Such a phenomenon as a greenhouse private economy, in contrast to an industrial greenhouse complex, originated and became widespread in the seventies of the last century. We can say that greenhouses on household plots began to arise on the basis and likeness of greenhouses, where collective farms, state farms and agricultural complexes grew for Soviet citizens by March 8 the first long fresh cucumbers... There were queues for cucumbers, you could buy two cucumbers per hand. Citizens did not like this state of affairs. Those who had their own plots decided not to wait for favors either from nature or from the state, but to try to get an early harvest of their own vegetables. Obviously, for this it was necessary to create certain conditions for the seedlings, in particular, the greenhouse effect.
Private greenhouse farming spread throughout the USSR at an incredible speed. This structure, providing the plants with the necessary microclimate, was remarkable already in that it could be made from scrap materials and on our own. For almost half a century of existence, greenhouse designs have changed and improved, new materials (for example, plastic bottles) and original technologies have been used in construction. But the principle of creating a home greenhouse remained unchanged.
The structure is based on an ordinary bed with a frame installed on it. A base may be present, although it is dispensed with. On the frame, which is most often played by metal rods bent by an arc, some kind of covering heat-saving material is stretched. This is usually a plastic wrap, but today there are many options for its full replacement.
Differences between a greenhouse and a greenhouse
There are several significant differences between designs that have the same function.
- Greenhouses below 2 meters in height are usually not installed. Greenhouses are rarely built higher than 1.2 meters.
- Greenhouses are real "houses" for plants, stationary, with a fixed frame, walls, roof. The greenhouse is only a "temporary shelter" with a removable portable design.
- Operate a greenhouse, especially a heated one. The greenhouse is characterized by a short period of operation (usually early spring - by May there will be no trace of greenhouses in the summer cottage).
On a note! These characteristics greatly simplify the life of gardeners who want to help vegetables grow earlier and better, without spending a lot of effort, money and personal time.
Varieties of modern greenhouses
Today, three types of greenhouse structures can be distinguished. They vary in complexity and efficiency.
On a note! A greenhouse, unlike a full-fledged greenhouse, is not warmed up by anything (except for sunlight) and is not equipped with any equipment. But craftsmen they came up with a way to raise the temperature in it in the absence of the sun - this is the use of biofuel. Unripe manure is buried 20 cm deep into the garden bed, which, when re-heated, releases a fair amount of heat.
Table. The main types of greenhouses.
| Variety of construction | Description, application |
|---|---|
| Unheated ridge with arcs installed on it and a stretched covering protective material... This is the most simple variety, which, however, is very helpful in growing a full harvest of late-ripening peppers, eggplants, tomatoes and cabbage. It can protect not only seedlings in the spring, but also ensure the autumn ripening of the crop. It is collected in the spring, removed for the summer and, if necessary, re-installed in the fall. It can protect plants from frost damage to minus two. |
| Fresh manure mixed with straw is buried in the soil at the site of the future greenhouse installation. Depth - 15-20 cm (depending on the composition of the soil, the depth is less on dense, and on loose manure it is buried deeper). Be sure to use manure fresh, not humus. The bio-mixture is covered with a layer of working soil. The greenhouse itself is characterized by a small frame height - most often, no higher than half a meter. This simple construction is used for growing early seedlings. A variant of a naturally heated structure is a buried greenhouse. |
| This is a simplified view of the greenhouse, the design of which is removable or collapsible. Can be made on a wooden frame as a base. The frame is also wooden or metal, and the protective material is film, spunbond, glass, polycarbonate. This greenhouse is made in the maximum size, but still not higher than 1.2 meters. That is, in order to work in it without bending, the shelter must be removed or opened. It is used both for seedlings and for ripening vegetables. It can have not only an arched frame, but also a gable, shed. |
All variations of greenhouses solve one problem - early and good harvest... Depending on the capabilities and wishes of the owner of the site, as well as the materials available, the type of greenhouse is chosen. After that, you can proceed to the step-by-step implementation of the project.
