The Chinese Greenhouse

Grow vegetables year-round in a greenhouse powered only by solar energy

The Chinese Greenhouse is the only complete guide to designing, building, and operating high-performance, earth-sheltered, solar-heated, intelligently glazed, and insulated passive greenhouses, allowing you to grow a variety of vegetables year-round—even in cold climates—in soil or aquaponics grow beds.

Grow Fresh Vegetables Year-Round Using Only the Sun
Produce abundant fruits and vegetables through fall, winter, and early spring without paying for heat. Chinese solar greenhouses—earth-sheltered, east-west oriented, well-insulated, and intelligently glazed—allow you to grow warm-weather crops in cold climates using passive solar energy alone.

What You'll Gain and Learn

• Design and Build your Greenhouse: Step-by-step guidance for creating a self-sufficient, solar-powered structure.
• Maximize Heat Efficiency: Techniques to store solar energy and keep crops warm on cold nights.
• Extend your Growing Season: Grow tomatoes, peppers, and other warm-weather vegetables, even in freezing temperatures.
• Summer Cooling Solutions: Maintain optimal growing conditions without losing energy.
• Flexible Growing Methods: Harvest year-round using soil beds or aquaponic systems.

Written by Dan Chiras, PhD, author of 38 books on solar energy, sustainability, and self-sufficiency, this guide blends practical instruction with proven strategies. His methods have been featured in Mother Earth News, Solar Today, and Home Power, and he has taught workshops for the American Solar Energy Society and University of Colorado.

Transform your backyard into a productive, solar-powered garden and enjoy fresh produce year-round. With clear illustrations, actionable tips, and step-by-step guidance, building and operating your own Chinese greenhouse has never been easier.