The easiest greenhouse quickly do it yourself. Do-it-yourself greenhouse in the country - from which it is better and easier to build. Types of greenhouses and technology for installing a greenhouse from window frames. Ideal height and width

For each dacha or house garden, a greenhouse is a necessary structure for growing fruit-bearing plants and getting your own early harvest. The construction is simple, so almost everyone can do it.

Let us consider in detail how and from what to competently make an effective structure, in what place of the land plot it is better to place it, as well as a method of additional heating.

Do-it-yourself greenhouse in the country - it's easy!

When considering the topic of greenhouses, many do not clearly understand what kind of structure it is and are often confused with greenhouses. The difference between these summer cottages is significant.

A greenhouse is a structure of small size (height up to 1.4 m), as a rule, specially unheated. The greenhouse is heated passively with biofuel and solar radiation.

Explanation! Biofuels are natural substances (manure, “unfinished” leaf compost, etc.) that produce thermal energy during oxidative decomposition!

Greenhouses are used mainly for growing all kinds of vegetables and seedlings of some plants.

The greenhouse, on the other hand, is a more “serious” structure, having large dimensions (up to 3.0 m in height). Often, an active (artificial) heating system is created in it with all kinds of devices or special heat cables.

However, there is another category of structures of this type - these are tunnel film shelters. They do not differ in large dimensions and height, therefore it is wrong to call them greenhouses or hotbeds. However, we will not complicate the classification gradation and will consider them as the simplest version of greenhouses.

What is the best way to build a greenhouse

Ease of manufacture and simple assembly is another characteristic property of greenhouses. Building a greenhouse on your own is a very troublesome business, requiring a certain ingenuity, skills of a builder, the availability of special materials and tools, which “results” in a considerable financial cost. Unlike a greenhouse, a greenhouse can be made without much difficulty with your own hands, using inexpensive and affordable materials.

As a rule, a polyethylene PVC film (reinforced or plain) or a special covering non-woven material, such as spunbond or lutrasil, is used as a general coating for a greenhouse structure. A little less often, cellular polycarbonate is used or frames are made, like window frames, with transparent glass.

The greenhouse frame - its basis - can have a completely different configuration:

- triangular;

- arched;

- according to the type of "house" (a kind of miniature greenhouse), etc.

The material for the manufacture of the frame can also be different. Most often used:

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- fiberglass or metal fittings;

- polypropylene pipes;

- wooden blocks or finished window frames, etc.

Quite often, greenhouses are built as a stationary structure, although it is possible to install a temporary, collapsible shelter for grown plants.

Types of greenhouses

Consider the main types of greenhouse structures:

1. Tunnel shelter

This is a simple arched greenhouse familiar to everyone. To equip such a simple greenhouse, it is necessary to prepare the required number of arcs of a certain size. Frame arcs can be made of any durable, flexible material, for example, thick metal wire (D from 0.50 cm) or a polypropylene pipe.

You will also need a covering, heat-retaining material - a polyethylene film (reinforced or plain), lutrasil, spunbond, etc. The prepared canvas must be stretched over the installed arcs and pressed from all sides along the entire perimeter to the surface of the earth with some kind of load (stones, bricks and etc.).

Recommendation! Arc bases are simply inserted with their ends into the ground to a sufficient depth or they are attached to a wooden frame. The optimal distance between the arcs is 45.0 cm!

To give greater stability and strength to the entire structure, rails (from 1.0x1.0 cm) are used, horizontally attached directly to the arcs. Such strips do not allow the installed arcs to move, loosen and deform. In some cases, auxiliary vertical supports are placed on the last and first arcs. With this assembly, the greenhouse perfectly keeps its shape throughout the "garden season". However, with well-made arcs, you can not use these additions.

2. Express greenhouse made of metal or wooden gratings

When the arc version of the greenhouse does not suit you and seems very unreliable, you can make a structure out of metal or wooden gratings.

It is as easy to assemble it as the arc analogue, but it has a couple of significant disadvantages:

- preliminary production of gratings, which takes a lot of time. You can, of course, purchase ready-made metal grills, but they cost a lot of money;

- small height of the greenhouse. If it is supposed to grow only seedlings or early greens, then a small height cannot be called a disadvantage.

3. Stationary greenhouse made of wooden material (timber, boards, etc.)

A wooden greenhouse is an even more reliable and stable structure. This is due to its stationarity, assembly technology and materials used. A greenhouse made of wooden material is very practical and convenient.

To make such a design, you must have minimal skills in working with a hammer and a wood saw. The size and shape of the created greenhouse is completely arbitrary. It all depends on:

— available materials;

- installation sites;

- construction and installation skills;

- plants that will grow in the assembled greenhouse.

4. Stationary greenhouse made of metal material

If there is a desire to build a greenhouse, so to speak, "for centuries", then the option of metal corners or pipes is such. A greenhouse made of metal material can be made in two versions:

- a welded structure is a frame, all elements of which are securely fastened by a welded method. The greenhouse turns out to be very reliable and durable, however, it will no longer be possible to dismantle it (an exception is dismantling with reverse welding of the joints);

- collapsible - this is a greenhouse, the elements of the skeleton of which are bolted together. In the spring it is assembled, and for the winter it is to be dismantled.

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Such a greenhouse can be made in any size and desired shape. Its main advantages are:

— durability, strength and stability;

- the possibility of using cellular polycarbonate as a coating.

The most significant disadvantages are:

- quite a high cost;

- the duration and scrupulousness of the assembly-dismantling, non-welded version of the greenhouse.

5. Do-it-yourself greenhouse from window frames

This version of the wig is considered by experienced gardeners to be the best option, since it has a lot of advantages with a minimum of disadvantages and has the highest efficiency.

The appearance and design principle is clear to everyone, so we focus on considering a greenhouse made of large frames. In it, in addition to seedlings, you can successfully grow tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, peppers, etc.

So, to implement the idea of ​​​​creating a high-quality greenhouse, we need:

- a pair of wooden bars or thin logs;

- window frames in the right quantity;

- any brick and concrete mortar for arranging the foundation;

- self-tapping screws and a screwdriver for fastening frames.

Overall dimensions of the greenhouse

Before starting work, of course, it is necessary to determine the dimensions of the structure being built.

1. Height and width

These parameters depend directly on the dimensions used to assemble the window frames. You can make both a tall one, in human height, and a low greenhouse - everything is at the discretion of the owner.

Important! All frames must have absolutely identical dimensions, otherwise, during installation, difficulties will arise with a high-quality fit of the edges of the frame elements!

2. Length

It is difficult to select the optimal length of the frame greenhouse, its value will depend on the location of the structure. It can be built both very long and very short. Also, the length depends on the size and number of frames used. However, it is not advisable to build a very long greenhouse, since it will certainly be inconvenient in subsequent operation.

Assembly technology

First, you need to adjust the dimensions of the timber and boards with leveling trim. Then the wooden blanks are carefully smeared (impregnated) with bituminous mastic or used machine oil to prevent the material from rotting and the settlement of all kinds of pests.

Along the intended perimeter of the greenhouse being built, a brick foundation is laid out with an above-ground height of one brick layer. After the mortar has set, a beam is laid directly on the foundation.

Boards are vertically fixed to the wooden beam from the inside with self-tapping screws. Between the boards, the distance should be made slightly smaller than the width of the prepared frames.

On the outside, boards are fixed on top in a horizontal position. It is necessary to carefully observe the accuracy of the location of all elements.

Attention! For horizontal boards, the upper edges should ideally coincide with the end surfaces of vertically located supports!

The next stage is the fastening of the rafters to the ends of the boards with a “house”. The shape of the roof being created is made exactly such that rainwater flows off it as quickly as possible.

The final step will be to fasten the window frames with self-tapping screws to the erected frame.

Take into account! It is necessary that in the greenhouse at least one frame can open freely. For this, the “landing” of the frame on classic hinges is used with the creation of a locking and holding element (hook, latch, etc.)!

home greenhouse- This is a small structure for growing seedlings and protecting it from temperature extremes and adverse weather events. The compact size and the enclosed space of a home greenhouse for seedlings provide a quick warm-up of the air inside the building, while the greenhouse plants are reliably protected from spring frosts.

In addition to seedlings, low-growing early vegetable crops are grown in greenhouses: radishes, cucumbers, eggplants, watermelons, melons and others.

Some don't see the difference between the concepts of "greenhouse" and "greenhouse" giving them the same meaning. However, these two designs have certain differences, which manifest themselves both in appearance and in functional purpose.

