Best Greenhouse Kits to Become Self-Sufficient

Are you a gardener who wants to extend your growing season? Maybe you want a way to enhance your current container garden. Either way, a greenhouse kit gives you an easy way to cultivate your plants for longer periods in the season, and this can increase your overall yields. Greenhouse kits optimize your growing conditions to boost your flower or vegetable plant’s growth habit when they’re young. Building a greenhouse by yourself can be an expensive and time-consuming process, but you can get a top-quality greenhouse kit that comes with everything you need to create your own space for your flower or vegetable garden to continue growing and producing far past their traditional dates. 

You will need to assemble most of these greenhouse kits when you get them, but it removes a lot of the guesswork that comes with this process. However, it can be a challenge to find the best greenhouse kit for your climate conditions, especially if you’ve never bought one before. This is why I’ve picked out 10 different greenhouse kits and reviewed them for you. It’s easy to use to use the reviews to compare the various products, narrow down your choices, and use the attached buying guide to find the best greenhouse kit to suit your wants and needs. Once you pick it, it can be delivered right to your door. 

A smaller greenhouse kit can be a temporary or permanent solution to help you maximize your vegetable or flower yield every year. They come in a huge range of sizes, shapes, and styles to allow you to fit them in virtually anywhere around your home. Pont-Y-Seal Garden – greenhouse by Elliott Brown / CC BY-SA 2.0

Palram HG6000 Oasis Greenhouse – Top Pick 

My top pick for the best greenhouse kit comes from Palram. It’s a seven-foot by eight-foot by nine-foot model that has a unique octagon shape with a pointed roof. It uses twin wall panels to block up to 99.9% of any UV rays to protect your plants, and the polycarbonate panels are virtually indestructible. The panels are extremely clear, and this allows them to offer up to 90% light transmission on any sunny day. There is also a wide double-hinged door that makes it easy to move larger plants or trays in and out, and the door comes with a solid lockable handle to keep everything safe and organized. 

This is a heavy-duty greenhouse kit that will easily withstand different environments and weather conditions without breaking down or showing signs of wear and tear. It has an anthracite powder-coated frame that is made out of aluminum. The aluminum is lightweight but durable, and it resists rust and corrosion in wet or humid environments. There is an integrated gutter system that allows you to collect water or for it to drain away from the structure as it needs. The side louvre window on this greenhouse gives you excellent airflow, and it also works very well to help you regulate the humidity and heat levels to create an ideal growing environment for your flowers or plants. 

PROS: 

• Blocks up to 99.9% of UV rays
• 90% light transmission
• Larger doors with a lock 
• Aluminum frame 
• Integrated gutters 
• Side louvre window
• Octagon shape

CONS: 

• Customer support is challenging to contact 

U-MAX Walk-In Greenhouse – Step-Up Pick 

This slightly smaller but spacious greenhouse kit can easily accommodate a large number of tomatoes, other vegetables, or flowers. It’s great for protecting your plants from the cooler temperatures and extending their growing season. It uses polycarbonate panels to create a very solid structure, and it’s thermally insulated while being UV-resistant. It can withstand temperatures down to -40°F. The aluminum frame is maintenance-free and very durable, and it resists corrosion, rust, and general breakage with extended use. This is a lightweight option that is easy to move it around your space, and it has a durable steel base that will keep the structure solid and steady in different weather conditions. 

There is a gutter system that allows for effective and quick water drainage on this greenhouse kit, and there is a roof vent included that ensures you can easily control the temperature and humidity levels on hotter days. The sliding door makes it quick and easy to get in and out of the greenhouse as needed, and there is a step-by-step video to help you assemble the product once you get it. It has a green-coating on the frame that stands out nicely against the panes, and you can easily add several shelves along the sides of this greenhouse to expand your growing areas. 

PROS: 

• Thermally insulated 
• Solid steel base 
• UV-resistant design
• Green frame with protective coating 
• Quick drainage 
• Roof vent 
• Sliding doorway 

 CONS: 

• Instructions are very vague 

MELLCOM Greenhouse – Mid-End Budget Pick

If you’re on a slightly tighter budget, this greenhouse kit is large enough to suit most growing needs while not breaking the bank. It comes with a heavy-duty steel frame that adds weight to the structure to keep it in place, and the steel won’t bend, break, rust, or corrode with unpredictable weather conditions or heavy usage. It comes with a galvanized finish on the frame to prevent peeling and chipping to help it last longer. There is a durable and tough transparent PE plastic cover that will protect your plants from UV rays while allowing sunlight to pass through without a problem. 