Creating a collapsible arched greenhouse
In order to erect the simplest arched greenhouse on the site, you will need two pairs of hands, a free sunny day and following materials and tools:
- wooden boards with a thickness of 4 cm, 15 cm in width, and in length - depending on the length of the structure (or a bar with a section of 100x100 mm);
- PVC pipes - diameter not less than 25 mm;
- insulated wire for longitudinal ties;
- pieces of reinforcement about half a meter long;
- film, better than double density or reinforced (or lutrasil, spunbond, other);
- corners.
- nails, or better self-tapping screws;
- screwdrivers, screwdriver, hammers, axes, hacksaws (including for metal), knife, scissors;
- antiseptic composition for processing boards, brushes, gloves;
- perforated tape;
- tape measure, marker;
- old garden hose.
The advantage of using is that the miniature size allows you to install them on a small garden plot... However, when the seedlings grow up, they will have to be moved to a greenhouse or open ground.
Greenhouse building rules
The construction is done according to certain rules. First of all, you need to determine the place where it will be installed, as well as the size.
Step one: making the base
The reason should not be neglected. And although wood is not the most durable material and requires treatment with an antiseptic, the frame on the base will be able to stand more confidently, smoother, and the greenhouse will look much more attractive. In addition, the soil will not slide off the ridge during watering.
The base is made in the form of a box of a given size. Boards or beams are connected by corners using self-tapping screws or nails. The assembled box is covered with an antiseptic according to the instructions and left to dry completely. Then it is installed on the hail, previously leveled.
Step two: setting arcs
If there are no pieces of reinforcement of the required length (50 cm), they must be cut. PVC pipes also cut into three-meter parts. Further, inside the wooden box-base, on two long sides, the reinforcement pieces are firmly buried into the soil. In order to comply equal distance between the arcs, you must first make marks on the box.
The reinforcement is driven into the ground with a hammer 25 cm.Then pipes are tightly put on it and fixed with a perforated tape.
Step three: screed
It is imperative to make a screed, otherwise the arcs will deform over time and under the influence of temperatures, distorting the entire greenhouse. To make a screed, pipes are screwed to the central part of the arches (the ridge of the greenhouse) with wire. Optimally - one along the entire length, but you can make a tie by connecting several short pipes.
Step four: cover
The film or other soft covering material that will be used is measured with a margin. The material will not only need to be fixed on the sides, but also close the ends with it, unless otherwise provided (you can make the ends of glass or polycarbonate).
It is convenient to attach the film to the arcs with an old garden hose. Pieces of 15 cm are cut, cut lengthwise and put on a pipe wrapped in film.
Advice! To make the coating easier to manipulate, it is best to fix the film along the ridge. In this case, if necessary, you can fully open one or another side of the greenhouse so that the plants are warmed up in the sun.
An alternative option is an opening greenhouse made of plastic pipes
Here is another option for making a greenhouse from arcs, but without a foundation.
We drive flexible rods or PVC pipes into the ground. Before that, you should draw the planned location of the tunnel on a piece of land, due to which the pegs will be driven in exactly
We tilt the rods or tubes in the middle and tie them with a cord. The edges of the film are covered with earth. A cord is tied to the pegs first, and then the film
We strengthen the structure by connecting the following arcs with a cord, which will be tied to the pegs at the ends of the tunnel. After that, we stretch the film, which we sprinkle with earth on the sides, and at the ends we also tie it to the pegs.
Making a greenhouse on a wooden frame
This structure is considered more solid, although it is not much more difficult to make it. Instead of a film, glass or polycarbonate can be used as a coating, and a combination of materials is widely used - polycarbonate for walls and a film covering for a slope. The frame material assumes a different, non-arched structure. The simplest is single-slope design, which is also often used to create wall greenhouses.
Materials and tools:
- wooden bar for the box - 100x100 mm;
- wooden bar for the frame - 40x50 mm;
- wooden bar for racks - 20x40 mm;
- polycarbonate;
- film;
- corners;
- self-tapping screws for polycarbonate;
- screwdrivers, screwdriver, hammer, ax, hacksaws (including for metal), knife, scissors;
- antiseptic composition for processing boards;
- brushes, gloves;
- tape measure, marker;
- reinforced tape.