The main features of the greenhouse:

• application for growing seedlings and undersized crops;
• small height of the structure (usually up to 150 cm);
• greenhouses, as a rule, are not heated. The heat in them accumulates due to sunlight and organic fertilizers (humus or manure) located inside the structure;
• the ability to easily move the structure on the site;
• the greenhouse usually does not have doors due to its small size. Therefore, to access the plants, it is necessary to completely or partially remove the coating;
• greenhouse construction is used mainly only in the spring.

In addition to the so-called "street" greenhouse structures, there are also indoor options for greenhouses and mini-greenhouses, which are also an effective tool for growing seedlings.

Finished greenhouses– the ability to save time and effort

Manufacturers of country equipment offer various models of finished greenhouses, differing in type of construction, material of manufacture and price. Here are some examples:

1. arched greenhouse- is a structure made of aluminum profile. Equipped with a strong frame, it is distinguished by an affordable price, ease of installation and ease of transportation.
2. "Snowdrop"- the most common type of finished greenhouses. It has an arched structure, agrofibre is used as a coating - a special material that has many positive properties, such as: water resistance, the ability to retain heat and create an optimal microclimate for plants.

This also includes compact structures in the form of metal racks equipped with a polyethylene cover, as well as smaller analogues of ordinary garden greenhouses, which can be made of plexiglass or transparent plastic.

Automation of modern structures

In order for plants not to get sick during the growth process, they need to provide favorable conditions.

In the past, there was only one way out for lovers of country farming, and this was to ventilate, water and fertilize seedlings on their own, as well as provide them with additional lighting.

Today, greenhouse structures are equipped with various types of accessories. Some models are equipped with phytolamps that turn on at a certain time, automatic watering and ventilation.

Here it is worth highlighting the Growbox and Thermobox mini-greenhouses, which are automated closed structures equipped with a full range of devices that ensure the formation of a favorable microclimate.

This video shows you how to make your own grow box.

Main advantage of these models lies in the fact that the internal climate in them does not depend on the external temperature, which can even be negative.

We make with our own hands

How to make a homemade greenhouse with your own hands? Making a greenhouse at home does not take much time. Here is one of the options for a mini-greenhouse for the house.

First you need to draw future building. After that, a rack should be put together from the boards, consisting of several shelves (depending on the number of seedlings).

Each shelf of the rack must be equipped with a fluorescent lamp, attaching it from above.

The seeds are planted in pre-prepared special boxes for planting seeds, on the bottom of which a layer of sand, drainage and soil is laid.

To prevent the formation of mold, a little wood ash should be poured onto the sand.

Upon completion of all these procedures, the boxes are installed on the shelves. You can grow any crops in such a greenhouse - the main thing is to water the plants on time.

Front shelving can be closed with a film or glass to create the required temperature inside the structure. If the heat from the lamps is sufficient to provide the required climate, the front of the greenhouse can be left open.

On the windowsill

And how to make a greenhouse on the windowsill with your own hands? In this case, everything is quite simple. Can be used as a window greenhouse in an apartment or house clear plastic container with lid.

Soil is poured into it and seeds are sown, which must be watered as the soil dries. This type of greenhouse is suitable for growing any vegetable seedlings.

Such a greenhouse on the window has one drawback - water does not leave it after watering.

So holes must be made in the bottom of the container through which moisture will drain onto the pre-installed drip tray.

And this video shows how to make a simple mini-greenhouse.

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Vegetables from the garden help to enrich the diet with vitamins. And in order to get healthy products a couple of weeks earlier, or to organize their year-round consumption, you can organize a greenhouse in your backyard. The best greenhouse ideas will be discussed in this article.

On the network on the relevant sites you can find many photos of greenhouses with your own hands. But before you start choosing the option that suits you, you need to consider some features of the future design.

You must first select:

• place;
• heating method;
• the size;
• what material will the structure be made of;
• greenhouse shape.

A greenhouse is a small greenhouse, which is intended, first of all, for early planting of seedlings in spring. A well-executed greenhouse will delight the owner for many years.

Place for a greenhouse

Novice gardeners believe that any place on the site can be taken as a greenhouse. This is not true. In order for it to effectively perform its functions, the choice of location must be approached responsibly:

• the place for the greenhouse should be flat and dry. The presence of stagnant water or the threat of flooding is unacceptable. No need to choose steep slopes for a greenhouse;
• the place should be well lit by the sun, not obscured by nearby trees and bushes. If possible, orient it to the south, then it will be evenly lit and protected from the midday heat;
• it is better if the greenhouse is not located in the wind;
• pay attention to the location of groundwater. If necessary, make drainage;
• position the greenhouse so that a convenient approach is provided to it, it can be freely opened.

These simple conditions will help make a greenhouse with your own hands at home the most useful.

Warm-up method

The temperature inside the greenhouse must be constant. Temperature fluctuations will cause plants to slow down growth. Particularly sensitive may even die. There are different types of heating:

solar energy. During the day, the greenhouse warms up under the sun, and at night the heated soil gives off heat. This method is the simplest and most common, but also the least effective. The accumulated energy is not enough for the whole night and the temperature in the greenhouse drops significantly.

With the help of electricity. The heating cable is laid in the soil. This is a very laborious method and is only suitable for stationary large greenhouses. Its advantage is a constant temperature, and its disadvantage is a high price.

Biofuel. Manure, humus, organic residues are used as biofuels, which in the process of decomposition are capable of generating heat. With this method, there is a danger of overheating because the heat generated cannot be controlled.

Greenhouse size

The dimensions of the structure depend on the wishes of the gardener and the possibilities of the site. The function that the greenhouse will perform also affects. If it will be used only for hardening seedlings, then it makes sense to make it as inexpensive and not large as possible.

If the greenhouse is stationary and used for permanent cultivation of crops, then, of course, it must be designed for all planned crops.

You can calculate the convenient sizes of greenhouses with your own hands based on its purpose. Most often, gardeners choose greenhouses no more than a meter wide, no more than three meters long, and about half a meter high. These sizes are most convenient for garden work and are suitable for low crops, such as cucumbers, seedlings of pepper or tomatoes.

frame material

The basis of any design is the frame on which the covering material is stretched. Each gardener decides what he can make a greenhouse with his own hands based on his needs. It depends on the type of materials chosen whether the greenhouse will be portable, collapsible or stationary.

The material for the frame can serve as:

• Metal. The most durable and strong. The wind does not harm him, he is able to withstand heavy loads. The disadvantage is the heavy weight of the structure and the need to use special tools during installation.
• Wood. It is easy to make a greenhouse out of it, minimal skills are enough. Its disadvantage is the need for impregnation with special coatings to increase the life of the tree.
• Plastic. It breaks easily, bends in a strong wind, falls. But unlike wood, it easily takes the form of an arc, does not rot. If the structure falls, the plant will not be damaged, since the plastic is very light.

Shelter material

The material is selected based on the durability of the structure. For simple, one-season or portable, the cheapest material will do. For stationary, perennial ones, it makes sense to invest in more expensive and durable ones.

Most often used:

• PVC film. It lasts for a couple of seasons of use;
• nonwoven fabric. The material breathes, letting in moisture, but not releasing heat. It happens in different densities, with careful use it is more durable than the film;
• polycarbonate, plexiglass or glass. This option is more expensive and is suitable for stationary structures.

Construction form

The shape of the greenhouse is also different. Instructions and drawings on how to make a greenhouse can be found for each site individually. The most common forms of such structures are:

Arched construction (arcs). Such a greenhouse is not complicated. Semicircular arcs are placed in a row, covering material is stretched over it. Arcs are usually plastic, rarely metal. They are attached to the ground either with pegs, or put on special fittings. For the stability of the structure, a connecting pipe is laid horizontally on top.

Wooden lattice. The same type of device as with the help of arcs, but more stable and durable. Wooden slats are assembled in the form of a lattice, connected with bolts. Sheathed with plexiglass or polycarbonate, opening sections are made on hinges. May be collapsible.

Permanent greenhouse made of timber. This is, in fact, a small greenhouse. A reliable foundation is made of stone or concrete, a wooden box made of timber is knocked down on it, a frame is made, which is then sewn up with durable material - glass or polycarbonate.

Old window frames. When installing plastic windows in a house, old wooden frames are not thrown away, but adapted for a greenhouse. A reliable foundation is made for them, because the construction of wood and glass has a considerable weight.

The simple principle of the greenhouse allows you to apply imagination and creativity in its design. Each gardener will definitely find his own way to install a greenhouse, suitable only for his site, especially since the variety of shapes, sizes and materials allows you to choose an option for any budget.

