Turning an Empty Backyard Pool into an Urban Greenhouse

By Alex in Architecture, Home & Garden, Pictures on Aug 28, 2010 at 6:54 am

Got an old backyard swimming pool that’s sitting empty? Turn it into a self-sustaining garden! That’s what this Arizonan family did:

When we purchased our first home in Mesa, AZ on October of 2009, it came with a large, empty, and run-down pool. Rather than spending thousands of dollars in fixing the pool or having it filled with fill dirt we decided to design an inexpensive & self-sufficient urban greenhouse. Initially, we had anticipated self-sufficiency by 2012 but we achieved our goal by mid-2010. Our family gets about 8 fresh eggs a day, unlimited tilapia fish, organic fruit, veggies, and herbs 365 days a year.

Link – Thanks Tiffany!

Tags: Arizona, green, greenhouse, pool

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Edward
Aug 28th, 2010 at 7:19 am
Now I know what to do with my pool during the coming social apocalypse.
jvds
Aug 28th, 2010 at 8:13 am
I think cheech and chong had this idea first
Lenina Huxley
Aug 28th, 2010 at 8:50 am
Wonder how long before the good ‘ole federal/state/local government finds a way to tax these folks or otherwise tell them that their fabulous idea is somehow disallowed. Remember folks, in a some places catching the rain water that runs off the gutters along your own home is illegal (and a lot of those places make it illegal to repurpose water, e.g., no watering your plants with dish water). *Sigh*
girl
Aug 28th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Our in ground pool was becoming too expensive to upkeep, plus we weren’t using it enough, so after two summers of letting it sit untreated, my father put in some aquatic plants and 13 cent goldfish.

Now, it’s brimming with life! We have frogs, birds, lots more fish, and even a turtle.
GailW
Aug 28th, 2010 at 9:43 am
What an ingenious way to take Urban Farming to the next level!
Josh
Aug 28th, 2010 at 10:30 am
All I can say is bad idea. The pool will eventually pop out of the ground depending on the water table. It is always best to keep at least 4ft of water in a in ground pool.
choggie
Aug 28th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
@josh-These folks will be fine as long as they fill that deep end with that 4-ft of H2O during an unseasonably rainy season. The water table in Mesa Arizona will probably pose little threat of poppage.
Scooter
Aug 30th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
That would be great to grow POT, and I’m sure your neighbors will think you are doing just that.
Jerry
Oct 5th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Caught my attention. I just bought a home in MO with a fairly large pool, have no intention of using it, although it has a heater, cover, etc. Had planned on breaking the bottom and filling with dirt to make a garden, but this sounds much better. Anyway to find out more information on how to go about it. I had a greenhouse in my former house for 25 years, so know it can work, but hate to make a lot of mistakes getting started.

Names or articles would be appreciated.

Thanks.

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