Do-it-yourself greenhouses: the best projects and recommendations. The best do-it-yourself greenhouse projects: summer and winter options Do-it-yourself greenhouse is the most convenient

Many owners of private houses dream of having a greenhouse on their plots. This agrotechnical facility will help the owners provide their family with greens and some types of vegetables already in late spring or early summer. Well, some greenhouse designs, involving heating and lighting systems, are used to grow crops all year round.

A do-it-yourself greenhouse can be built of wood and brick in combination with metal elements, have a frame structure, for example, made of lightweight metal-plastic pipes.

When implementing the idea, the place where the greenhouse will be installed is first determined. The size of the future structure directly depends on its area.

Next, you need to decide when this structure will be used - only in the spring or throughout the year. If the "winter" option is chosen, then you need to know that the construction will cost much more, since it will require more materials, and it will also be necessary to carry out lighting, heating, plumbing and ventilation.

Then, it is necessary to choose the material of manufacture and the type of greenhouse construction. To focus on one of them, several of the most commonly used options will be considered.

Varieties of greenhouses

The design of greenhouses, in principle, is not very complicated, so any owner of the site can build it on their own. To do this, you only need to prepare the material and tools. Greenhouses can be divided into types, based on various criteria - this is the material of manufacture, the shape of the structure, whether it will be stationary or temporary.

Greenhouse covering material

Several different types of materials are used to cover greenhouses. They should be transparent, may have shades favorable for plant growth. For example, which has become especially popular recently, sometimes not only colorless transparent is chosen, but also a yellowish or green tint.

The KINPLAST company offers high-quality cellular polycarbonate for greenhouses. The material has excellent technical and operational characteristics. KINPLAST is the leading manufacturer of polycarbonate in the domestic market. The line of cellular polycarbonate includes brands such as WOGGEL - a material created in collaboration with foreign colleagues; SKYGLASS - universal polycarbonate with excellent characteristics at an affordable price; as well as specially designed grades of polycarbonate for use in agriculture AgroTITAN.

Often glass is used to cover the walls and roof of the greenhouse. In terms of its structural structure and transparency, it is excellent for this room, but for the installation of glazing, it is necessary to create an especially reliable, durable frame structure, since this material has a considerable weight. Capital winter greenhouses are sometimes erected from metal-plastic frames and double-glazed windows, but such a structure will be extremely expensive.

Another option that is most often used to cover greenhouses is plastic wrap. It can be used for pulling on a frame erected from any material, as it has a very small mass. Recently, a special reinforced film has appeared on sale, which is more durable, and it is easier to fix it on the frame crate.

To determine the choice of material, you need to carefully study its performance characteristics, which are presented in this table:

Material evaluation parameters	Cellular polycarbonate	Glass	Film
Miniature
Mount and weight	It is light in weight and can be used in certain structures without additional frame elements, as well as without a foundation.	Glass has the heaviest weight compared to other covering materials, and when choosing it, it will be necessary to think over a reliable frame installed on the foundation.	Polyethylene has a very small mass, but requires special fastening. If the material is not reinforced, then it is fixed to the frame through special rails and additionally fixed with thin stretched ropes.
Durability	Polycarbonate as a greenhouse cover can last 18÷25 years, depending on its quality. This material is flexible and has sufficient rigidity to be an element of a self-supporting structure. Fixed to the frame, it does not deform and does not warp.	Glass can last a long time, as it is not affected by ultraviolet rays and moisture. On the other hand, glass is a brittle and inflexible material, therefore it does not tolerate mechanical stress, heavy loads and deformation of the frame structure.	Polyethylene has the shortest service life compared to other coating materials, as it is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, from which it gradually collapses. In addition, it cannot be called resistant to temperature extremes.
Noise isolation	Cellular polycarbonate well muffles the noise of wind and rain, thanks to its structure.	If the installation of the material is performed poorly, then during a strong wind gusts of air can penetrate inside, and the glass will ring.	The film will not protect the greenhouse from noise, and if the wind is very strong, the material will rustle a lot in the wind.
Appearance	Polycarbonate gives the building an aesthetic appearance and is able to make an ordinary greenhouse a real decoration of the territory.	Properly installed glass will give the greenhouse a neat appearance.	The film looks neat and remains transparent only for the first season of its use, and even then - not always. Then, under the influence of the sun, temperature changes and wind, it becomes cloudy and loses its aesthetic appearance and light transmission.
Safety	Polycarbonate has high strength, exceeding that of glass by about 200 times, and also lighter by about 15 times. When falling, the material does not break and cannot injure people inside or near the greenhouse with fragments.	Poorly installed glass is extremely dangerous for people working inside. In addition, if the fragments fall into the soil of the greenhouse, then you can seriously injure yourself during the subsequent tillage. Therefore, if the installation of glass is planned, then it is recommended to entrust its installation to professional craftsmen.	It is completely safe for people and for the soil of the greenhouse.
Care	It is easy to take care of this material - it is enough to wash it with water, setting a strong pressure in the hose. However, it should be noted that the dust on the surface of the polycarbonate is almost invisible, so the greenhouse does not have to be washed often enough.	Traces of raindrops remain on the glass, and dust is also well retained. To get rid of dirt on the surface, you need to make a lot of physical effort. It is especially uncomfortable and dangerous to carry out cleaning activities on the greenhouse roof.	The plastic film is not washed, because after wet cleaning, stains remain on it, and it becomes cloudy, which makes it difficult for the full penetration of light inside. The only way out in case of severe pollution is a complete replacement of the film.
Created microclimate	Polycarbonate is able to reliably thermally insulate the greenhouse and protect plants from the wind. Vapors deposited on the inner surfaces flow down them into the soil. In addition, the material not only perfectly transmits light, but also makes it softer and more diffused. The heat generated by the soil and plants is reliably stored indoors, which creates the greenhouse effect.	Glass is not able to create high thermal insulation, if it is not metal-plastic structures with double-glazed windows. The material perfectly transmits light, but does not scatter it, and sometimes even focuses on a specific bed, which is extremely harmful to plant leaves.	A dense new polyethylene film is capable of creating high thermal insulation, but over the season, under the influence of temperatures, sun and wind, it becomes thinner and loses its original qualities. Therefore, it is recommended that the film coating be changed every year.

After weighing all the "pluses" and "minuses" of materials, as well as taking into account the design of the intended structure, it will be possible to make a choice of the type of coating.

Greenhouse structures

Greenhouses have various designs - it can be a spacious room or just a large box covered with a glazed frame. Structures are also used, half of their height going into the ground. It will be possible to stop your choice on one of the varieties only after the owner understands the features of each.

• The simplest greenhouse design, which can be built from improvised materials, consists of an ordinary box, for example, 2000 × 1500 mm in size, assembled from boards and installed in a favorable area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe local area. For such a greenhouse, old ones are often used as a roof.

Such greenhouses are usually used for growing seedlings or greenery from early spring to late autumn.

• Another option that is simple and affordable in the construction of a greenhouse is a simple frame structure made of metal-plastic or polypropylene pipes, fittings, and sometimes even thick steel wire, covered with plastic wrap.

If plastic pipes are chosen for the greenhouse, then even women's hands can make a frame out of them, since this material bends quite easily and keeps its shape well.

A similar version of the greenhouse can be used throughout the spring-summer season, from spring to late autumn. The convenience of the design lies in the fact that by planting seeds under the film, for example, tomatoes, after germination and strengthening, the seedlings can not be transplanted. It is simply thinned out, and when a stable and comfortable temperature for plants is established on the street, the film is removed from the structure, opening the free flow of air and sunlight. In very hot weather, a special mesh can be quickly thrown over the created frame, creating partial shade, but allowing light to penetrate to the plants in the right places.