DIY photo of greenhouses

A greenhouse is a predecessor and a simplified seasonal analogue of a greenhouse. The design of greenhouses varies greatly, from those that do not need anything but a film for shelter, to structures about which you can’t exactly tell by the look whether it’s still a greenhouse or already a greenhouse. Having made a greenhouse with your own hands, you can first supply the family with early / late vegetables and herbs and at the same time master the intricacies of the greenhouse economy, without risking losing a lot of initial investments due to mistakes due to inexperience. And if things go well, then build a real all-season greenhouse and get vegetable delicacies to the table all year round; possibly establish a profitable business.

PC greenhouse

Currently, light-transmitting coatings for greenhouses are made almost exclusively from polycarbonate (PC). This material was developed for this, and only later did its advantages appear in the construction of gazebos, canopies, porch shelters, pools, etc. However, you need to build a homemade polycarbonate greenhouse with an eye to the following circumstances:

• PC is sold only in whole sheets from 2x6 to 2x12 m; do not cut it into pieces.
• Cost per 1 sq. m of the cheapest PC structure 2R with a thickness of 4 mm is less than that of glass, and is comparable to the cost of agrofilm, see below.
• Without fairly expensive complete fittings (standard fasteners with thermal compensators, edging profiles, aluminum tape, filter tape for ends), outdoor PC will last no more than 3-4 years.
• The installation of a PC is most often carried out with prestressing due to the bending of the sheets. This gives the structure greater strength, but requires a reinforced (and, accordingly, more expensive) frame of a special design; see e.g. .

Based on this, it is recommended to make a greenhouse under polycarbonate either if there are scraps remaining, for example, from, or using a single flat sheet in a fairly rigid frame, see below. It is better to design your first greenhouse under the film, especially since there are options for which nothing but it is needed.

What's going on in the greenhouse?

A greenhouse with plants in it and the soil in which they are planted is a rather thin biosystem. Its main difference from the natural ones is in the forced change of biorhythms for the sake of the fastest development / maturation and greater productivity of greenhouse crops. From the point of view of biology, a greenhouse is not a greenhouse at all; in that biorhythms are close to natural, only intensified. Therefore, this section outlines the basic information necessary to properly make a greenhouse.

Plants

The biorhythm of plants in a greenhouse generally corresponds to the natural one, see fig. on the right, but with some differences that speed up their "growing up", see below.

In the world:

1. Vegetative parts - leaves, green stems - absorb carbon dioxide and water from the soil with minerals dissolved in it;
2. Produce metabolic oxygen. Oxygen for breathing is absorbed as always, but much more metabolic is released;
3. As a result of photosynthesis, dissolved organic, so-called. plastic, substances necessary for the growth and development of the plant;
4. Plastic substances partially enter storage (tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, chlorophyll-free parts of stems) and generative (flowers, ripening fruits) organs, and are partially deposited in the so-called. depot - special cells or cell structures of vegetative parts.

At night or in the dark:

1. The vegetative parts and roots take in oxygen for respiration and release carbon dioxide;
2. Green leaves, in addition, allocate excess water in the form of water vapor through the stomata or, more rarely, in the form of drops through the water stomata - hydathodes;
3. Depots of plastic substances are depleted, spending a day's supply;
4. Plastic substances also enter the roots, ensuring their growth. The roots grow mainly at night.

Conclusion #1: during the day, when it is warm enough outside to ensure at least minimal plant life, the greenhouse needs to be ventilated. Plants consume little oxygen for breathing, but it should still be enough for the night, otherwise rot and disease will go. It is desirable to ventilate until noon, when the sun warms up, so that the nightly excess of CO2 and H2O immediately disappears.

the greenhouse effect

Greenhouse coverings are made of materials that transmit visible light well, but reflect as well as possible, directly or diffusely (diffusely) thermal (infrared, IR) rays. So the greenhouse effect in greenhouses is different from what is in the earth's atmosphere and everyone is talking about, see fig.

Afternoon:

• Some of the visible light is used by plants for photosynthesis;
• Another share is absorbed by the molecules of greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide and water vapor - transferring them to the highest energy level;
• Another part of the light is absorbed by the soil, which immediately re-radiates it in the IR, warming the air and the structure of the greenhouse;
• Part of the IR from the soil is re-reflected from the coating (on the left in the figure, for simplicity, only 1 branch is shown) and ultimately also heats it, the air, and the structure. IR practically does not interact with greenhouse gas molecules;
• The temperature of the soil is sufficient for root activity, but may be lower than that outside, directly heated by the Sun.

Note: CO2 molecules, which are heavier than air, are concentrated mainly in the lower part of the greenhouse, and H2O, which are lighter - under the roof.

At night:

• The temperature of the soil in the greenhouse is higher than it is not only outside, but also the air temperature in the greenhouse, which spurs the growth of roots and sap flow in plants;
• The soil gives off the stored heat both directly to the air by convection and by illuminating IR;
• Greenhouse gas molecules are also emitted by IR, warming the air and promoting sap flow in the aerial parts of plants;
• There are heat losses through the coating;

Conclusion #2: thus, greenhouse vegetation "works in 3 shifts", which ensures the fastest growth / maturation.

The soil

Fertile soil (we do not touch hydroponics) is the most complex biocenosis, inhabited by an innumerable multitude of the smallest living beings that cannot live anywhere else. Therefore, there is a whole school of biologists who classify the soil, along with anthills, termite mounds, coral buildings, as “superorganisms”. In this case, the soil cover is the largest living formation on Earth.

In the greenhouse, the soil is also forced to work in 3 shifts. Moreover, in spring and autumn - in antiphase with the natural rhythm of heating / cooling, and the soil in the greenhouse is quickly depleted. Hence the 1st consequence of the main difference between a greenhouse and a greenhouse: it cannot work on the same soil for more than 1 season, even with its reclamation. So greenhouses according to the nature of soil use are divided into:

1. Ground - the simplest of the film alone. They are satisfied when there is no need for a strong greenhouse effect, for example. under seedlings in the regions warm enough.
2. Mobile - the upper structure of the greenhouse, as the soil is depleted, is transferred to a new location.
3. Bulk - they can stay in one place for a long time, but natural soil is not used: special soil mixtures are poured into the greenhouse formwork, which are changed at least once a year. These are built most often on junk lean land.

Note: The most effective way to get the most out of the greenhouse land and at the same time leave it (under ground or mobile greenhouse) fit for regeneration is soil heating, see below.

After the first 2 types, it is required to restore soil fertility. Most quickly, but not completely, this is done by sowing next year with nitrogen-fixing crops; primarily legumes - peas, beans. The following year, flowers, cabbage, greenery, plant berry bushes can be grown on this area.

For complete natural reclamation, before sowing nitrogen fixers, the land is allowed to rest for a year under fallow, and only then legumes are sown. In this case, the reclaimed soil is suitable for any crops, incl. strawberries and root vegetables. With the constant use of the greenhouse, then you need 4 identical plots of land:

• under the greenhouse;
• Resting under steam;
• Planted with nitrogen fixers;
• Under open ground crops.

Conclusion #3: to build a greenhouse is still half, or even a third of the case. The main thing is to find and allocate a suitable site for it, taking into account the circulation of crops on your land and the availability of free space.

How to warm the earth?

Since ancient times, the land in greenhouses, as you know, was heated with manure. If the harvest went to the table, then exclusively horse. Others heat worse and oversaturate the soil with nitrates; the effect of their excess on health was noticed long before the development of scientific agrochemistry and the very concept arose.

Horse manure was valued as a biofuel even then, and if you think about its availability now, then an American joke comes to mind: Joe, did you hear? Tomorrow, a completely naked Uma Thurman (Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor, Angelina Jolie, etc. - all the same) will ride along Main Street on horseback! Wow, I'll definitely go check it out! I have never seen a live horse in my life!”

1. The steam comb is simple but least effective. It is used mainly in more or less warm places on cow dung for seedlings.
2. Steam furrow - uses the heat of the fuel more economically. It can also be arranged on cow dung, and crops that accumulate little nitrates can be grown on the sides.
3. Steam ridge - nitrates almost do not diverge to the sides, it warms the furrows better. It is used in combination with both film and hard cover. The disadvantage is that a lot of space is lost, because. nothing can be planted on the ridge itself. The steam bed is mainly framed by warm pits, see below.
4. Warm furrow - warms for a long time, but weakly. Most often it is made with onions and greens.
5. Seedling steam bed - seedling seeds are sown in the gaps between the ridges. On top you can plant onions, sow dill. If the seedlings are ready, and the biofuel has not yet decayed, ordinary garden cucumbers can be planted in between and lashes can be put on props on the ridges.

