Are you looking for the best greenhouse kit? Finding the right equipment makes it easier to raise your garden plants while different features can make a particular greenhouse kit better or more useful for your property.
Here’s what you should know before buying the best greenhouse kit, as well as some brief reviews of the top greenhouse choices currently available.
Size and Shape
How large is the greenhouse, and will it fit where you want to put it? Greenhouse kits come in many sizes, although 8 feet by 12 feet are among the most popular. Greenhouses tend to be rectangular on the ground but can have different styles and decorations as you get higher.
On the small side, greenhouse kits could create structures as little as 4 feet by 4 feet. Anything smaller than this is usually too small to be worth getting a greenhouse. On the large side, they may be 20 feet by 20 feet, although this is at the edge of what you can buy in a kit.
Be sure to consider potential threats (like strong wind) when selecting the size for your greenhouse. Larger greenhouses are also more exposed to weather hazards.
Type of Material
What materials are best for the plants you want to grow? Is transparency important? Greenhouse frames tend to be PVC or aluminum with transparent panels made of glass or polycarbonate. Polyethylene film is much cheaper, but it’s also less durable and not a good choice in strong wind areas.
Some companies sell wooden greenhouses. However, these are less durable than metal so they’re not as viable in areas with a lot of rain. Strong wind doesn’t hurt wooden structures unless the wind gets to extremely high speeds, however, so the wind isn’t a particular problem here.
Is Glass or Plastic Better for a Greenhouse?
Plastic is more affordable, but glass is the material of choice for the best greenhouses. It’s sturdier and better at keeping in the heat, both of which are valuable features in a greenhouse.
Doors, Hardware, and Additional Features
Features like double doors or a sturdy aluminum frame make for better greenhouse kits. A steel frame is similar to an aluminum frame but not always as resistant to the weather. Other greenhouse features can include roof vents, heavy-duty polycarbonate panels, and decorative framing.
In rare cases, greenhouse kits may include an attached shed. This is ideal for storing gardening tools or other supplies, particularly if they’re fine staying in greenhouse temperatures.
Easy access features are also important. Greenhouses may come with gently sloping ramps to reach higher areas, or easy access windows to reach the rear sides of planters and garden areas. These are relatively rare, however, so you may need to custom order them if they sound appealing. Even the best greenhouse kit won’t have every feature.
How Much Does a Greenhouse Cost?
Greenhouses vary in price. Some cheaper plastic greenhouses can be less than $50, while high quality, glass-and-metal greenhouses can run into the thousands of dollars.
The Best Greenhouse Kits on Amazon and Wayfair
So, what are the best greenhouse kits? Here are our top choices.
Pop up Greenhouse
An ideal starter option, this miniature greenhouse stands 27-by-27 inches with transparent PVC siding so you can see into it.
Ventilation options allow you to cool this greenhouse down if necessary, and it’s just cheap enough that you can afford to get several of them for different plants.
Although not as fancy as a full greenhouse structure, we recommend products like this for newcomers so you can get more experience with greenhouses.
Once you have that experience, you’ll be in a better spot to make the most of a larger, more expensive greenhouse kit.
Palram Hybrid 6×8 Hobby Greenhouse
This sturdy greenhouse kit is perhaps the best example of what a consumer-friendly greenhouse should be. The polycarbonate panels are twin-wall structures that offer significantly better heat retention than regular single panels.
Meanwhile, a downspout helps collect rainwater, while the UV-stabilized coating helps protect the frame from inclement weather.
A single skylight provides extra ventilation and airflow for the greenhouse if needed, and the aluminum in the frame is strong enough to hold up under heavy snowfall. The only real downside to this product is its size. Some people want a larger greenhouse kit, and if that describes you, this clearly isn’t your best choice. For almost everyone else, however, it’s worth a look.
Mini Walk-in Greenhouse
This affordable, full-size greenhouse is about 4.6 feet square on the ground, making it a bit larger than some options. It comes with several tiers for holding plants, all of which can hold about 33 pounds. That’s entirely reasonable for a greenhouse this size.
Meanwhile, the plastic cover over the frame provides appropriate heat retention to keep your plants happier.
A few other features help this lightweight greenhouse stand out. It includes several extra hooks and wind ropes which make it significantly better at staying in place.
While it doesn’t have polycarbonate panels, it’s durable enough to withstand most weather without any trouble. This is a good option if you’re looking for a medium-sized greenhouse able to hold several plants.
6.56 Wide by 3.28 Deep Mini Greenhouse
This tunnel-style greenhouse kit is great for keeping small plants and seedlings warm during their main growing season while also protecting them from many types of pests.
At just 2.5 feet high, it’s too short to walk into, but it’s light enough that you can lift and remove it anytime you want.
The PVC vinyl siding and rugged steel frame make this surprisingly durable.
It’s rated for year-round use, including during winter, which means it’s deceptively durable for a greenhouse with thinner siding. However, this isn’t an excellent choice for larger plants so we can’t recommend this option to everyone.
Indoor and Outdoor Greenhouse
This unusually-hued greenhouse works both indoors and outdoors, offering a footprint of 56-by-30 inches for holding plants across several shelves.
The sides are made with thickened polyethylene (a nontoxic thermoplastic resin that works well for retaining heat). The main structure uses steel pipes and a heavy support net to support the plants inside the greenhouse.
However, this greenhouse isn’t quite as good in windy environments as many of the other options on this list.
You may need to buy extra ropes and ties to keep it in place. That’s not an issue if you’re installing this indoors, but it’s worth keeping in mind when deciding between your garden options.
10-by-26 Foot Hobby Greenhouse
This is easily one of the largest greenhouses on our list, and it more than deserves its place here.
Available in both green and white options, this extra-large greenhouse has a steel frame, polyethylene film panels, and a roll-up door as part of its plastic cover. Thanks to its size, it’s also easy to anchor it from the inside.
The green version of this greenhouse includes six window vents on each long side for added temperature control.
Although it’s not as durable as a solid greenhouse, this kit is relatively easy to assemble and suitable for year-round use in most areas. Its size is the main selling point. The door is extremely wide and ideal for moving large plants through.
10-by-9-by-8 Foot Clear Greenhouse
This 10-by-9 greenhouse is relatively large, although not quite as large as our previous option.
The partially clear siding makes it much easier to see plants without going inside while UV protection in the plastic cover help protects the overall structure from sunlight damage.
At 45 pounds, this greenhouse is too heavy to be portable unless you take it apart.
That weight also makes it resistant to wind damage that could otherwise blow your garden away so in the end, it’s a decent choice for most buyers.
Palram Plant Inn
This greenhouse stands out from the crowd because it also has a durable plastic frame for the bottom.
This frame allows you add dirt and raise your plants far off the ground before you put the greenhouse top over them.
The greenhouse top includes durable polycarbonate panels set into a plastic frame. This is a great option to consider if you don’t want to have to bend down to reach your plants.
Benefit-USA Large Greenhouse
This vividly-green option is 12 feet by 7 feet on the ground and another 7 feet high, making it an excellent walk-in option to cover larger plants.
The fully closed cover helps maintain higher humidity levels. Meanwhile, the powder-coated steel frame and mid-level rails provide extra stability.
This is a good choice if you’re looking for a large greenhouse, but not to the point of being as large as some of the other options on this list.
Cold-Frame Greenhouse for Individual Plants
This unusual greenhouse is more like a green sleeping bag in that it’s designed to protect one plant at a time.
Specifically, these greenhouses help warm up trees throughout the year.
While these are a different use scenario from most greenhouse kits, they also help demonstrate what you can accomplish with a little creativity.