• A more complex structure, which is assembled from a wooden beam and covered with a film, can also be used throughout the spring-summer season. The dimensions of such a greenhouse can be different - they vary on how many seedlings are planned to be planted, and taking into account the convenience of the gardener.

In this design, a swivel roof is necessarily provided for access to the plants of sunlight and air. This is also a seasonal version of the structure, and it is advisable to use it only for growing seedlings, since in stable summer temperatures it is recommended to grow vegetables and herbs in open ground.

Video: homemade greenhouse on a wooden frame with film coating

• If you want to grow a small amount of greenery or seedlings, then you can make a greenhouse from a metal barrel, in which slots are made in the form of windows. A transparent polyethylene film is used as a roof in this design - it can be removed at any time by opening access to air, and if necessary, closed so that the night coolness of the off-season does not harm the plants.

• A more complex greenhouse design, in which it is already possible to install moderate heating and start using it in the very early spring. It consists of a wooden or metal-plastic frame. This is already a full-fledged room, and in it not only plants, but also the gardener will be protected from wind and low temperatures. Such a greenhouse can be covered with a very dense plastic film or cellular polycarbonate. When creating a pipe structure, you need to remember that it will turn out to be quite light, and a strong wind can move it from its place, damaging the seedlings, therefore, to bind it to a place, it is necessary to drive metal corners or reinforcement into the ground.

An interesting solution - the frame of the greenhouse is welded from very inexpensive polypropylene pipes and accessories for them.

• The capital structure of the greenhouse, equipped with heating and irrigation, can be used throughout the year. In order for such a greenhouse to work effectively, it is usually made of metal-plastic or aluminum structures and double-glazed windows, which are installed on the foundation.

This greenhouse is already a real capital structure

To make it easier to provide heating and water delivery to the greenhouse, quite often such structures are attached to the southern wall of the house. In this case, the building will serve as a kind of winter garden, which at any time of the year will delight the owners not only with fresh vegetables and herbs, but also with the color of ornamental plants.

Sometimes greenhouses are attached to the south side of the house, and they become real "winter gardens"

• Another option for a winter greenhouse, the design of which helps to save on heating, is a room that extends half its height into the ground. This building, due to its high energy-saving qualities, is often called a "thermos greenhouse". To achieve the desired effect, a foundation pit is dug for this greenhouse, going deep into the ground by 1600 ÷ 2000 mm. Additionally, walls 500 ÷ 700 mm high are erected above the soil surface, and then the entire structure is covered with a frame made of timber or a metal corner.

The work on the construction of a building is quite laborious and lengthy, but during its operation it will be possible to save enough on its heating system. One of the important points in the construction of a thermos greenhouse is the arrangement of not only a heating system, but also effective ventilation.

greenhouse roof shape

The next criterion by which greenhouses are subdivided is the shape of the roof. Insolation largely depends on this, that is, high-quality lighting of the room, and hence the creation of optimal conditions for growing plants.

• gable roof

Greenhouses with a gable roof can most often be found in suburban areas, since it is this form that contributes to the effective illumination of the room from above. Given the correct location of the greenhouse, the sun will “work” all day from sunrise to sunset, contributing to the growth of plants.

"Classic" option - gable roof

Therefore, this design is often used to create winter options for greenhouses, since at this time of the year the plants experience a shortage of sunlight.

• arched structure

Arched structures are made of metal-plastic pipes or metal elements. The first is usually covered with a polyethylene film, and the second option is most often covered with polycarbonate. Metal structures can be purchased ready-made, and they will only have to be assembled on the site. Well, a frame made of metal-plastic pipes is quite easy to make on your own.

The convenience of such a greenhouse lies not only in its maximum illumination, but also in the fact that snow masses and water do not accumulate on the arched roof, which means that the coating will not be subject to deformation due to heavy load. Again, it will not be necessary to climb to a height to remove snow from its surface.