Technoheat

In Runet, they write a lot about electric heating of the soil. But, firstly, nothing of the kind is provided for by any electrical safety rules and electrical installations for household appliances, and this is not a purely formal ban, but caused by a lot of lost human lives. An electrical cable in the ground is not a warm floor in a house with thermal insulation. Secondly, electric heating is rarely used in large commercial greenhouses, it is uneconomical. And in small greenhouses, the ratio of the area through which heat is lost to the volume in which it is released is tens and hundreds of times higher. Here, in order to raise the temperature of the soil by 1 degree with an outside temperature of -5, it will take approx. 800 W/sq. m. How much you have to pay - consider yourself at your own rates. If the circuit breaker, meter and wiring can withstand such a current at 220V.

Meanwhile, with the same -5 “overboard”, the simplest, most primitive area of ​​1 sq. m in the middle latitudes will ensure the heating of the soil to a temperature at least allowing to save the plants, in an area of ​​approx. 3 sq. m, if you use the scheme shown in Fig. In this case, you can use old heating radiators: thin-walled steel collectors are used as a heat sink, and cast-iron "accordions" are best suited for heaters.

The heaters are installed before backfilling the pit (depth approx. 1 m) with sand on supports so that their warm edges are 15-25 cm higher than the cold ones. The supports must be strong, otherwise the heaters may sag and the circulation of the coolant will be disturbed. The presence of a filling pipe is mandatory; without it, the system will become airy when heated due to the release of gases dissolved in water. Please also note that the return is also insulated, although not as thick as the supply. The temperature of the water in it is higher than the ground, and this heat must be preserved.

Note: in case of long cloudy weather, with the possibility of frost, it is better to fill the system with antifreeze. The collector will also work from scattered light.

Land for backfill

To do away with the soil, we give 3 more well-known recipes for soil mixtures for bulk greenhouses. They are also in other sources, but their qualities do not change from this.

No. 1, general purpose:

• Peat land (rotted peat) - 6 parts.
• Garden, leaf or sod land - 1 part.
• Humus (can be from a compost heap) - 2 parts.
• Calcined or washed river sand (can be building) - 1 part.
• Slaked lime - 3 kg / cu. m.

No. 2, for bulbous, root crops, greens:

1. Sawdust (not resinous) - 5 parts.
2. Wood ash - 1 part.
3. Straw chaff - 1 part.
4. Peat land - 3 parts.
5. Immediately before landing, add 1 sq. m 20 g of potassium sulfate and 30 g of superphosphate or 10 g of wood ash.

No. 3, self-heating for flowers and seedlings:

• Nearly matured peat - 2 parts.
• Horse manure - 1 part.
• Straw chaff - 1 part.
• Contribute before landing on 1 cu. m mixture of 300 g of urea, 2 kg of potassium chloride and 3 kg of superphosphate.

Conclusion #4: depending on the presence or absence of additional heating of the soil, greenhouses are divided into warm and cold. Greenhouses backfilled with self-heating earth are among the latter. Warm greenhouses are able to ensure vegetation and fruiting at a consistently sub-zero outside temperature, and cold ones can be built when the tubercles wither after the snow melts.

How to build a greenhouse?

Coatings

The light-transmitting coating is the main structural element of the greenhouse, which mainly determines its effectiveness. Hard coatings are mentioned above: glass is more durable than PC, but it retains heat worse. In addition, the PC from ultraviolet (UV) deteriorates, so it is produced covered with a protective film on one side. During installation, it must be protected from damage and the sheets must be mounted with the protected side out. Greenhouses are lower than porches, gazebos and, therefore, the probability of damage to the protection of the PC is higher here, at least from grains of sand carried by the wind. The material under the damaged film becomes cloudy and cracks.

Films

For covering greenhouses, films with a thickness of 120 microns or more (in extreme cases, from 60 microns) made of polyethylene (PE), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyisopropylene (PP) are usually used. The latter for greenhouses are produced in the form of non-woven material under the names of agrofiber, agrofilm, strapbond, SKF-(numbers indicating the brand). Comparative characteristics of films for greenhouses are as follows:

1. PE- cheap and bad. Light transmits little, IR reflects unimportantly. Almost does not keep heat, does not save from frost. Serves 1 season; most often - in the spring to summer.
2. PVC- a little more expensive than PE, but in terms of optics with thermal engineering it is satisfactory. Provides plus in a cold greenhouse at - (3-5) outside. From UV becomes cloudy, becomes brittle. Serves 1-3 seasons depending on the insolation of the place.
3. EVA- a little more expensive, but quite resistant to UV. Optics and heat engineering like PVC.
4. PP- is produced milky white, but the light transmission is high, and diffuse, which excludes plant burns by direct light. Excellent reflects IR, also diffuse; this gives the maximum greenhouse effect. It allows moisture to pass through, so that soil greenhouses and pits (see below) under agrofibre can be watered through the film. It also selectively passes gases, so it is not necessary to lift the cover for ventilation. Resistant to UV and mechanical damage, serves more than 5 years, up to 10-15 years. Allows sewing on Velcro, buttons, zippers, installation of eyelets and other accessories. Quite expensive, almost like PC, but agrofibre is an ideal cover for a greenhouse.

Note: for the installation and repair of agrofilm, a special agroscotch is produced, which is kept in the open air for a long time. In addition, it is widely used in the construction of greenhouses.

Varieties

The main structures of greenhouses are shown in fig. Pos. 1 - primer film. This is the simplest greenhouse from only one film. It is built mainly for seedlings or, when using biofuel devoid of excess nitrates, for low-growing crops - radishes, lettuce, onions. The width of the ridges along the bottom is 20-30 cm. The height is either 35-40 cm if the film is laid directly on them, or 25-30 cm if the coating is supported by trellises on flyers, as on the right in fig. with heating circuits. Advantages - simplicity and cheapness; disadvantages - poor use of light, difficulty of care, and barely 1/4 of the total area under the greenhouse goes directly under the plants.

Note: the first 2 shortcomings of the soil film greenhouse can be eliminated by covering with agrofilm.

Pos. 2 - warm hole. Surrounded by a steam bed, can be covered with both film and glass / PC in the frame. Suitable for any undersized crops. The disadvantage is the poor use and high consumption of biofuels, because. more than half of its heat goes to the sides. Use is expedient as a help in commercial meat and dairy farming on cattle or goat manure. Sheep is not suitable for health indicators and heats very poorly.

About Russian pits

In this case, not about the pits on the domestic routes of communication, which are the talk of the town from Trediakovsky to Pelevin, but about the Russian in-depth greenhouse. At one time, the Russian greenhouse was a revelation for European farmers. It was from the “Russian pits” that the nobility of that time received a green onion, lettuce, dill, parsley, radish, strawberries to the table in winter.

The device and drawings of the Russian greenhouse are shown in fig. Greenhouse pits were usually made 3-4, which ensured year-round use: while 1 pit was warmed up after refueling, the rest produced products. An indispensable condition for the successful operation of the Russian greenhouse is the lining of the entire complex of pits with a clay castle with a drainage ditch, otherwise the biofuel will turn sour.

Note: instead of log cabins, it is now possible to lay concrete lintels for window-doors, trellis posts for grapes, etc. Instead of glass, insert a PC into the frames, this will allow you to raise the northern edge by 35-40 cm above the ground and grow tomatoes. And instead of silver-plated mirrors, use any flat shields pasted over with aluminum foil for baking. The earth above the biofuel is poured No. 1.

Pos. 3 - film tunnel on a collapsible frame. For beginner farmers, this is by far the best greenhouse:

• Simple and cheap, requires little or no building/carpentry work; see below for Snowdrop.
• Keeps enough fresh air for the plants to breathe at night.
• A large volume of air in the shelter gives a strong greenhouse effect, which makes it possible to build cold greenhouse tunnels, ready for action immediately after the snow melts.
• Allows you to grow quite tall crops, up to long-fruited cucumbers.
• It is easily transferred to another place, and the possibilities of land turnover are limited only by the available sown area.

About "Snowdrop"

The snowdrop film-tunnel type greenhouse of industrial production is probably the most popular in the Russian Federation and the CIS, and for good reason: retail purchase of components for a home-made analogue can cost more than buying a ready-made kit. Just in case, in Fig. a diagram of its device and installation is given.

Greenhouse "Snowdrop"

Please note that:

1. The advantages of "Snowdrop" appear only when covered with agrofilm;
2. If you bend arcs from water pipes of a standard length of 6 m, the span will be 1.9 m, and the height under the ridge will be 0.8 m;
3. You can connect the arcs with a ridge beam by tying it crosswise with a flexible wire or wrapping it with agroscotch.