There are tethers included to securely attach the plastic cover to the frame to hold it in place once you get it set up. There are eight roll-up windows in this greenhouse kit that have a thin mesh netting that allows for climate control and ventilation while keeping the bugs and pests out. There are eight slant bracing tubes included in this kit, a front cross bar, and middle reinforced tubes that you attach to make it more stable and solid. There is also a larger zipped roll-up door that makes it easy to move trays, stands, vegetables, and flowers in and out by hand or on a cart. You can attach the door on the top to keep it open. 

PROS: 

• Heavy-duty steel frame
• Multiple stability tubes
• Cover ties to the frame 
• Large windows
• Door rolls up 
• Mesh over the windows 
• PE cover

CONS: 

• Have to keep it out of areas with a lot of wind

Mini Walk-in Greenhouse – Bargain Budget Pick 

Anyone who is on a tight  budget and doesn’t need a huge greenhouse kit should consider this option by Nova Microdermabrasion. It’s a mini walk-in greenhouse that uses a high-quality metal frame that comes with a powder coating on it to protect it from rust, corrosion, and general wear and tear. There is also strong netting material on the shelving to hold your cruciferous vegetables, plants, or shrubs. They’ll hold both containers and seed trays without an issue. There is a waterproof PE cover that slips securely over the frame that will protect your plants from pests while allowing enough sunlight to pass through to encourage steady growth. 

It’s a lighter weight, and this makes it easy to move this greenhouse kit indoors or outdoors as you need it. There are no tools required for assembly, and it goes up quick and easy once you get it. This kit comes with anchors and ropes that securely attach the greenhouse to the ground to add stability to the structure. There are eight shelving units with this kit that provide a large amount of space. You can have it outside in your yard, or it works well on your deck or patio without a problem. There is no drainage system on this product, and it has no windows for ventilation. However, it does have a door that rolls up. 

PROS: 

• Cost-effective
• Portable 
• Metal frame 
• Netted shelving units 
• Lightweight 
• Easy to move 
• Ties securely to the frame 

CONS: 

• No drainage system 

Outsunny High Tunnel Greenhouse Kit – Best for Large Yards

If you have a larger yard, Outsunny’s greenhouse kit is a fantastic way to extend your growing season while protecting your plants from extreme temperatures and managing them. You can either anchor this greenhouse into the soft soil to keep it stable, or you can install it on a hard and flat surface like a concrete slab. This makes it easy for people to pick and choose how they install it based on their yard setup. You’ll get a solid steel construction on this product that comes with a galvanized finish. It has four slant bracing tubes included in each purchase, along with a front crossed bar and middle reinforced tubes to enhance the stability. 

The plastic cover is a durable, tough, and transparent PE material that will allow sunlight to pass through while protecting your plants from harsh UV rays. This greenhouse kit includes tethers to attach the cover to the frame securely to keep it from blowing away. When you order, you get eight roll-up side windows with mesh that allow for ventilation and air-flow to help you control the temperature and humidity levels. There is also a larger door that rolls up to give you easy access to the inside of the greenhouse, and you can attach it to the top of the frame to allow you easy access when you go in and out. It comes with four screw-in ground stakes, four supporting rods, and an overhanging cover. 

PROS: 

• Anchors to the ground or a hard surface
• Solid steel construction
• Extra bracing support 
• Transparent PE cover 
• Eight windows 
• Screw-in anchor stakes 
• Larger door 

CONS: 

• Can leak along the center seam 

Best Choice Products Greenhouse Tunnel  – Best for Big Families

You’ll be able to start your plants from seed or grow a broad range of vegetables with this greenhouse kit from Best Choice Products. It’s a walk-in tunnel greenhouse style, and it works well for fruits, vegetables, and various plants to protect them from the weather conditions like snow, wind, or rain. It also provides a shield from predators and pests. There are eight roll-up windows that help you manage the amount of sunlight, humidity, and the overall temperature or the interior to create the perfect growing environment. You can grow your plants all year-round while maintaining a steady temperature. 