• shed roof

One of the common options for a "serious" greenhouse is a strip foundation.

• Under it, according to the marking, a trench digs, having a depth and width of 300 mm.
• Since the walls of the greenhouse are not as heavy as those of residential buildings, a foundation depth of 300 mm is sufficient to withstand relatively small loads.
• Above the ground, the base can be raised to a height of 200 to 500 mm, depending on whether the foundation will serve as walls or they will be made of brick.
• A sand cushion 50 ÷ 70 mm thick is laid and rammed into the finished trench, a layer of the same thickness is poured on top of it, and crushed stone is distributed.
• A formwork of boards and timber is fixed along the trench, into which roofing material is laid, which will become an excellent waterproofing for the foundation.
• In the next step, the formwork is filled with concrete, it is distributed, and then pierced with a bayonet spade and gently tapped on the formwork to remove air from the solution.
• If the frame will be made of a metal corner or it will be needed to fix the wooden bars, then sometimes the support posts or pieces of the corner can be immediately embedded in the foundation.

The basis for the greenhouse-thermos

For a thermos greenhouse, it is necessary to dig a deep enough pit, and if you plan to arrange an agrotechnical structure of a large area, you will have to use specialized equipment, since such manual work will take a lot of time.

• After marking the site, it is recommended to remove the top layer of fertile soil from it. After removing the soil, they pile it up, because it is perfect for laying a finished greenhouse in the beds.
• When digging a pit, among the layers, you can stumble upon clay, which also should not be mixed with the rest of the soil, as it can be useful for waterproofing walls or making adobe blocks for warming a greenhouse.
• The pit is deepened so that the gardener working in the greenhouse feels free, and there is a lot of free space above him. In order to maintain the desired temperature in the greenhouse, and the soil does not freeze, it is recommended to deepen the pit by about 2000 mm.

If the pit is not deep enough, then you will have to raise the side walls, as it will be ideal when the total height of the pit will correspond to the growth of the gardener.

• The width of the greenhouse is usually from two to five meters. If the room is made wider, then it will quickly cool down, and a large amount of electricity will be required for lighting and heating. In addition, the construction of a transparent dome would be too complex.
• When digging a foundation pit, a descent ramp is arranged on one side of it, where, along with the erection of walls, a ladder of several steps and an entrance door to the greenhouse will be installed.
• To begin work on ennobling the walls, a base is made under them. To do this, a trench is dug around the perimeter inside the pit. After that, a formwork is arranged in it and in the same way as in the case already considered, a strip foundation is poured.
• After the foundation is ready, you can proceed to lining the walls with bricks or foam blocks. When laying, one or two ventilation pipes are immediately installed in the wall opposite the front door, at a height of 400 ÷ 500 mm from the floor.

The ventilation pipe is brought out and raised above the ground by 1000 ÷ 1500 mm.

• Separately, it must be said about the masonry, since in this case, it is produced in a special way.

- To save on insulation, instead of bricks or foam blocks, which are not cheap, you can use clay extracted from the pit, which is mixed with chopped straw and adobe bricks are formed from this mixture.

- If there is no desire to waste time, and there is an opportunity to purchase foam blocks, which are called fixed formwork, then you can immediately get "bricks with insulation." The blocks are hollow, and they are filled as they are installed on top of each other with concrete mortar. Choosing the latter option, you will need to separate the foam wall from the soil surface of the pit with roofing felt or plastic wrap.

After the solution in the blocks hardens, a film or roofing material is hooked onto it, and the gap remaining between the waterproofing material and the soil wall of the pit is filled with clay or a mixture of clay and soil, and when filling, it is periodically tamped.

- If a brick is chosen for wall decoration, then it is insulated from the outside with the help of foam, which is mounted between the brick and soil wall. Thermal insulation material must also be protected or roofing material. The resulting gap, as in the first case, is filled with soil.