Pos. 4 - cassette greenhouse or greenhouse-box. It is made exclusively for seedlings ground or bulk, because. completely depletes the soil in 1-3 months. Another drawback - poor use of light - can be eliminated with agrofibre coating. But in 1 sq. m cassette, you can grow seedlings for 12 even 20 acres.

Pos. 5 - greenhouse-house or butterfly. These are made either adjustable with an established turnover of the land (see above), or under intensively breathing crops: tomatoes, eggplants, vegetable (sweet) peppers, because. a film without a frame quickly deteriorates from frequent lifting and refilling.

Note: vegetable peppers from the nightshade family are not related to real peppers from the pepper family. So named because of some similarity in the shape of the fruit.

Bulk greenhouses, pos. 6 and 7 are most often built stationary on a solid frame. The coating is respectively durable, agrofibre or PC. Soil drainage is required; visible in pos. 6. In addition to the butterfly, other designs are possible, see below.

About greenhouses for cucumbers

Recently, in private farms, ordinary garden cucumbers with recumbent lashes are increasingly being replaced by greenhouse long-fruited ones: they need less land, they are high-yielding and never bitter up to the very “ass”. However, the cultivation of long-fruited cucumbers in open ground in most of the territory of the Russian Federation is impossible without shelter, they are thermophilic and cannot tolerate frost, therefore they are cultivated in greenhouses.

The greenhouse for cucumbers must, firstly, be high enough: the “long-fruited” lashes reach more than 1.5 m in height before they can be launched horizontally, see fig. Secondly, greenhouse cucumbers do not like to “steam”, this causes powdery mildew and other cucumber ailments to start on them. Therefore, the roof of the cucumber greenhouse should be flat so that the cool nighttime steam cushion from under it is weathered through the cracks here. In addition, horizontal rods are attached under a flat roof; cords hang down from them, for which the cucumbers cling with their mustaches.

As a result, a greenhouse for cucumbers turns out to be approximately the same as in fig. top right. However, less time-consuming variants of the tunnel type on lancet arcs are also possible, see below.

About the orientation of the greenhouse

Ridges of soil greenhouses lead along the north-south line. Tunnels, cassettes and butterflies are also oriented. As for the pits and single-slope structures (see below), they are oriented with a slope to the south or south-southeast, because. plants work most actively in the morning, using the nightly excess CO2.

Frames and structures

materials

Wood in a greenhouse rots quite quickly, so wood for building a greenhouse must be treated with environmentally friendly, i.e. purchased with a certificate, water-repellent compounds - water repellents. Popular for sheds, utility blocks, arbors, garden benches and country furniture, free mining is not suitable: additives introduced into engine oil should not get into food.

Note: when making a greenhouse frame from improvised materials, wooden structures must be disassembled and the parts must be impregnated separately. At the same time, you will sort it out with the replacement of unusable fasteners, so that it is stronger.

Stationary greenhouses are best done on a frame made of plastic pipes, they will ensure strength, durability and environmental friendliness. We will return to them, but for now let's see what we can do in a hurry.

Whatever

Finished, and very good, translucent coating give window frames. The greenhouse is small, so you can get by with 1-2-3 windows. However, unlike a greenhouse, it does not have high transparent walls, so it is better to make a greenhouse out of old window frames oriented to the south, to the left and in the center in fig. The second circumstance is that no matter what frames are at your disposal, the transparent roof must be made folding (lifting up), and not hinged or folding, as on the right in Fig. Through any vertical gap, all the warm air will instantly escape and the plants will be hit by cold, and the horizontal one can be adjusted with props according to the weather and local conditions.

Note: the optimal slope of the roof slope of a shed greenhouse from the vertical (90 degrees) -φ, where φ is the geographical latitude of the place; and (90 degrees)–φ is the angular height of the Sun at noon of the spring/autumn equinox. See below for a greenhouse with a heat storage.

A successful simple greenhouse; more precisely, its frame made of industrial wood waste is shown in fig. Its highlight is visible in Fig. slope of the ridge beam to the south by about 10 degrees. This gives, firstly, a better use of light. Secondly, the entrance must be made from the north side in the form of a vertical slot in the canopy with fasteners or Velcro. Then, by slightly opening the slot, we get effective ventilation, and there is no need to raise / lower the film on the sides. The struts are also set correctly, from the west, and the eastern slope is more gentle.

A very good greenhouse covering material is polyethylene terephthalate, PET. As you know, bottles and other containers are made from it. Relatively few bottles are required for a greenhouse, so it is better to use them as a whole, stringing them with “kebabs” on “skewers” ​​made of steel rod. How to do this (the technology is simple) is described.

As for the design, the best plastic bottle greenhouse is a clamshell, or a book greenhouse, see fig. left. Shields from PET bottles are excellent light concentrators, they reflect IR well; you need to cover the openings with a film only at night and in anticipation of frost. And during the day, the plants will be warm anyway, plus free gas exchange is provided.

For a long time on the frame

A long-term greenhouse is built, as a rule, on a frame made of plastic pipes. This frame is strong and lightweight; it is carried uncoated by 1-2 people assembled, if the greenhouse is mobile. The frame is placed on the ground, putting the ends of the pipes on pins driven into the ground; driving depth - from 40 cm. The formwork for bulk soil is attached to the pipes with clamps.

Pipes for the frame take plumbing PVC or propylene. The former are cheaper and serve in a frame for up to 10 years. However, arcs from PVC pipes can only be bent semicircular or, to increase the height by reducing the span, parabolic, pos. 1 in fig.

PVC is quite plastic and not very strong, and the roof ridge is the most loaded. If PVC pipes are connected here with a break, the fastening will not last long.

The most durable, durable, and gives more choice of options for building a frame made of polypropylene pipes. From them you can collect lancet arches, pos. 2 in fig. And their use, in turn, provides the following advantages:

• Using a simple plumbing right angle and self-tapping screws (item 1 in the figure below), arches can be made collapsible into corners and long parts that require little space for winter storage.

• From segments of 3 m each (halves of a standard 6-m pipe), an arch is obtained with a span of more than 1.7 m and a height of under 2 m, pos. 2. That is, it will be possible to enter the greenhouse, as in a greenhouse.
• The lancet arch ensures a high use of light, as a flat strip of coating on the roof, giving a large tangential (lateral) reflection, is absent. But on the slopes of the arch there is always a wide strip, which gives optimal refraction at any standing of the Sun.
• The high elasticity of PP makes lancet arches prestressed, i.e. increased strength. This makes it possible to use also prestressed PC for coating, as for greenhouses.
• A ridge beam from the same pipe is fastened from the inside with clamps, tying with wire or agroscotch, also pos. 2.
• In general, the frame comes out very durable and resistant to rain loads: there is nowhere for snow piles and storm flows to linger.
• The high height not only facilitates the care of plants, but also allows you to grow long-fruited cucumbers simply on stamens in combination with other crops, pos. 3, or low-growing valuable varieties of the same cucumbers, for example. gherkin, pos. 4.

About PC Coatings

In some regions, depending on local prices, polycarbonate for coating can be cheaper than agrofibre for a greenhouse of the same area. In such a case, in Fig. - device of a sub-fence / wall greenhouse under a PC for tomatoes:

1 solid sheet goes to the roof, no special fasteners are required. Height and width are given taking into account PC waste for processing and fastening. Where higher, tall varieties are planted, for example. pink, ordinary in the middle, and small, but very tasty (and expensive on the market) cherry tomatoes will fit below. The height and width are given approximately for the latitude of St. Petersburg, calculated for the summer. To the south, the height can be taken equal to the width, and vice versa.

However, PC is more suitable for covering "long-life" greenhouses on a steel frame with flaps. In this class, the usual butterflies, pos. 1 next. fig., are gradually being replaced by greenhouses-bread boxes, pos. 2. A greenhouse-bread box is better than a butterfly, not only and not so much as a great ease of care. In it, at any position of the valves under the arch, a cushion of warm greenhouse gases is retained for quite a long time, which greatly reduces the likelihood of plants catching cold during airing.

When planning the purchase or independent production of a greenhouse-bread box, you need to be aware of its weak points. The first is a hinge with fixation of the wings. This is a technologically rather complex assembly that requires precise manufacturing of parts while maintaining the resistance of the entire hinge to contamination. The second is the junction of the valves. A gap of 2-3 mm is enough so that the warm pillow does not hold, so the gap in the joint should be of a minimum width and sealed.

