Cheap and Easy Dog Kennel to Greenhouse Conversion

Our new home came with a 6' dog kennel, and we don't have a dog. But we do have a garden--and I've been vying for a greenhouse. So I put on my re-purposing hat and decided to transform that puppy pen into a hothouse humidor for my growing collection of greens. I wanted a cheap and easy dog kennel to greenhouse conversion.

My first impulse was to run over to the Home Depot and buy plastic sheeting to cover it. That vision abruptly ended when I did a quick search and saw the price tag on the stuff. The greenhouse conversion was starting to sound a little too green, if you know what I mean. 

The next morning, inspiration struck me the moment I stepped into the shower. I was face to face with the very vinyl I would need to cover my greenhouse! I quickly got dressed and ran out to the local Big Lots (with my hair still wet) and picked up five clear shower curtain liners with metal rivets at $6.00 a pack. 
Home we drove to set up shop.

First, we pulled the kennel out to a sunnier spot and rotated it on its side with the bottom facing front. I unfolded the liners and positioned them so that each one covered one wall and the top, with one liner covering the front. I then used zip ties to secure the liners. From there, it took only about another hour to tie each side to the fencing and to each other.

The long ends of the curtain were then tucked under the base of the cage. The front sides I fastened with a couple of ring clamps I had lying around. For the floor, I grabbed an old pallet and laid it down flat. I also placed an old work table to raise up the plants so they can get more of that warm, wet air.

 

Finally, I gathered my kinder seedlings and any other plants that looked like they could use a week or two at the spa. I set them up, closed the door, and...poof! An instant greenhouse that I built in less than two hours and for under $40.00.

There are a couple of other great examples of dog kennel to greenhouse conversions out there, and I took some tips from this one, which is a bit more involved and much more attractive. We live in San Diego, so our greenhouse doesn't have to be super strong, or warm. I used the medium weight shower liners, but I suppose you could spring for the heavyweight variety if you wanted to gain degrees. Do you have any tips or tricks for greenhouse gardening? I'd love to hear them!