• If the walls rise above the ground by 400 ÷ 600 mm, then they also need to be insulated and waterproofed. If desired, the wall protruding above the ground can be finished with a decorative coating - it can be clinker tiles or plastic lining for outdoor use.
• If the walls are not high, then after waterproofing they can be sprinkled with a layer of expanded clay, which is covered from above with corrugated board, fixed to the top of the wall. The corrugated board will provide an outflow of water that will drain from the greenhouse cover and keep the walls dry.

wooden foundation

Another material for the foundation can be wood, or rather, a wooden beam, having a section size of 100 × 150 or 150 × 150 mm. Such a foundation is suitable for a greenhouse that is used seasonally - from spring to autumn.

In order for such a foundation to serve for a long time, the wood must be treated with antiseptic and water-repellent compounds and installed on a sandy, well-packed pillow. Another option is to raise it above the ground using concrete slabs.

Construction of a thermos greenhouse

The installation of all greenhouses takes place in different ways, depending on the type of construction and the period of use of the structure, since the "winter" options require a more thorough approach and additional functions. Probably, it is worth considering this, the most difficult option.

• After the walls are ready, you can proceed to the installation of the frame under the greenhouse cover.
• The frame is mounted from a metal profile or a wooden beam.

• The first step is to attach a 100 × 150 mm beam to the walls of the greenhouse. Fixation is carried out by anchor fastenings or using embedded embedded elements.
• The rafter system must be assembled from a bar of the same section as the strapping. To install the rafter legs on the harness, marking is carried out, since the rafter pairs must be distributed at the same distance from each other.
• The rafters are fixed to the strapping with metal corners, and in the upper part they are interconnected using metal plates or using a ridge board.
• Wooden bars of the crate are fixed to the rafters, but with a fairly large step. There should be no more than two or three of them for each slope so that they do not block the sunlight.
• Polycarbonate sheets are laid on the crate, which are fixed to it with the help of special fasteners with bushings and rubber gaskets to prevent the possibility of leakage.

• Having completed the fastening of the covering material to the slopes, it is mounted in the same way on the gable parts of the roof.
• After that, the door frame and the door itself are installed. It is desirable that the door leaf also be equipped with a transparent insert.

Creating optimal conditions for plants in the greenhouse

Thermal insulation of the greenhouse

In a greenhouse with a gable roof, one of its slopes must necessarily go south. The second side inside the greenhouse is recommended to finish. Such a system will help not only to keep warm, but even increase the illumination inside the structure, since the sun, falling on the insulation foil, will be reflected into the room.

The insulation is fixed on the rafters with self-tapping screws, then it is bent onto the wall and glued to its surface using liquid nails. In the same way, all the walls of the greenhouse are insulated, only the transparent southern slope is left uninsulated, and the western end transparent side of the structure can be left.

It should be noted that foil polyethylene foam is an excellent vapor barrier membrane, and is able not only to enhance the lighting of the greenhouse, but also to keep water vapor and carbon dioxide inside it, which are the main nutrient medium for photosynthesis, which determines the growth and development of plants.

In order for the heat not to leave the greenhouse, it is necessary to create a reliable tightness of the greenhouse space. To do this, it is imperative to install doors or valves on the ventilation openings, on which it will be possible to set the desired gap as necessary or close them completely.

Greenhouse heating system

2. The coefficient of infiltration depends on the difference between the external and internal temperatures in the greenhouse. You can use the following table:

3. The temperature inside the greenhouse (indicated in the formula t1), is usually taken equal to:

• For growing seedlings - + 25 ° С;
• For the normal development of vegetable beds - + 18 ° С.

If some exotic plants are grown, then the corresponding values ​​are taken.

4. Outside temperature ( t2) are taken based on the results of meteorological observations in a particular region - the minimum during the coldest week during the planned season of using the greenhouse.