Building a greenhouse
Before starting work, you need to collect everything you need in one place so that it is at hand. Just as in the case of installing an arched greenhouse, you first need to determine the place, prepare the soil and find out the size of the future structure.
Step one: assembling the frame
The first is the lower frame, which will at the same time serve as an additional base box. It is made from a bar, fastened with self-tapping corners.
Corner posts are attached to a base made of a bar of the same section. In height, this greenhouse can be of the following dimensions: the upper skate ridge - up to one measure, the lower one - half a meter. Corner posts are made to the appropriate length.
The upper frame is mounted on the racks (the same 40x50 mm beam is used). Between the upper and lower frames, intermediate racks are installed from a thin bar for better fastening covering material.
The entire structure is impregnated with an antiseptic.
Step two: preparing the base
For a greenhouse of this type, you will need a foundation base. It can even be a concrete or brick (half brick) box, especially for wall greenhouses. But if you don't want to be engaged in pouring or building the foundation, it is enough to build a box from a bar - exactly the same as in the version of an arched greenhouse.
A ten-centimeter bar is fastened with self-tapping screws and covered with antiseptic impregnation.
Advice! If no antiseptic is available, the frame and base can be painted with waterproof exterior paint, several coats of stain or varnish. It is impossible to leave the wood without processing - in this case, the service life will be no more than two seasons.
The finished base fits tightly on the ridge. A frame is installed on it, fastened with screws and corners.
Step three: installation of polycarbonate walls
The material is cut into panels the right size... The ends are pasted over with tape. The panels are attached to a frame mounted on a base. If there are no self-tapping screws with a thermal washer, you can use the usual ones by placing a thin metal plate under them.
Step four: attaching the film
It is better to use a reinforced film. The roof slope with a film covering will provide better ventilation and easier access to the contents of the greenhouse. It can be spunbond or any soft roll covering material.
If growing seedlings at home is impossible, but the climate of your region allows you to do this right at your summer cottage, we suggest building a greenhouse for seedlings. With its help it will be possible to expel seedlings into as soon as possible.
The greenhouse is the simplest design... Most often, this is an ordinary arc, wooden or even wire frame, covered with foil, but there are more practical solutions.
Before deciding to grow seedlings in a greenhouse, make sure that the climate is favorable for this. For example, in middle lane it will not work to grow seedlings of blue and pepper in greenhouses, since the low night temperature will not allow this, but it is quite possible that you can raise seedlings of cabbage, radishes, tomatoes.
When to build a greenhouse
It is very important that the night temperature is kept at a level not lower than + 7 + 8 ° С, and the daytime temperature, at the same time, reaches + 12 + 15 ° С. This is often the middle of spring.
If it is difficult to guess the timing, there will be no special problems, just seed shoots will germinate a little later, say, not after 2-2.5 weeks, but after 3-4. But, as usual, the seedlings have time to get stronger by the end of April or the beginning of May. Here, only one thing is important - to use a high-quality substrate, prepared seeds, and also to follow the rules of cultivation!
Choosing a place for a greenhouse in the country
It is advisable to determine in the country a level and quiet place for a greenhouse. It may even be a playground in the garden, since while the seedlings are forcing, there are no leaves on the trees yet, and the shade will not interfere with the development of crops.
Try to keep the structure conveniently located, optimize its location as much as possible, for example, not far from a barn, a water tap, and so on.
Construction parameters
Before starting the construction, you can draw up a work plan or just a diagram in which to paint the optimal dimensions in length and width, choose the height and select the material.
This is the maximum comfortable sizes not only for work on the site, but also for construction. Calculated here minimum costs on the material, the load on the frame, the convenience of wrapping with polyethylene, and so on.
The simplest do-it-yourself polyethylene greenhouse
Right away we want to tell you how to build a simple and cheap greenhouse for growing seedlings. Today we need to take care of healthy planting material, and not about the beauty of the site or structures, and therefore we do everything correctly and save as much as possible (anyway, after growing the seedlings, we will remove the structure from the site).
So, in order not to spend money, we propose to build from scrap materials, you will only need to buy a film.
