goes one step further in keeping the Earth clean. You’ll need to collect some sturdy cardboard boxes that are at least six inches deep, as well as some wire from recycled clothes hangers and sheets of plastic, both thin and thick. Plastic from the wrapping around bundles of insulation is the perfect thickness for the base of your mini green house, and thinner clear types such as grocer bags can be used for the top cover.
Line the inside of your cardboard boxes with the thicker plastic, making sure you reach the top edge of the box so that no water will seep inside and leave you with soggy, disintegrating boxes. Taping the edges of the plastic down will make your mini green house even better and cleaner looking. Fill the plastic-lined boxes with nursery-quality soil or dirt from the outdoors that is free of seed.
The hangers will provide framing for your mini green house. By using wire cutters to remove the hook part of the hanger, you can bend the wire into a U shape. Insert the wire into the soil at one end of the box, and then cut and bend another wire into the same shape for the other end of your mini green house. If your box is on the long side, you can add more U frames to the middle part of your construction.
The rest is simple – choose seeds, plant them in the soil according to the directions on the package, and moisten the soil enough to be damp throughout, but not wet. Take the thinner, clear plastic, and cover the wire frames, stapling the plastic to the inside of the box on one side. Don’t staple the other side to the box, just tuck the plastic in, and set your mini green house in a sunny spot. At all times, you should see condensation on the inside of the clear plastic. If the plastic is dry, lift up the plastic and add water to the soil. That’s all it takes to build a mini green house that will soon have your seeds sprouting into full-sized plants!