5. Thermal conductivity indicators ( wtp), that is, the amount of thermal energy that is transferred to the outside by a coating of 1 m² with a temperature difference of 1 ° C, depends on the type of material and its thickness. The table below shows the values ​​for the most commonly used materials for covering stationary greenhouses:

Material	Thermal conductivity (W/m²×°С)
Glass:
- thickness 4 mm;	5.82
- thickness 6 mm;	5.77
- thickness 8 mm;	5.71
Polycarbonate sheet monolithic:
- thickness 4 mm;	5.33
- thickness 6 mm;	5.09
- thickness 8 mm;	4.84
Polycarbonate honeycomb sheet:
- thickness 4 mm;	3.6
- thickness 6 mm;	3.5
- thickness 8 mm;	3.3
- thickness 10 mm;	3.0
- thickness 16 mm;	2.4

Having all the necessary data, it will not be difficult to calculate the required electric heating power of the greenhouse. Even easier - use the online calculator below.

Unfortunately, not the entire territory of Russia is conducive to growing their own vegetables and fruits for many months. In most climatic zones of the country, the summer season is extremely short, while many people strive to grow as many crops as possible on their site for their subsequent harvesting. In this connection, gardeners and gardeners willingly use greenhouses, with the help of which the growing season is extended, which makes it possible to harvest early and more plentiful. In some cases, if you have a well-built greenhouse, your own grown crops can be consumed all year round.

Of course, for these purposes, it is necessary to take into account a number of features, which we will discuss in detail in this article.

Peculiarities

A self-built greenhouse always warms the gardener's soul. The design can be of various sizes and shapes, and homemade greenhouses are no worse in use and functionality. The device can be easily seen on the diagrams and drawings, the materials for manufacturing can be different. Often, fiberglass reinforcement is used as a frame, there are also no problems with a removable covering material - basically, it is a plastic film, glass or polycarbonate. Given all these features, it is possible to build such a structure on the site in one weekend, and home-made buildings are in no way inferior in quality to those purchased in the store.

Pros and cons

Convenient home-made greenhouses are very popular among summer residents. The undoubted advantages include the fact that a self-made greenhouse in the country will cost relatively cheaply. A budget greenhouse can be made from different materials, the most important thing is to equip it with an opening roof and take care of the quality of lighting for plants. Speaking of the cons, of course, it should be taken into account that you will have to spend time studying the types and structures, as well as familiarizing yourself with the drawings and plans for building in the country.

Kinds

Greenhouses are designed taking into account the botanical characteristics of those plant species for the needs of which the greenhouse is built. These also include the amount of light transmitted and the temperature inside. The greenhouse can be both year-round and used in a certain season. In general, all types of greenhouses are suitable for growing a variety of crops - be it Chinese cabbage or flowers.

As a first approximation, greenhouses can be divided into the following categories:

• lean-to;
• gable;
• drop-shaped;

• domed;
• polygonal;
• Dutch.

• In most cases, shed roofs are used in the construction of greenhouses or winter gardens, since this type of building has a passage. As a result, it is easy to enter the premises without regard to weather conditions. This type of greenhouse is best installed on the south side of a residential building.
• Greenhouses with gable roofs are very popular in our country and are currently the most common design.
• A drop-shaped greenhouse is a very durable structure, perfectly transmits sunlight, does not retain precipitation in the form of snow on the surface, but it is quite difficult to mount it, so such greenhouses are rarely made independently.
• The domed greenhouse has a spectacular appearance and does not require a large consumption of materials, but its main advantage is that, due to the design features, it can be installed in areas with seismic hazard. The main tasks during construction are good sealing and high-quality insulation.

• Polygonal greenhouses are pleasing to the eye, perfectly transmit light and are not afraid of gusty winds. The difficulty during installation lies in the fact that it is necessary to carefully organize the space in order to evenly distribute heat inside.
• The Dutch version of greenhouses is reliable and durable. Due to the sloping walls, sunlight penetrates inside, which can significantly increase the yield. Among other things, this option is also quite budgetary.
• Recently, the so-called "booths" - a greenhouse that looks like a tunnel - have become widespread among summer residents. Most often it is erected for growing tomatoes and peppers. This type of greenhouse is functional, convenient, does not require large expenses, allows you to consistently get a good harvest, which allows you to call it the best type of self-built on the site.