Arcs for the frame
Arcs can be used since last year, take extra ones from a neighbor, buy cheap and used ones. But if this is not possible, we make the arcs ourselves. It can be metal-plastic pipes that remained after repair, fittings, metallic profile, thin pipe, thick steel wire, medium diameter elastic tree branches. At least it will be possible to use even a wooden beam, but then we will get not arcs, but a rectangular frame.
Having determined the place and making the markup according to the parameters that we proposed earlier (or according to our own), install arcs or other elements of the frame around the perimeter. The maximum step between the arcs is 1 m, so as not to disturb stability and bearing capacity after covering with a film.
Greenhouse device
When the arcs are installed, you can fold a low frame made of wood or bricks under them, erecting, so to speak, high bed... This is necessary in order to lay a high-quality seedling substrate for planting, in which the seeds will not only give maximum germination, but also quickly turn into strong seedlings.
You can also tie the frame (arches or timber) to the bottom device to increase stability. Using a dozen clamps or a roll of knitting wire, you will make sure that the arcs with the film will certainly not fly away with the wind.
Covering with foil
We have already talked about, and therefore we advise you to choose a film for a greenhouse structure of approximately the same parameters. In short, it should be a material of medium strength and light transmission. Thus, the sun will warm up the structure well, the film will live for a long time, and the temperature inside will remain close to stable even at night.
It is advisable to buy the film from the roll, the parameters of which are most consistent with the size of the greenhouse. Stretching the film is very simple - the material is thrown from one side to the other, evenly stretched along arcs, and a load, even old bricks or pieces of pipes, is tied to the edges of the film below to keep the cover on the frame.
Now we just have to cook good soil, find out or remember the agricultural technology of plants, the rules for growing seedlings, and get down to business.
DIY greenhouse (video)
Greenhouse options for seedlings
Greenhouses in the country can be very diverse, and it is far from necessary to build an arc, if there are more interesting options, and for someone it is more convenient.
Polycarbonate structure
The most practical greenhouse that you can buy and simply plant the necessary crops inside. With him is the least hassle and only positive emotions... But apart from one thing - you will have to pay for practicality, and a lot.
Arc greenhouse made of film
This is practically the same design that we decided to build today, but it comes in a ready-made set. You just have to bring the kit to the dacha, place it on the site and assemble it. Convenient and fast, but again for the money.
Thermos greenhouse
We have studied the greenhouse thermos up and down, and the conclusions are unambiguous - an excellent model, functional and practical. Now you can build a similar greenhouse by referring to our scheme or by creating your own. It will be possible to cover the structure with old windows.
Simple greenhouse from the windows
A greenhouse from windows is also a passed stage, but now you can, relying on the knowledge gained earlier, create something similar for growing seedlings. The only difference is that the design will be several times smaller.
Wooden greenhouse with glass
The image below shows how to knock down the box and set it on the bricks. Good idea, especially if you cover it with glass then, and fill in seedling soil inside High Quality.
Cheap option for giving
There is nothing easier and cheaper than assembling a place for growing seedlings from scrap materials. Today these are old refrigerators and old windows. As you can see, it doesn't look very good, but it functions perfectly.
DIY greenhouse for seedlings (video)
A greenhouse for growing seedlings in the country can always be built with your own hands. Do not be lazy and give a great start to crops from which you expect to get a good harvest.
A greenhouse, like a greenhouse, is an integral part of every summer cottage. There is no opportunity to grow vegetables and greens in our region all year round, so summer residents prefer to buy or do it on their own different kinds such structures. And it is not always necessary to purchase expensive materials for this. Most of the craftsmen solved this problem by starting to use various improvised means, from which you can easily and quickly make a greenhouse with your own hands at minimal cost.
Variety and selection of scrap materials for the greenhouse
Currently there a large number of improvised tools that are ideal for building a greenhouse. You can build a temporary structure where you can grow seedlings, vegetables and herbs only in certain months, or you can try and make good lighting and heating in the greenhouse, and then it will already work out winter version, which will allow you to have fresh salads on your table throughout the year.