Bread boxes, as you know, are not only with flaps. At pos. 3 shows a greenhouse-bread box in the form of a chest. He holds a pillow under the arch in the same way, but for home craftsmen, his design is preferable, because. does not require special care in manufacturing. Therefore, on the trail. rice. drawings of a simple greenhouse of a bread box-chest are given.

Breadbasket for the North

According to the scheme of another type of household breadbasket, a greenhouse with a heat accumulator can be built for a particularly harsh climate. It is suitable only for pot-container culture, but in places with soddy-podzolic or tundra-gley soils, it is not possible otherwise. In contrast to a heat-retaining greenhouse with lighting in the dark, the air circulation here is semi-closed, for which the heat accumulator itself (rubble stone, broken brick) is placed in a steel rod crate raised above the greenhouse floor, see fig. During the day, the lid is slightly opened, the flow of fresh air provides ventilation. At the same time, plants do not catch colds, because. cold air immediately mixes with the warm, heated Sun through the lid. The battery gains heat and releases it at night with the lid closed.

The slope of the lid from the vertical is equal to the angular height of the Sun at the noon of the equinox, pos. A, where φ is the geographic latitude of the place. It is not necessary to make a heat storage device from a seemingly quite suitable solid hollow red brick. As seen in pos. B, there will be no horizontal air circulation in such a storage tank, it will warm up unevenly and at night the cold part will take the heat to itself, but the plants will not get it.

The traditional design of a mini-greenhouse repeats that of a mini-greenhouse. But the modern mini-greenhouse is already different: it is either a light space frame covered with PET or EVA for flowers or a small amount of seedlings, or an individual greenhouse-umbrella for elite garden specimens, see fig.

Both designs are easily reproducible at home: a three-dimensional frame can be made from scraps of a metal-plastic pipe fastened with agro- or ordinary adhesive tape, and an umbrella can be made from any hard rod and fiberglass ends of rods or pieces of elastic steel wire, for example. bicycle spokes. In any case, it is better to dissolve PET bottles into sheets for coating.

Easier than a steamed turnip ...

...which can also be grown in a greenhouse. Finally, we will give options for greenhouses, as they say, completely out of nothing and for nothing. On fig. on the right is a mini-greenhouse from a barrel. How to do it, see the video.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the 3 most popular and simple ways to make a greenhouse with your own hands: manufacturing option from pipes, from polycarbonate and a budgetary method of manufacturing from improvised means. Each method has photo instructions and a detailed description of the manufacturing process.

To diversify your diet, provide your family with real natural vitamins before the new crop appears on the market, and with the right approach, even to deliver fresh vegetables and berries to the table all year round, you need to build

However, before starting work, you need to carefully think through all the nuances of the future process, thoroughly understand the issue:

• To begin with, you should immediately decide what area can be allocated for it.
• The second thing to decide is the functionality of the building - whether the greenhouse will work all year round or will it start to be used only in the spring. The year-round option will require much more effort and materials, as it will require the installation of heating, lighting, water supply and good ventilation.
• The next step is to select the type of greenhouse construction and the material from which it will be built.

And in order to decide which of their structures to build, you need to consider some of them in more detail.

Types of greenhouses

There are many types of greenhouses, and besides, on the basis of the general principle of their device, many craftsmen come up with own options for greenhouses or individual elements of this agrotechnical structure. Greenhouses can be conditionally divided according to different criteria, such as the shape of the structure, material of manufacture, stationarity or temporary construction.

Greenhouse structures

• The frame of the greenhouse can be made of boards, and the useful volume is protected by a lid in the form that can be opened. This type of greenhouse is suitable for growing seedlings or greenery, for its early delivery to the table.

• Another temporary type of greenhouse installed only for the spring-summer period, arranged from a wooden frame, fiberglass reinforcement and polyethylene film.

The simplest - temporary tent greenhouses

Such a greenhouse can last for many years, if for the winter period it is disassembled into parts and cleaned indoors. Changing the film to a new one will not present much work and high costs.

Video: the simplest greenhouse on a fiberglass frame

• Some craftsmen arrange a greenhouse in a large old barrel - it is also usually used only in the spring, but you can not remove it from the site for the winter, but use it as an open garden bed or flower bed.

• More difficult type of greenhouse amenable to forced heating, and it can be used immediately after the snow melts. This design is made of boards, metal-plastic fittings and a dense plastic film or. The advantage of this greenhouse is that you can go inside the building to monitor and care for the plants.

• Capital greenhouse, which is equipped with all the necessary equipment to provide the desired microclimate, allowing it to be used throughout the year. For it, you need to make a shallow foundation, a brick base and good insulation.

This version of the greenhouse can be attached to the wall of a residential building - then it will be easier to carry out all communications into it. It will be more convenient to take care of the plants at any time of the year - the entrance to such a greenhouse can be done directly from home.

• To save money in the winter, they often arrange a so-called thermos greenhouse. For him, a foundation pit is dug with a depth of 1700-2000 mm, which is then covered with a transparent roof. In this version of the greenhouse, the correct installation of the ventilation system is very important.

Although the work on arranging such a greenhouse is quite laborious, but this design will help save a lot on paying for energy resources.

roof shape

When choosing the shape of a greenhouse, you need to be able to understand the question of which of the roof structures will be the most effective for growing plants.

• gable roofs

Greenhouses with a gable roof are quite popular, as they are spacious, and it is comfortable for not only plants, but also gardeners to be in them. With the right design, installation and choice of material, the room will be illuminated by sunlight all day long.

Such greenhouses are often used as a winter garden, planting them not only and not even so much with vegetables, but with exotic plants. However, it will be possible to implement such an option if all the necessary conditions are created - there are reliable heating, irrigation and lighting systems.

• arched roof

This version of the arched greenhouse is easier to install than a greenhouse with a gable roof. In addition, this form, covered with polycarbonate or polyethylene film, perfectly scatters the sun's rays around the room, which allows plants to get maximum natural light.

A very important point is that due to the arcuate shape, precipitation in the form of snow does not accumulate on the roof, which means that the risk of deformation and damage from high loads in winter is eliminated.

A shed roof is well suited for greenhouses that adjoin one wall to a more massive building - a house or a high stone fence, always on the south side.

You can save money on the construction of this greenhouse, since one of its sides will be a ready-made wall, to which it will adjoin. In addition, it will be easier to carry out all communications in the greenhouse.

When designing a greenhouse with a shed roof, you need to choose the slope of the slope correctly so that snow does not linger on the roof surface, since an excessively high load can damage the coating.

Greenhouse covering material

Different greenhouse designs will require different materials, but there is always one thing in common - the material for covering walls and roofs must be transparent, allowing daylight to pass through.

This table contains information on the characteristic physical, technological and operational qualities of the three most used materials, such as polycarbonate, polyethylene film and ordinary silicate glass.

Technical and operational parameters	Cellular polycarbonate	Glass	Film
Installation complexity and weight	Lightweight, self-supporting material. It makes it possible to reduce the number of frame parts and even completely abandon the foundation.	Glass is a heavy material, therefore, if it is chosen for coating, the building must have a strong frame and a reliable foundation (foundation).	A very lightweight material that needs to be securely fastened to the frame.
Durability	The operational period of a covering checked by practice - about 20-25 years, the producer gives a guarantee for 10 years of its service. Polycarbonate, due to its rigidity, is itself an element of the load-bearing structure. Once fixed, it does not give deformation and distortions.	The material is durable if protected from mechanical stress and heavy loads (snow and hail).	The service life of the film is very short, at best - two to three years, as it is destroyed under the influence of ultraviolet rays.
Noise isolation	The material, thanks to its honeycomb structure, suppresses wind noise well.	With poor-quality installation, the wind can penetrate into the greenhouse, and the glass can make a ringing or rattle.	It almost does not create sound insulation, and in strong winds, it rustles in the wind itself.
Appearance	The aesthetic and modern appearance of the material will make the greenhouse even to a certain extent a decorative element of a suburban area.	Glasses have a fairly neat appearance if installed according to all the rules.	The material looks neat only in the first year after it is fixed, then the film becomes cloudy and collapses, especially if it is left on the frame for the winter.
Security	Polycarbonate is safe, does not break when dropped. It is 200 times stronger and at the same time 15 times lighter than fragile and rather heavy glass.	Glass shards are very dangerous if they hit the ground, as they can cause very serious injury. Therefore, for safety reasons, glass installation must be carried out with strict observance of all safety rules.	In terms of injury, it's completely safe.
Care	Dust is almost imperceptible on the surface of the material, and if it is heavily soiled, it is enough to wash it with water from a hose.	Raindrops can linger on the surface of the glass, and then, when they dry, they leave muddy marks. To wash off these stains from the surface, you will have to make a lot of effort.	It is not recommended to wash the film, as it will leave cloudy stains that will prevent the penetration of light.
Created microclimate	Polycarbonate perfectly insulates the room. The drops formed as a result of condensation of ascending vapors flow down the walls of the greenhouse, and do not fall on the plants or on the gardener's head. The material transmits and diffuses sunlight very well. The heat released by plants and soil does not escape through greenhouse covers, and therefore the necessary greenhouse effect is formed.	Glass does not provide the same high thermal insulation as polycarbonate, so the greenhouse effect is significantly reduced. The material transmits light well, but does not scatter it, and low-quality glass often starts to work like a lens, which is undesirable for plant leaves.	The new dense film creates good thermal insulation, but after working for one season, it becomes thinner and cloudy, therefore it loses its ability to completely retain heat and transmit light.

