If the foil tent no longer has enough space or you want tomatoes and cucumbers to thrive in winter, many people ask themselves whether they should perhaps build a lean-to greenhouse themselves. It wouldn't be particularly difficult or expensive and the space required is also limited.
How can you build a lean-to greenhouse on the wall of your house?
A lean-to greenhouse can be built on the wall of the house by choosing a suitable south-facing wall for optimal light, obtaining the necessary permits and selecting materials and construction according to the desired use. Consider thermal insulation, ventilation, foundation, weatherproofing and drainage.
Especially in terraced 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: Build aLean-to greenhouse yourself and further enhance the look of the building There is still a place on the wall of the house to grow a few plants and the most important culinary herbs. It goes without saying that statics and safety are also taken into account when building this type of greenhouse yourself.
Orientation matters
The south walls of buildings are ideal for cultivation, as this allows the greatest amount of light to enter and does not require excessive heating in winter. By the way, it is a decisive advantage if you build your lean-to greenhouse yourself instead of a free-standing structure, because a considerable amount ofheat energy can be used over the wall of the heated house easily and practically free of charge.
The building authority wants to know beforehand
You should definitely inform the responsible municipal building supervisory authority about your project, becausesometimes your extension may even require approval, even if, as in most cases, it is not additional living space, similar to the winter garden. There are very different interpretations of this in the building regulations of the federal states, especially in cases when larger roof areas are built or a water or heating connection is installed.
Plant house style, architecture and cost
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 considering:
- Type of thermal insulation (glazing, plastic panels, foil)
- Ventilation options (windows, doors, fans)
- Construction of the foundation (fully solid, strip or base foundation)
- Weather resistance (storm, roof load in snow)
- Material quality of the supporting elements (plastic, metal, wood)
- Drainage (gutter, rain collection container)
Some of the factors mentioned are very closely related to which plant species will be grown in the new lean-to greenhouse and whether itwill later be used all year round.
Vegetation and type of use in the new plant oasis
Basically, there are no restrictions on the types of plants that are kept in the greenhouse. However, the tall species should be placed further back and the short species closer to the front in order to make optimal use of the light. Building a lean-to greenhouse yourself has the advantage over a prefabricated kit that the architecture and external appearance can be adapted veryto your individual gardening needs as well as the desired type of use, such as:
- Spatial division into seating area and planting zone
- Overwintering existing potted plants from the garden
- exclusive use for flowers, fruit and vegetables
- Use as a winter garden with or without access to the residential building
Tip
Even if you build your lean-to greenhouse yourself, also take into account the costs for the interior design when planning your budget. In addition, growing plants requires a number of useful accessories (shading mats, planting tables, shelves, lighting and ventilation devices, growing boxes (€15.00 on Amazon)), which should find their place after the cultivation is completed.