Pallet greenhouse
It is quite simple to build a greenhouse from wooden pallets, since exactly wooden structures can be found everywhere on summer cottages... Usually, for construction, a certain number of pallets are disassembled, and then a frame with a single-slope or gable roof... Also, the structure can be assembled from whole pallets using metal plates and self-tapping screws.
For greater strength, a mesh-netting or a regular assembly is fixed inside the frame. metal grid... As a cladding, an ordinary dense polyethylene film or a more durable reinforced and light-resistant film is often used.
Advantages:
- Fast assembly of the structure;
- Long service life with proper care behind a wooden frame;
- The ability to make a greenhouse of any shape;
- Strength;
- Good thermal insulation characteristics;
- Excellent light transmittance;
- Cheapness of materials.
Disadvantages:
From old window frames
Old window frames can be great building material... To build a greenhouse, you only need to collect a certain number of windows of the same size. Despite the seeming simplicity of building a greenhouse from such an improvised material, the complexity is still present. For a greenhouse from windows, it is necessary to make a foundation or a special supporting structure, clean it from old paint all wooden frames and cover them with various antiseptic and antifungal agents.
Advantages:
- Long service life;
- Ease of material selection;
- Structural strength;
- High thermal insulation properties;
- High light transmittance;
- Attractive appearance.
Disadvantages:
From plastic bottles
Plastic bottles have become an excellent building material for summer residents. They can be used to construct various architectural forms, including greenhouses. To build a greenhouse, you only need a certain number of bottles, material for the frame and a minimum of tools.
Advantages:
- Perfectly transmits light to plants;
- Does not let through snow and is resistant to strong winds;
- It can be operated throughout the year;
- Does not need heating and artificial lighting;
- Build quickly;
- You can grow plants from March to the end of November. Even in December, vegetables can be grown at a suitable temperature.
Disadvantages:
From a metal mesh
A greenhouse can be made from a simple construction mesh, wire or netting - a chain-link. Wooden boards are used as a basis here and metal supports on which the mesh or wire is pulled. A regular polyethylene film is stretched from above. For such a greenhouse, no foundation is required. This design is quite simple, but short-lived.
Advantages:
- Fast assembly;
- Cheapness;
- Minimum materials;
- Ease of construction.
Disadvantages:
From sleepers
Very often, when building a greenhouse, it is necessary to make a solid foundation. And many summer residents choose this durable material like railway sleepers. When does a greenhouse need such a foundation?
- In low soil conditions;
- The frame is deepened into the ground at a level below its freezing;
- Has a frame made of wood;
- Built on a slope, close to buildings, or vice versa, too far away;
- Provides for year-round use;
- Is too large.
All these factors speak in favor of such material. But the fact is that for durability the sleepers are treated with creosote, which is a substance hazardous to human health and at the same time exudes a very unpleasant odor. Therefore, it is best to purchase such materials that have already "served their time" and have been taken out of use. Naturally, the air and the sun will not make the sleepers environmentally friendly, but after a while the pungent smell can disappear and then the railway elements will be suitable for the foundation.
Preparation for the construction of a greenhouse from plastic bottles: drawings and dimensions
We will build a greenhouse from plastic bottles, since they have become the most popular and cheapest material at hand.
In this case, a special project and complex drawings are not required, since we only have to make wooden frame, and for this you need to know the height, width and length of the structure.
The length, width and length of the greenhouse will be 3x4x2.4 meters with a gable roof. Such a roof will prevent snow and rainwater from lingering.
We will need about 500-600 plastic bottles, stripped of labels. It is necessary to collect both transparent and colored containers in order to be able to use it with north side greenhouse.
It is necessary to decide on a place for a greenhouse, since this is very important for the development and correct growth plants. Usually a greenhouse is built in the south, southeast or southwest of the rest of the buildings. This is necessary to ensure maximum illumination inside the structure and to protect the seedlings from cold winds.
The territory must be cleared of excess vegetation, debris and leveled. The clearing area should be slightly larger than the area of the future greenhouse.
Calculation of the required amount of plastic containers
- For a greenhouse, we need about 500-600 plastic bottles of 1.5 or 2 liters, depending on the thickness of the walls.