The zippered door on this greenhouse kit is slightly larger, and this gives you space to move big trays, carts, or larger containers in and out with ease. You can attach the door to the top of the frame to keep it open to help regulate the temperature and move in and out. The threaded plastic cover is very durable and able to withstand unfavorable conditions, and the frame is steel tubing with a powder coating on it that helps to prevent rust and corrosion while keeping it strong. The tunnel design makes it easy to reach all of your plants, and it’s 180-inches long by 84-inches wide by 84-inches high. 

PROS: 

• Walk-in style 
• Eight roll-up windows 
• Zippered door
• Steel frame
• Powder coating 
• Threaded plastic cover 
• Easy to assemble 

CONS:

• Cover is thinner 

Quictent Portable Greenhouse Kit – Best for Seasonal Setups

This greenhouse kit comes with a unique overlong cover design that makes it very secure and airtight, and you can enhance the stability of the entire thing by weighing down the sides of the cover with sandbags or bricks. There is a heavy-duty steel frame on this setup that allows you to set it up without worrying about rot or rust, and it can withstand different weather conditions without breaking down season after season. It has eight bases and 16 stakes to increase the product’s stability if the wind picks up, and you can drive them into the ground around the structure to hold it in place. 

There are dual layers of PE material in the cover, and it comes reinforced with a mesh material molded right into it. This makes it 100% waterproof while being transparent, and it can also allow up to 85% of the sunlight to pass through without UV rays. There are two double zippered doorways in the back and front of the greenhouse kit, and this makes it easy to work and arrange the plants. The six exhaust vents come lined with mesh, and this allows you to control the interior temperature and humidity as the weather changes, and the mesh will lock predators and pests out. You get a one-year warranty on parts, six-month warranty on the cover, and a lifetime replacement warranty for the connectors. 

PROS: 

• Overlong cover design 
• Multiple stakes 
• Dual PE layers with mesh 
• Two double zippered doorways 
• 100% waterproof 
• Several warranties 
• 85% sunlight comes through 

CONS: 

• Cover doesn’t attach securely 

CO-Z Lean to Greenhouse – Best for Putting Up Against a House

This greenhouse kit weighs in at just 18-pounds, and this makes it very easy to move around for seasonal use. It has a unique lean-to shape that allows you to place it right against your outdoor storage shed or home if you have a small yard or tight area to fit it in. It’s 3.3-feet long by 6.6-feet wide and 7-feet high, and it has a zippered roll-up entrance that gives you easy access to every part of this structure to care for your plants or move them around as you see fit. The rust-resistant tubes on the frame give it additional stability, and there are four stakes and four ropes to help secure it to the ground or structure you set it up against to prevent it from blowing around. 

This greenhouse kit comes with complimentary wired shelving units that give you ample storage space, and you can easily space your plants out to give them room to grow. The assembly hardware on this product is a host of plastic connectors, and this reduces the tools and time you need to get it assembled and ready for your plants. The sloping sides on this greenhouse allow water, sleet, or snow to roll right off without weighing down the cover, and the cover will block harmful UV rays that could burn your plants. 

PROS: 

• Lightweight 
• Zippered roll-up entrance 
• Lean-to design 
• Several secure points 
• Large roll-up doors 
• Complimentary shelving 
• Quick assembly 

CONS: 

• Uses plastic connectors 

FDW Greenhouse – Best for Snow-Less Areas

Anyone who lives in an area that doesn’t get snow should look at FDW’s greenhouse kit. It’s more lightweight than several options on our list, but it still comes with a heavy-duty, powder-coated steel frame that will resist rust and corrosion with high humidity or moisture levels. It uses a thinner PE fabric that you attach to the frame using tethers, and it attaches at the base to ensure that the wind can’t come in and sweep it away. There is one roll-up door and two vents that make it easy to control the temperature and humidity levels to create an ideal environment for your plants to thrive. 

You’ll get all of the tools and hardware you need to put this greenhouse kit together when you purchase it, and it comes with a large instruction manual that will walk you through every step of the assembly process. You can secure the door on top of the doorway to prop it open to make leaving or coming in easy, and the cover overlaps slightly to make it easy to secure to the ground. There are six windows along the side of the greenhouse for additional ventilation, and it measures 9.8-feet long by 6.5-feet wide by 6.5-feet high. 

