Thank you for visiting our sponsors who Support the PPG Show

The best price for a decent small greenhouse is at www.harborfreight.com and costs $329 for a 4 x 6 foot Plexiglas and aluminum structure. This is actually an impressive greenhouse for the price.  For those of you who live in snow country, this is the way to protect your winter plants. Heating a greenhouse such as this one is another challenge.  However, there are affordable options such as a hot wire to keep off the snow pack, a small pellet stove to keep the air temperature above freezing, and a waste oil heater.  In extreme cold climates, not all water garden plants can be wintered over in a greenhouse and a few will need to be brought indoors and placed in a bright window in a hydroponics container.

Mild Country Greenhouse / Cold Frame   5' x 5' Cost = $20.50

If you live in zone 7-8 and above where the temperature rarely sees the freezing point, then a cold frame will support your pond plant needs well. The photo to the left was a cold frame that I constructed by myself in one day.  This one is 10' long x 5' wide.  The 3.5 mil thick plastic was attached with zip ties and came in a box at Home Depot containing a 25' long x 10' wide sheet.  Be sure to slice small holes for rain drainage.  If you live in a cold winter region, I would suggest using 6 mil thick plastic for your cold frame.  This type of cold frame will not withstand a snow pack unless Plexiglas is used.  I plan to construct a smaller 5' x 5' cold frame (with instructions below) for my kiddie pool pond .