- Wooden board or timber - two pieces of 3 meters and two pieces of 4 meters (section 10x7 cm). Railway sleepers can also be used for the foundation.
- Timber - 4 pieces, 2 meters each.
- Mounting rail.
Instruments
- Construction knife and cutter;
- Thin awl;
- Hammer;
- Electric or cordless screwdriver;
- Screwdriwer set;
- Nails and screws;
- Thick line, strong nylon thread and reinforcement;
- Any sewing machine (you can use a manual one);
- Building level, corner and 10 meter tape measure.
DIY step-by-step instructions for building
We will consider two types of plastic bottle greenhouses that have become the most popular among summer residents.
A greenhouse made of whole bottles: instructions and step-by-step photos
- Since the construction of the greenhouse is light enough, we will not do monolithic foundation, but we will dwell on the usual basis. Supports for it can be made of cinder blocks, bricks, foam blocks, gas blocks so that the greenhouse is slightly raised above the ground.
- Further, we make the base itself from wooden planks, beams or sleepers. It must be said that sleepers can make the base more durable and reliable, but it is necessary to take only those materials that have not been used for their intended purpose for a long time. We knock down a rectangular structure measuring 3x4 meters, and then install vertical supports from a bar with a step from 1 to 1.5 meters.
- We assemble the entire frame of the greenhouse and tie it up in the center with a bar at a height of meters from the very base. This is necessary in order for the greenhouse to acquire greater stability and strength in the future.
- Now we start assembling the walls from plastic bottles. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the bottom of each bottle with a knife so that they can easily be put on each other. It is necessary to cut off at the point of transition from the bottom to the wider part.
- We make the first row from bottles in which only the neck is cut off. We put all the bottles on the base next to each other very tightly so that the wall is “monolithic”. We fasten each bottle with self-tapping screws around the entire perimeter.
- Then we begin to string rows of dense columns from bottles using fishing line or strong nylon thread.
- In order for the posts to stand exactly, it is necessary to pull the fishing line well between the supports and nail wooden blocks.
- Then we fix each post on the upper beam of the wall, pulling the fishing line and fixing it on specially driven nails or screwed in screws. The received “wall” of bottles should be level and not sag.
- We will make a gable roof from plastic bottles. To do this, we knock down rectangular frames (2 pieces) of 3x4 in size and triangular (2 pieces) of 3x3x3 in size from wooden boards. In each we make a frequent crate of wire or mesh so that the bottles do not sag under the force of gravity.
- We also attach bottle posts prepared in advance to the frames. You can string bottles on thin fittings or bamboo rods, and then the roof will be more reliable.
- When the roof is assembled, we install it on the top of the greenhouse and fix it with metal brackets or in another convenient way.
- For greater reliability, we cover the roof with plastic wrap so that rainwater and the melted snow did not flow through the small gaps between the posts.
- We collect doors for the greenhouse from boards. Everyone chooses the width of the door at their discretion. We knock down the frame and also string the bottles on the fishing line and attach to the structure. You can sheathe the doors just with plastic wrap. We fasten the hinges to the loot and hang the doors. The greenhouse is ready for use.
Greenhouse made of plastic plates
- You can make a greenhouse from plates that we cut out of bottles. The dimensions of the frame are similar to the first option.
- Cut off the bottom of the bottle and upper part, and then we cut the resulting cylinder in width. It turns out a rectangular plate.
- There are a lot of such rectangular elements from the calculation of the area of all greenhouse walls. We make four canvases for an area of 4 walls of 12 sq. meters.
- You can even out all the plates with a warm iron, ironing them through a cloth or paper. We sew all rectangles using an awl, nylon thread or fishing line. But you can sew everything with a sewing machine. We must sew all the elements with a slight overlap.
- After the frame of the greenhouse is completely assembled, we put the canvas on one of the walls and attach it around the entire perimeter using wooden slats... They can be simply nailed down or screwed on with self-tapping screws.
