They Turn Old Pickle Jars Into A Greenhouse With A DIY Solution

When you think of a greenhouse, you likely imagine many panes of delicate glass. But in Duvall, Washington, Axton Burton found a far more unexpected way to build one: with thousands of discarded glass jars. Burton used empty pickle jars, along with those from tomatoes and even nail polish, to create a gorgeous DIY greenhouse in their parents' backyard. The concept is wonderfully simple: build a sturdy wooden frame, then use reclaimed glass jars as the greenhouse walls, turning everyday containers into a light-filled growing space.

Burton told Northwest Now in 2021 that all parts of the greenhouse were either "free, donated, or repurposed," except for the door, the roof, and the lumber that makes up the frame. Of course, a project of this scale takes a community, and as they shared with King 5 Evening News, they had help from their partner James, their father, and also neighbors and friends who donated jars. In total, it took 4,516 glass containers to create this amazing structure. 

The unusual greenhouse has become a local tourist attraction, and visitors can even leave messages on some of the lids hanging from the outside walls. It's a clever reminder that an ordinary household castoff can become a memorable feature with enough creativity — and an impressive collection of jars.

The walls aren't the only clever upcycled touches you'll find on Burton's greenhouse. They also opted to have some of the jars face outward so local birds can use them for nesting. There's even a pollinator-friendly bee hotel inside one of the glass containers. Burton also added an upcycled wine barrel to catch and reuse rainwater. The result is a space that incorporates recycling, water conservation, and wildlife habitat into the same backyard project.

Greenhouses can be expensive, so looking into ways to create your own structure like this one has its appeal. While they told the Snoqualmie Valley Record they spent about $3,500 on the building, that is still far less than a similarly sized traditional greenhouse would have cost. Of course, collecting more than 4,500 jars isn't exactly a practical weekend project, so most gardeners would be better off adapting the idea on a much smaller scale. Even a condensed version, though, can capture the spirit of this project: reuse what you have, let in plenty of light, and turn something destined for the recycling bin into a backyard growing space.

And there are certainly ways to make your own DIY greenhouse shed, even if you don't have access to thousands of pickle jars. You could incorporate reclaimed jars selectively into a smaller greenhouse wall or garden feature rather than trying to cover an entire structure. Another good upcycling option is to use old windows and sliding glass doors to build your DIY greenhouse.