Given all these parameters, you can choose the material suitable for a particular greenhouse, which will best match the design of a particular greenhouse.

Prices for various types of greenhouses and arcs for them

Greenhouses and arcs

Preparing to build a greenhouse

Location on site

It is very important - to choose the right place for a greenhouse

Expert opinion:

Demidova O.V.

Florist. Landscape designer.

In order for the plantings in the greenhouse to receive the light necessary for their development for as long as possible during the day, it is necessary to correctly position and orient the structure on the site. The yield of plants largely depends on how long the beds will be illuminated with natural light. Therefore, most often greenhouses established in a completely open space or a transparent surface to the south.

Having chosen the desired version of the greenhouse, finding a suitable place for it on the site, correctly calculating your strengths and capabilities, you can proceed to drawing up a sketch and a small drawing.

greenhouse project

It is not necessary to draw all the elements along the ruler, adhering to the strict rules of drawing art. If the owner plans to build everything on his own, and makes a project for himself and his assistants, then it will be enough to draw a greenhouse by hand in such a projection in which one could see all sides of the building and put down the dimensions of all the main elements on them.

Territory marking

After drawing up the project, you can start marking the territory. This is especially important if you are building a thermos greenhouse or a winter greenhouse on the foundation, since both options involve a considerable amount of earthmoving.

The marking is done with the help of a rope and pegs, which are driven in along the perimeter of the future pit.

Pit and foundation

• If the option of a greenhouse-thermos is chosen, which can work all year round, then before you start digging a pit, you must carefully remove the top fertile soil layer from the marked area. This soil is laid in a separate pile, as it will then be needed for laying in a greenhouse.

When deepening the pit, if layers of clay are caught, then it is also folded separately from the mixed soil under the fertile soil. Clay can be useful for making adobe bricks, which can be used to insulate a greenhouse.

The depth of the pit should be at least 1700 mm, but usually it is deepened by 2000 mm. Exactly at this depth the natural geothermal heat rising from the earth is preserved, since here the soil never freezes. (Of course, provided that the greenhouse is not arranged in the northern regions of the country, where permafrost dominates relatively shallow from the surface).

The recommended width of the pit is from 2000 to 5000 mm, and the length is chosen as desired. You should not make the greenhouse wider, as it will quickly cool down, and much more electrical or other energy will be required for its heating and lighting.

In addition to the pit itself, a smooth descent is excavated, where the front door to the greenhouse will subsequently be installed.

• If a place is marked for the all-season version of the greenhouse, then a trench is marked and dug under the strip foundation with a width and depth of 300 mm.

Such a depth is quite enough, since the structure is not heavy and does not put a heavy load on the foundation. In height, above the ground, the foundation can be raised by 200 ÷ 500 mm, although sometimes it is poured only by 100 mm, and the rest of the wall is subsequently raised from brick.

Further, sand is poured into the trench and compacted, with a layer of 50 ÷ 70 mm, then crushed stone, with the same layer. After that, a formwork is installed along the trench, with a small recess in it, which is subsequently filled with mortar. Need to trace so that the concrete is poured tightly, without leaving air cavities - you can avoid this by “bayoneting”, piercing the freshly poured mortar with a bayonet shovel.

In some cases, support posts made of metal pipes are immediately embedded in the foundation, on which the remaining elements of the greenhouse will be attached.

• The third option for the base for the greenhouse is a wooden frame made of timber, which is impregnated with antiseptic compounds and placed on a sand cushion.

The simplest greenhouse base is a wooden frame on a sand cushion

Installation of greenhouses

Having dealt with the base for greenhouses, you can proceed to the installation of the selected option.

Do-it-yourself greenhouse rating

	A photo	Name	Rating	Price
#1		Greenhouse on a wooden frame	⭐ 70 / 100
#2		Greenhouse thermos	⭐ 84 / 100
#3		Greenhouse on the foundation	⭐ 96 / 100

3. Greenhouse on wood frame

• no concrete foundation required;
• easy to do by hand.

• strong winds can destroy the structure.

A greenhouse that does not require a concrete foundation, and a solid wooden frame is the basis, is the easiest to install.

• The base box, made of timber with a cross section of approximately 200 × 150 mm, is laid on a flat prepared area covered with sand. The base should fit snugly to the surface of the earth with its entire area. Therefore, if a gap is found between it and the soil surface when laying the frame, then it will need to be repaired with stone linings. It is necessary to level the frame according to the level, otherwise the greenhouse will stand unevenly and unstable.
• After the box is leveled, pieces of reinforcement 700 mm long are driven into the ground along its inner corners. This measure is necessary to fix the base in place.

• The next stage along the box along its long side, pieces of reinforcement are driven into the ground, which should go into the ground by 700 ÷ 800 mm, and 600 ÷ 700 mm should remain above the surface.

The fittings are driven in at a distance of 500 ÷ 700 mm from each other and exactly opposite the same rods driven in from the other side of the box, as they will become the basis for fixing the pipes.

• Further, pre-prepared metal-plastic pipes of the required length are put on the fittings sticking out of the ground. It turns out a kind of arcade, which will become the basis for a transparent coating.

• In order for the pipes to stand tightly in one place, it is recommended to fix them with metal loops, which are screwed to the box with self-tapping screws.

... and fixing them to the box

• If the structure turns out to be voluminous, then it must be strengthened along the end sides, since they must stand rigidly. This frame will not only add rigidity, but also form a doorway.

To do this, bars are vertically installed with a section of 50 × 50 mm, and then they are fastened in several places with horizontal crossbars.

Sometimes, knowing that transverse fasteners are indispensable, pipes for arches are fastened with cross adapters, into which pipe sections are installed horizontally.

Greenhouse prices

Another option for stiffening the structure is to fasten the entire arcade at the top of the vault with one common pipe.

Sometimes one central “ridge” pipe is enough

Fastening is carried out with wire, plastic clamps - “ties” or construction tape.

Fastening pipes together with a plastic clamp - "tie"

• Further, the frame obtained from the pipes is covered with a very dense polyethylene film. It is laid with an overlap of 200 ÷ 250 mm. In the lower part, the film is fixed to a wooden box using a construction stapler and staples.

First, the film is stretched onto the arcade, and then attached to the end sides. In the doorway, the film is bent inside the greenhouse.

• The door to the greenhouse should be light, but at the same time have a rigid structure. It is mounted from a bar 50 × 30 mm, and to prevent its deformation, one or two slats are fixed diagonally. Then the resulting "door leaf" is covered with plastic wrap.

The door is hung on appropriate, prepared for her opening with hinges. In the same way as the door, window openings are also mounted, which are located closer to the ceiling on the opposite side of the greenhouse from the doorway. This should create a flowing natural air circulation.

Video: an easy-to-use version of a compact seasonal greenhouse

2. Thermos greenhouse

• the ability to grow crops and harvest until late winter;
• long service life.

• high cost of materials;
• long and labor-intensive construction process.

Foundation for walls

• After the foundation pit for the greenhouse is ready, it is necessary to create along its perimeter. For this, a trench is dug, and then all actions are carried out, similar to those described above, where the issue of the foundation for the winter greenhouse was considered.

• When the foundation is completely ready, you can proceed to laying the walls, not forgetting to install one or two ventilation pipes. They are mounted in the lower part of the end side of the building, opposite the front door, at a height of 500 mm from the floor.
• The pipes, after installing the roof, are raised to a height above the ground, by about 1000 mm.

Wall masonry

Masonry can be made from adobe bricks, or from fixed formwork made of polystyrene foam blocks, the cavities of which are filled with ordinary cement mortar.

• If the latter option is chosen, then you can immediately get insulated walls, but in this case, the resulting structure will need to be separated from the ground with plastic wrap.