- The roof can be made in the same way as in the first version and plastic sheets can be fixed to all elements. Or you can just pull on dense polyethylene. For the roof, you will need two canvases with an area of 12 sq. meters and two - with an area of 3.9 sq. meters.
- In order for the greenhouse to serve as long as possible, everything is necessary wooden elements treat structures with special antifungal and antiseptic agents and paint with any oil paint.
- It is advisable to pull the welding machine on all the walls of the greenhouse. inexpensive mesh in order to make the structure more durable.
- All doors, windows and greenhouse roof can be made simply from plastic film, which can be replaced if necessary.
- Each seam of the plastic sheet must be treated with a sealant so that they do not disperse over time and do not begin to pass moisture and cold air.
Video: Overview of greenhouses and greenhouses made of plastic bottles
A greenhouse made of plastic bottles will be an excellent option for your garden in order to grow in it for a long time. various vegetables, greens and even fruits for your family. You will not need to make great efforts or purchase expensive materials for its construction, but you will get a wonderful greenhouse for many years.
For each summer cottage or adjoining garden, the greenhouse is necessary construction for growing fruit-bearing plants and getting your own early harvest... The construction is simple, so almost everyone can make it.
Let's consider in detail how and from what to correctly make an effective structure, in what place land plot it is better to place it, as well as a way 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 country structures essential.
A greenhouse is a structure small size(height up to 1.4 m), as a rule, specially unheated. The greenhouse is heated passively with biofuel and sunlight.
Explanation! Biofuels are natural substances (manure, "unprepared" compost from leaves, etc.), which in the process of oxidative decomposition produce thermal energy!
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 with 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 - tunnel film shelters. They do not differ in large dimensions and height, therefore it is wrong to call them neither greenhouses nor greenhouses. 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 easy assembly is another characteristic feature of greenhouses. To build 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 available materials.
As a rule, a polyethylene PVC film (reinforced or simple) or a special covering nonwoven material, for example, spunbond or lutrasil, is used as a general covering for a greenhouse structure. Slightly less often, cellular polycarbonate is used or frames are made, like window frames, with transparent glass.
The greenhouse frame - its basis - can have completely different configurations:
- triangular;
- arched;
- as a "house" (a kind of miniature greenhouse), etc.
The material for making the frame can also be different. Most often used:
Read also: How to Choose a Garden Watering Hose?
- fiberglass or metal fittings;
- polypropylene pipes;
- wooden blocks or prefabricated window frames, etc.
Quite often, greenhouses are built as a stationary structure, although a temporary, collapsible shelter for grown plants can be installed.
Greenhouse types
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 required amount arcs of a certain size. Frame arcs can be made of any durable, flexible material e.g. thick metal wire (D from 0.50 cm) or polypropylene pipe.
You will also need a covering, heat-retaining material - a polyethylene film (reinforced or ordinary), lutrasil, spunbond, etc. etc.).
Recommendation! The arc bases are simply inserted at their ends into the ground to a sufficient depth or they are fastened to a wooden frame. The optimal distance is considered to be 45.0 cm!
To give greater stability and strength to the entire structure, slats (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 such an assembly, the greenhouse perfectly keeps its shape throughout the "garden season". However, with well-made arcs, you do not need to use these additions.
2. Express greenhouse made of metal or wooden gratings
When the arc version of the greenhouse does not suit and seems very unreliable, you can make a structure from metal or wooden grates.
It is as easy to assemble as an arc analog, 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 gratings, but they cost a lot of money;
- low height of the greenhouse. If it is supposed to grow only seedlings or early greens, then the disadvantage low height cannot be named.
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. Greenhouse out wood material very practical and comfortable.
To make such a structure, you must have minimal skills in working with a hammer and a saw for wood. The size and shape of the greenhouse being created is completely arbitrary. Everything depends on:
- available materials;
- place of installation;
- construction and assembly skills;
- plants that will grow in the harvested 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 that. Greenhouse out metal material can be performed in two versions:
- welded structure is a frame, all elements of which are securely fastened welded... The greenhouse turns out to be very reliable and durable, however, it will no longer be possible to dismantle it (the exception is dismantling with reverse welding of the joints);
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- collapsible - this is a greenhouse, the frame elements of which are bolted together. It is assembled in the spring, and must be dismantled for the winter.
