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The term indoor greenhouse may invoke images of a tightly corseted Victorian lady sprawled on a chaise longue next to an immaculate plant-filled glass structure. Well, such indoor glasshouses are back in vogue—no corsets required this time around—making way for year-round greenery. Having plants inside your living space creates a calming environment, purifies the air, and brings in nature. Plus, a mini greenhouse creates the perfect microclimate for tropical plants, off-season herbs, and even for sprouting seeds. If that wasn’t enough, James Wong, a London-based botanist and interior garden designer, explains that “any object looks more special when displayed in a glazed, museum cabinet after all.” If you’re sold on the concept but curious how to make it work in your home, consider the following 11 AD-approved indoor greenhouse ideas.
Indoor greenhouses bring life into your home.
There are many styles of DIY indoor greenhouses that range in difficulty, as well as greenhouse kits that you can buy at places like the local hardware store, Amazon, or IKEA. Consider the following.
How to: Head to your favorite discount or craft store to score six inexpensive picture frames for this project. You’ll use four of the frames to construct the base and two for the roof. Using a hot glue gun, start by gluing together four frames end-to-end in a rectangular shape, each frame as an individual wall. Create a slanted roof by gluing the remaining picture frames on top of the rectangular box coming to a point.
Take it to the next level: Start the project off by removing the glass from the frames and painting each frame with two coats of paint. Using a hot glue gun, glue the glass back in place and let it thoroughly dry before building the greenhouse.
How to: Search local antique stores to find an old curio cabinet. Take out the shelves and line the inside of the cabinet with plastic to keep the environment humid. Put the shelves back in and add pots and plants on the various levels. Water your plants and close the door to create a humid environment. If your plants require grow lights, use metal screws to fasten lights above each shelf.
Take it to the next level: Grab attractive or interesting legs, or even castor wheels, to add to the bottom of the greenhouse cabinet to give it a modern, shabby-chic, or industrial look.
How to: Glass-doored IKEA cabinets like the Milsbo, Fabrikör or Detolf lend themselves well to indoor greenhouses and create a nice statement piece in a room. Using hot glue or strong double-sided-tape, attach grow light strips to the bottom of each shelf. Next add plants to each shelf, water, and shut the door to increase the humidity levels.
Take it to the next level: If the back of your cabinet is against a wall, there’s no need for that side to be glass. Cover that side in peel-and-stick wallpaper—anything from a jungle scene to a cool geometric pattern—and further your design.
How to: This project is as simple as going to the hardware store and picking up a decorative, glass-walled lantern. Choose rustic or modern details—either way this greenhouse will be enchanting. Put plants like ferns or even succulents into terracotta pots and carefully place them into the lantern.
Take it to the next level: Remove the glass or cover with painter’s tape and then spray-paint the lantern to fit your decor aesthetic.
How to: The great thing about this project is that it’s inexpensive and easy. Either grab a large mason jar and place it over small terra-cotta pots, or use this greenhouse style for starting seeds or propagating succulents by placing peat moss pots inside of the jar. Take it a step further by lining the lid of the mason jar with a thin layer of small pebbles for drainage, cover with well-draining potting soil and sow small plants directly into that soil.
Indoor herb garden mason jar connector
Take it to the next level: Spray-paint the mason jar’s top in bright, fun colors. Or use Mod Podge to add a fun fabric to the top for a splash of pattern. Consider going the hydroponic route with this handy mason jar connector. Use it to screw two mason jars together and create a humid environment your plants will love! Wong is a big fan of using hydroponics, as this method takes “most of the organic matter out of the system and dramatically reduces problems with mold, rotting, and bad smells.”
How to: Buy and assemble a metal storage utility rack, or wooden, bamboo, or wire shelves. Then using metal screw-in hooks and metal light fixture chain, attach grow lights above each shelf. Make sure to watch the plant growth carefully, and readjust the chain as the plants get taller. Either cover the entire structure with plastic sheeting or place a cloche over each plant. This is a great method for when you want easy access to indoor plants.
To simplify this setup, look online for indoor greenhouse kits that include shelving, plastic covers, and grow lights. There are many options available, ranging in price from about $30 to $300.
Take it to the next level: Buy a mechanical outlet timer and use it to set when the grow lights turn on and off automatically.
How to: Turn an old aquarium or fish tank into a greenhouse. The great thing about this project is that people are always parting ways with aquariums. Look on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for a free tank.
Start by washing the tank thoroughly to remove any leftover scum. Remove the original top, and get a plexiglass top cut to fit at the hardware store. Line the bottom of the tank with pebbles and top with fast-draining soil. Then add plants and style with other decorative objects (think little fairy houses or a doll-size bench).
Take it to the next level: Use rocks and shells to make paths throughout the aquarium greenhouse or create sculptural height by building a rock wall. To do this, take a plastic cup or plate, and using hot glue, attach tiny rocks to cover the plastic. Then using moss, cover any holes and make it look organic.
How to: Start by finding a glass vessel to house the terrarium. Things like apothecary jars, cloches, and glass cookie jars work well as long as they’re made of clear glass. If your jar has been used, wash it well with soap and water.