After the erection of stone walls, the gap between the soil and the masonry must be filled with clay, which should be well tamped. The scheme of the thermos greenhouse is well shown in the figure.

• The walls rise from the foundation above the ground by 500 ÷ 600 mm. If fixed formwork was not used for the walls, then they must be insulated to the depth of soil freezing (taking into account the climatic features of the region where the greenhouse is being built).
• Insulation can be laid on the outside of the wall, that is, between it and the ground. Therefore, the gap between them will have to expand and separate the insulation from the ground with a waterproof film.

If expanded polystyrene is chosen for insulation, and it will rise above the soil surface from the outside of the building, then it must be covered with waterproofing, and then with an external decorative coating. It is best if it is a material that is not subject to decay when moisture gets on it. For example, a plastic lining is suitable.

• Closing the insulation can be done in a different way - it is covered with expanded clay from the outside, and covered with roofing material on top. For this, corrugated board is well suited, which is fixed below polycarbonate or glazing. In this case, plastic film for roofing is not suitable.

Frame installation

The next step is the installation of the frame under the wall and ceiling covering with polycarbonate, since it is much easier and safer to mount it.

The frame is erected from wooden blocks or a rigid metal profile.

• First, on the walls raised from the pit, bars are laid and fixed with anchors, having a section size of approximately 100 × 150 mm. The rafters and the ridge beam must have the same cross-sectional size as the beams installed on the walls.
• A rare crate is attached to the rafters, about two to three bars per slope. In this case, it is necessary to ensure the rigidity of the structure.
• Further, sheets of polycarbonate are fixed to the crate. They are screwed with special self-tapping screws with a large cap (press washer) and a rubber gasket.

• Having completed the installation of the roof covering, the end sides of the greenhouse are sheathed with polycarbonate, and then the finished door is installed. It is desirable that it also has a glazed part.
• In addition, the upper part of the ventilation is mounted almost under the roof itself - a hole is made and a pipe is installed.

Building insulation

• It must be said that it is very important to leave open to sunlight that slope of the roof that faces the south side, since the sun stays there the longest during the day.
• The second roof slope is covered from the inside of the greenhouse, which will reflect the light that enters it through the transparent part of the roof. For this purpose, polyethylene foam 5 mm thick with a foil surface is well suited.

Approximate scheme for warming a thermos greenhouse - 2

Attach it to the roof rafters with wide-headed self-tapping screws. At the junction, the insulation is bent onto the wall.

• Further, all the walls of the greenhouse are insulated in the same way. Insulation on vertical stone surfaces is fixed on “liquid nails”, or a crate of thin laths is arranged on the wall and polyethylene foam is attached to them with self-tapping screws.

Insulated thermos greenhouse - inside view

The task that the foil coating should perform is not only in the reflection of lightinsidepremises, but also the preservation carbon dioxide, moisture and heat, which are vital for the photosynthesis processes that occur in plants.

Providing heating

To keep the heat inside the greenhouse for a long time, it is necessary to install doors on the ventilation openings.

The room can be heated in different ways - the electrical system "warm floor", convectors, and if the greenhouse is located near the house, then water heating can also be carried out from the gas boiler.

• If a “warm floor” system is installed, then before placing it, the bottom of the greenhouse must be prepared so that the energy does not go into the ground in vain. The system is usually mounted only under the beds, although, if necessary, it is sometimes placed under the paths between them.

The preparation goes as follows:

- a heat-insulating coating is laid on the ground. It is better if it is foil;

- a reinforcing mesh with cells of 30 × 30 mm is superimposed on top of the sand;

- a heating cable is fixed on it;

- it is covered with a sand cushion of 50 mm;

- a reinforcing mesh is laid on top of it again;

- 300 ÷ 400 mm of soil is poured on it.

All these layers are laid in formed beds, the sides of which are boards or bricks.

Most often they arrange along the walls, but if the greenhouse is very wide, then one more, additional, can be installed in the middle. It is advisable to make the beds at a slight angle so that the soil surface is slightly turned towards the transparent southern slope of the roof.

Polycarbonate prices

polycarbonate

• Recently, convectors have been increasingly installed in greenhouses to heat it.

Convectors - effective maintenance of the desired air temperature in the greenhouse

They have a number of significant advantages that are ideal for greenhouses and greenhouses:

- they dry the air much less than any other heaters, as they are designed in such a way that they artificially circulate warm air;

- ease of installation - the convectors are hung on brackets installed in the wall, plugged into the socket, and the desired temperature is set on the thermostat;

- a big plus - automatic switching on and off of the heater according to the selected temperature regime - and this is a considerable energy saving;

— the convector is compact and has an aesthetic modern look.

Before buying a large room, you need to look at the characteristics of the device and its power - only after that it will be known how many heaters will be needed for a specific area.

• Another heating option can be a long-burning cast-iron boiler with a water circuit.

Heating a greenhouse with a water circuit - an approximate diagram

To install such a system, you will have to work hard:

- It is necessary to install the boiler itself. Its installation is carried out in the greenhouse itself or in an adjacent room.

- A chimney pipe should be laid, which must be raised to a height of about 5000 mm.

- To pass the pipe through the hole arranged for it, it is necessary to well isolate the combustible materials of the greenhouse from the high temperature during the combustion of the boiler.

- Fill the system with water, install a temperature sensor in the greenhouse room.

Installation of this system can be called, probably, the most difficult of all other options, including - in comparison with the converter heating system.

When heating a greenhouse, you need to know that for the normal development and growth of plants, you need to maintain the air temperature within 25 ÷ 30, and the soil temperature - about 20 ÷ 25 degrees. In addition, an optimal level of humidity must be created in the greenhouse room.

1. Greenhouse on the foundation

A greenhouse installed on can easily function year-round if all the necessary conditions for this are created in it.

In this case, the assembly of the structure must be carried out with the utmost care, as the structure must be essentially airtight, except of course for the installed ventilation system.

• the longest service life;
• resistance to strong winds and hurricanes.

• high cost of materials;

For the frame of such a greenhouse, it is best to choose wood, since it conducts cold to a lesser extent than a metal profile, which is guaranteed to create “cold bridges”.

The frame for this type of greenhouse is mounted as follows:

- On stone or adobe, plastered walls erected 500 ÷ 700 mm above the ground, waterproofing material is laid. As a rule, this is an ordinary ruberoid.

- Thick wooden bars are fixed on it with anchors. Their width depends on the width of the walls, and the height can vary from 50 to 150 mm.

- The gaps between the wall and the bars (or metal profiles) must be sealed with mounting foam.

- Further, the work takes place depending on what material is chosen for the greenhouse - it can be the installation of ready-made metal-plastic frames or the construction of a wooden or metal frame.

- Then, double or even triple-glazed windows are installed in metal-plastic frames, in a wooden frame - frames from wood, with glasses already installed in them, or also double-glazed windows, and polycarbonate is most often fixed to the metal frame.

The foundation, floor and lower part of the greenhouse wall must be very well insulated. Therefore, in this case, you can take the "warm floor" system, the device of which is described above, but in addition to it, it is also recommended to install convector heating. It will maintain the desired temperature in the room well.

If the greenhouse is located in regions with very snowy winters, then when cleaning the yard from snowdrifts, it is recommended to fold the snow to the bottom of the greenhouse walls. Snow is a very good insulation and will help save on heating the building in winter.

For walls, you can choose thick glass 5 ÷ 7 mm or cellular polycarbonate 10 ÷ 15 mm thick. The honeycomb material has an air gap between the two main planes, which will work as a heater.

greenhouse lighting

Any greenhouse used in the cold season must be additionally illuminated in order to create a “spring” state in the room, since both the length of daylight hours and the intensity of winter solar radiation will obviously not be enough for this.

In order to save energy, light emitting diode (LED) lamps are used as lighting devices. They can have different shapes, but it is recommended to place them at the highest point of the greenhouse ceiling. Of course, if desired, you can equip the room with lamps, which are most often fixed at the junction of the roof and walls or high on the walls themselves.

It is possible for the clock to put a control unit with a timer and program on it the time when the light in the greenhouse should turn on and off. Such a system will help save energy and create the most comfortable conditions for plants.

If a greenhouse is used only in the spring and summer, then it is not difficult to build it, since it does not require the creation of any special conditions for insulation and lighting. The winter version of the greenhouse, on the other hand, is rather complicated in calculations and construction, and even in everyday maintenance, and usually such complexes are satisfied by those site owners who are professionally engaged in floriculture, vegetable growing or growing exotic plants. In this case, without

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