PROS: 

• Lightweight design 
• Steel frame with powder coating
• Slightly larger PE cover 
• All tools and hardware included
• Quick setup process
• One large door
• Multiple windows 

CONS: 

• Not suited for severe weather 

Palram Mythos Hobby Greenhouse – Best for Small Families 

The Silver series greenhouse kit from Palram has a brushed aluminum frame that is resistant to rust and corrosion, and there is also a heavy-duty galvanized steel base to help hold the greenhouse in place season after season. It’s great for perennial vegetables, plants, or flowers, and it allows diffused light to shine through because it comes outfitted with twin-wall, clear polycarbonate panels. This build gives this greenhouse double the heat retention of single-layer panels, and this means that you won’t ever have to worry about it getting too cold for your plants to thrive. 

The gutters allow for excellent water drainage, and you can collect the water before recycling it back to your plants with this greenhouse kit. The dimensions measure six-feet by eight-feet by seven-feet, and this is more than enough space for a small or medium-sized vegetable garden or flower area. The lockable door handle adds another layer of security to this product, and there is a magnetic door catch to ensure it always closes when you need it so heat doesn’t escape. There is 48-square feet of growing space, and each greenhouse comes backed by a five-year limited warranty. 

PROS: 

• Brushed aluminum frame 
• Galvanized steel base 
• Twin-wall design 
• Gutters give excellent drainage
• Locking device 
• Magnetic door latch 
• Five-year limited warranty 

CONS: 

• Difficult to assemble with one person

Best Greenhouse Kit Buyer’s Guide

When you start shopping for greenhouse kits, there are several important considerations you want to keep in the back of your mind to ensure you get a quality product that offers enough space for you to grow your vegetables or plants. This short buyer’s guide will highlight the most important factors below. 

No matter if you want to grow flowers, fruits, or vegetables, a greenhouse kit gives you a space where you can grow them all year-round without worrying about the temperatures or weather. The greenhouse by Marilyn Peddle / CC BY 2.0

• Square Footage – The interior square footage of the greenhouse will tell you how much room you have to grow your plants. If you plan on having things like fruit trees or taller specimens, pay attention to the height and width. For vegetables, you can get away with slightly smaller square footage if you plant them in containers. Flowers do well in trays, so it’s easy to get a plethora of them in both large or small greenhouse kits. 
• Materials – Most greenhouse kits come with durable and clear PE panels or plastic material, and this will allow for between 85% and 95% of the sunlight to filter through while blocking UV rays. Some may have mesh embedded it to make them more durable. For the frame, look for galvanized steel or brushed aluminum with a powder coating. Not only are these materials able to withstand hot, wet, or humid environments, but the coating protects them from rusting or corroding. 
• Anchor Points – How does your greenhouse kit anchor to the ground? Is it a lean-to model? Some greenhouses require that you set them up on concrete slabs so they’re secure enough. Check and see what your specific kit recommends for anchor points, and see what they give you to connect your greenhouse to the ground. Many times, this will be anchors with tethers. 
• Ventilation – It’s important that you can ventilate your greenhouse to prevent it from getting too hot or humid for your humminbird flowers to grow. Many of the kits on the list came with several windows with mesh, or they had windows or vents in the roof you could open and close as you needed. More windows give you more ventilation flexibility. 
• Warranty – Finally, you want to have some type of warranty on your greenhouse kit. While this may not be extremely expensive, there are many parts to it that are more prone to breaking or sustaining damage. Ideally, you’ll get a full warranty instead of a limited one, and it should last for at least a year. There are warranties on the list that last only six months, but there are others that extend as far as five years. 

A high-quality greenhouse kit can last for years with minimal upkeep or maintenance, and it gives you a nice space to relax, care for your plants, and expand your growing season. My second home by 5u5 / CC BY-NC 2.0

Bottom Line 

Picking out a greenhouse kit should be a fun and exciting project for you or your entire family. There are so many options available that you can easily pick out your desired size and shape based on what you want to grow. You should measure your area to help narrow down a size, and then use the included reviews and buying guide to pick out the best greenhouse kit to help you grow your own food and become self-sustainable with a few growing seasons.