Such a greenhouse can be made of any size and desired shape. Its main advantages are:
- durability, strength and stability;
- the ability to use cellular polycarbonate as a coating.
The most significant disadvantages are:
- rather high price value;
- the duration and scrupulousness of the assembly-disassembly, non-welded version of the greenhouse.
5. Do-it-yourself greenhouse from window frames
This version of the wig is considered experienced gardeners the best option, since it has a lot of advantages with a minimum of disadvantages and has highest efficiency.
Appearance and the design principle is clear to everyone, so we focus on considering a greenhouse made of large frames. In addition to seedlings, it is possible to successfully grow tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, peppers, etc.
So, to implement the idea of creating a high-quality greenhouse, we need:
- a pair of wooden beams or thin logs;
- window frames in the right amount;
- any brick and concrete solution 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 erected.
1. Height and width
These parameters depend directly on the dimensions used to assemble the window frames. You can make it both tall, in human height, and a low greenhouse - all at the discretion of the owner.
Important! All frames must have absolutely identical dimensions, otherwise during installation there will be difficulties with a high-quality fit of the edges of the frame elements!
2. Length
Highlight optimal length frame greenhouse is difficult, 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 impractical to build a very long greenhouse, since it will certainly be inconvenient in subsequent operation.
Assembly technology
First, adjustment of the dimensions of the timber and boards with leveling trims is required. Then wooden blanks are thoroughly coated (impregnated) with bitumen mastic or used machine oil to prevent decay of the material and the settlement of all kinds of insect pests.
A brick foundation with an elevated height of one brick layer is laid along the planned perimeter of the greenhouse being erected. After the mortar has set, a bar is applied directly to the foundation.
TO wooden beams from the inside, the boards are vertically fixed with self-tapping screws. The distance between the boards should be made slightly smaller than the width of the prepared frames.
By 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 planks, the top edges must perfectly align with the end surfaces of the vertical supports!
The next step is to attach the rafters to the ends of the boards with a "house". The created shape of the roof is made in such a way that rainwater drains from 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 at least one frame in the greenhouse can open freely. For this, the frame is "fitted" onto the classic hinges with the creation of a locking and retaining element (hook, latch, etc.)!
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Choosing a place to place a greenhouse
It is recommended to install a greenhouse structure on the site in the west-east direction. With this orientation, shadows from the support boards will be minimized, allowing the sun's rays to efficiently penetrate each plant.
In addition to the direction of the location, it is imperative to consider:
- the evenness of the site;
- good illumination;
- lack of blowing by strong winds.
Temperature regime and greenhouse heating
The best option is a constant temperature inside the greenhouse structure, maintained by natural or artificial means. Greenhouse heating can be done as follows:
1. Use of electric heaters
For a greenhouse the best option will be the placement of heating cables. A wire is laid under the fertile soil layer on the gravel-sand "laying". After placing the cable with a snake over the entire area of the greenhouse, the fertile layer (approximately 18.0 cm) returns back to the greenhouse. The system works from a regular network (voltage 220 V).
Prompt! To protect the wire from possible damage, it is recommended to lay a thin sheet of iron on it, and put soil mass on top of it!
This heating method is very effective, exotic, but not cost effective.
2. Solar heating
This is the most affordable, cheapest, simplest and most common option. No need for any additional devices... The main thing is to maintain the maximum cleanliness of the glass, polycarbonate or film surface.
3. Biofuels
The most effective, environmentally friendly, safe and affordable is a biological (enzymatic) method of heating the soil, as well as the inner space of the greenhouse. This method involves the use of manure, which, when naturally decomposed, generates a sufficient amount of heat. So, the most heat-producing is horse manure (heats up to 58 degrees during decomposition), and pork manure gives the least heat (heats up to 44 degrees).
The method of laying manure is simple. A layer of soil is removed to an approximate depth of 23-26 cm and an additional deepening is made by another 45 cm.Then, it is necessary to lay a layer on the inner surface of the foundation heat insulating material, for example, foam or mineral wool.