A terrarium setup is all about layers. The first layer, like other indoor greenhouse setups, is made up of small stones. Since terrariums are predominately closed systems compared to other greenhouses, the next layer consists of a fourth of an inch of activated charcoal to help with drainage and odor. Look for this product at pet stores in the aquarium supplies aisle. Next add moss to keep the soil from falling into the first two layers—as a plus, the moss also adds visual interest. The last layer is potting soil. Then plant directly into the soil and mist generously with water. Close the lid and let your little ecosystem start gaining traction.
Place the finished terrarium on a windowsill, but not in direct sunlight. The terrarium should retain moisture for a couple weeks, at which point, open up the lid and give it another generous mist.
Take it to the next level: Create a magical world within your terrarium. Buy or craft little clay creatures, tiny gnomes, or even brightly-hued model mushrooms and set a scene.
How to: A mini greenhouse can be made from a variety of repurposed materials; think clear salad containers, plastic container, two-liter soda bottles, or glass pasta sauce jars. These types of greenhouses are particularly good for emulating the ideal growing conditions for sprouting seeds. Think outside the box to figure out the best use for your container (e.g. plant directly into a plastic salad container; chop off the top of a soda bottle and use it as a cloche over a plant; or plant directly into a glass pasta sauce jar to create a mini terrarium).
Take it to the next level: Make someone’s mind bend as they figure out how you created a mini-jungle inside of a narrow-necked plastic or glass bottle (like a ship in a bottle). To do this, use a funnel to lay down pebbles, soil, etc.; and then with long tweezers, carefully root the plants by moving them through the slim opening of the bottle.
If a DIY project is not in the cards for you, there are plenty of kits and pre-made indoor greenhouses for sale. Choose one that aligns with your budget and fits your space. For a simple paired-down, store-bought greenhouse, check out the IKEA Åkerbär. This mini greenhouse holds a few plants and would fit well on a living room credenza or side table.
ÅKERBÄR Greenhouse, indoor/outdoor
Or peruse Amazon and consider buying a greenhouse kit that comes complete with LED grow lights, a plastic cover, and often roll-up zipper doors. A cold frame greenhouse is another option for inside if you have a little more space. And if space is not at all a limiting factor, try setting up an outdoor greenhouse inside!
If you’ve selected the style of indoor greenhouse that works for you space, but still have a few lingering concerns about how to make it successful, consider the following frequently asked question.
At their core, greenhouses provide a condition of high humidity, which works well for tropical houseplants like aroids, ferns, and orchids. Leslie F. Halleck, certified professional horticulturist and of author of Gardening Under Lights, Plant Parenting, and Tiny Plants, says: “If you love these types of indoor plants, but have struggled to get them to thrive inside your home, then the higher humidity of a ‘cold frame’ indoor greenhouse or glass cabinet are very useful.”
Technically, Wong notes, “You can plant anything in these, depending on the tech you want to use to recreate the ideal environmental conditions.” However, the easiest plants to grow inside a glass container are “warm-loving tropical species with a low requirement for ventilation, light, and winter rest,” he says.
Edible plants like herbs and leafy vegetables also do well in indoor greenhouses, however Wong contends that harvests may be low unless grow lights are cranked up to maximum levels. If you want to go the edible route, Halleck recommends focusing on “dwarf” or “miniature” edible herbs and vegetables like the Micro Tom tomato or Boxwood basil. These smaller varieties are “much easier to grow indoors and won't require as much intense light as their larger counterparts,” she notes.
You can get pretty high tech in mini indoor gardens—from grow lights and hygrometers to automatic humidifiers and electric water pumps—but you may not need to. Get to know your plants. If they require a lot of natural light (in which case, just positioning them near a windowsill will not suffice), you’ll need to invest in grow lights. Similarly, if your plants require a high humidity level, you may need to purchase a humidifier. “The beauty of having an entirely artificial setup, means—much like a movie set—you can use lights and fogging systems to recreate any climate and vibe,” says Wong.
Grow lights are by far the most common technical addition in indoor greenhouses, and are necessary to grow most edible crops indoors, as well as many succulents, cacti, and blooming houseplants. Halleck says buying specific grow-light bulbs isn’t always necessary. “LED grow lights have come a long way in the last few years, and so most home growers can use LEDs for their indoor gardener needs,” says Halleck. However, she cautions the range in LED bulb output and quality is quite large. “If you’re growing a few lower light tropical plants, you may only need to add a couple of 40 watt LED grow lights. If you’re trying to grow tomatoes indoors, you’ll typically need higher-powered grow lights.”
Aside from the reasons listed above, these small structures allow for creativity and design-based gardening. Use this small landscape to create a magical world among your houseplants. Wong says, “The real aim is to create a visually stunning scheme on a tiny scale.”
He explains how “Asian designers have taken this idea—first developed in Victorian Britain, but long since abandoned—and totally run with it.” One example he gives is the Vietnamese practice Hòn non bộ. Here classical Chinese landscape paintings inspire miniature mountain scenes made from rocks, bonsai, moss, and running water. In Indonesia, he says, gardeners create dioramas and stylized vignettes of jungle scenes: “a waterfall, a forest clearing, a lost grotto, with enormous pieces of gnarled driftwood, giant tree ferns and trailing jungle vines.” In Singapore and Hong Kong people construct “paludariums,” which are half aquarium, half terrarium, so that they can grow both above and below the waterline. Play around and consider setting your own scene inside a mini greenhouse.
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