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Residents of small apartments or houses may have little extra space for plants. However, some IKEA customers have been sharing their genius hacks to make stylish yet functional plant solutions that use the best of limited space.
In this trending DIY trick, plant parents transformed glass IKEA cabinets into indoor greenhouses, which can be an ideal way for plant enthusiasts to deal with a small-space conundrum. Plus, it’s fairly easy to set up, and all you need to make it a reality is a glass cabinet, grow lights, a small fan, and a humidifier.
The Idea Came From Social Media
As Modern Farmer reported, this indoor garden trend first started making the rounds via social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Throughout the pandemic, many plant parents ordered one of the following glass IKEA cabinets: Detolf, Fabrikör, Milsbo, or Rudsta. Once the cabinet was assembled, they could customize it with grow lights, fans, humidifiers, and other decorative or functional elements to make their own greenhouse.
Pretty and Practical
While the finished aesthetic of an indoor cabinet greenhouse can be pretty, it also can provide a healthy climate for your plant babies to thrive. A cabinet greenhouse makes it easy for you to water and monitor the progress of plants, and it also offers protection from pets or weather surprises. Plus, it can be effective at maximizing organizational space.
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#ikeagreenhousecabinet
This trend first circulated online in December 2019 when Robin Schouten created the hashtag. A year later, she made the @ikeagreenhousecabinet account to share more ideas during the pandemic. According to Modern Farmer, this account was born to “inspire other plant lovers working to create” an indoor greenhouse. Schouten told the website that she was inspired by this hack that converted cabinets into greenhouses but didn’t offer many helpful instructions.
Let’s get DIYing!
For houseplant parents eager to make their own miniature indoor greenhouse, it’s fairly simple to replicate this DIY. To start, choose from a variety of versatile cabinets to house your plants based on your space requirements, budget, and the type or size of plants. Then, you can customize it by adding grow lights, a humidifier to regulate humidity, a small fan, a ledbar, a pegboard and hooks, wire shelves, or other elements.
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So, You Want to… Hack an Indoor Greenhouse
To make the glass cabinet into a greenhouse, the Insider recommends first attaching your preferred paneling to the back. Fern wood panels retain moisture for tropical plants, but other users go with a pegboard instead. Next, you can add grow lights with adhesive, adjust shelf height as necessary, and drill holes to run a power cord through it. Then, adding small fans can help air circulation and prevent mold, and including a humidity gauge can help you maintain the proper environment.
Think About Your Power Source
Electricity is required to power fans, humidifiers, and lights, so, you’ll need an outlet or power cord nearby. Some users drill holes to thread a cable through the side of the cabinet and then plug everything into a multi-port power strip. One Instagram user advises putting the cords into a covered cable box to avoid them getting too wet when the humidity is high.
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It’s Getting Hot (and Humid) in Here
Whether closed doors are optimal for the growth process depends on the types of plants selected. Several Instagram users leave the doors open to help the contained space from getting too humid. You also can monitor humidity and moisture levels with a hygrometer. Users also recommend wiping down the shelves and pots every few weeks to help surfaces from getting too damp.