Also, greenhouses are divided according to the principle of the possibility of movement:

• folding;
• stationary.

Folding greenhouses began to gain popularity relatively recently. Their advantage is that the lightweight frame is easy to fold and move to another place in the backyard if necessary. At the same time, the greenhouse itself is very ergonomic and has a low cost, which deserves the attention of summer residents.

Stationary greenhouses, on the contrary, have long become classics of the genre. To install a structure of this type, an underground foundation and a metal frame are required. Many people have long preferred this type of greenhouse, because over the years of operation in a variety of conditions, these designs have gained fame as strong and durable devices. There are no particular difficulties in installing such a greenhouse, and it is also quite easy to maintain it.

Also, greenhouses can be divided according to the type of initial characteristics - these types of greenhouses are named after their creator:

• greenhouse according to Kurdyumov;
• greenhouse according to "Mitlider".

Greenhouse Kurdyumov is an autonomous unit, otherwise it is called "smart". This design is distinguished by the possibility of automatically maintaining the temperature inside itself, a special plus is the presence of drip irrigation of plants, which does not require human intervention. This type of structure supports the possibility of natural restoration of the soil in the beds or in containers with plants. Mitlider's greenhouses are considered a special subspecies of greenhouses. Its distinguishing features are know-how in indoor air ventilation systems, a special arrangement of the frame - beams and struts create a solid structure for the covering material. Typically, such greenhouses are located from east to west, which opens up wide opportunities for the plants to perceive sunlight.

Natural boards are usually used as the main material for the Mitlider greenhouse., which makes it possible to "breathe" and prevents the formation of condensate. As a rule, such greenhouses are large, which gives an additional opportunity to create a special microclimate for the plants inside. Usually a greenhouse looks like a low structure with a gable roof with a difference in height. Another possible option is an arched building with a roof of two levels.

Another option for greenhouses is a three-row greenhouse. As a rule, such buildings occupy a medium or large area, the beds in them are located in three levels, two passages are located between them.

The farm greenhouse consists of a metal frame, over which a film coating is stretched. This type of greenhouse is very loved by the population, because it has a low cost, moisture-proof and resistant to environmental influences.

Many summer residents fell in love with a spherical greenhouse for its unusual appearance and excellent transmission of sunlight.

Specifications

When choosing consumables for future construction, be sure to pay attention to what time of the year the greenhouse will be mainly used.

Winter greenhouses must be equipped with a heating system, it is better to install them near the heating system of the house. In another case, as an additional equipment, you can put a stove in the greenhouse room, but this will create additional difficulties - the stove requires additional attention, it needs to be heated and, most importantly, make sure that it does not overheat, which is fraught with temperature fluctuations. A winter greenhouse must be installed on a solid foundation, among other things, this type of construction requires additional strengthening of the frame and roof in order to avoid possible damage due to heavy snowfalls.

It is also possible to build a so-called "thermos greenhouse" on the site - this structure can boast of a particularly strong characteristic, since its foundation goes into the ground by two meters. However, the installation of such a design has a number of additional difficulties - it is necessary to dig a pit for it, the foundation must be separately strengthened to avoid deformation, thermal blocks are usually used as the material for the walls, which will subsequently need to be insulated. All this is quite expensive, therefore, such greenhouses are rarely found on personal plots.

Summer greenhouses in the vast majority of cases are a frame on which a plastic film is stretched. This version of the outer skin is the most budgetary, and with careful use, the film is quite capable of lasting two seasons.

Creating the simplest greenhouse with your own hands at a summer cottage requires certain preparatory work.

The first thing to take care of is the preparation of the site for construction. Try to choose a site as flat as possible, it is also highly desirable that there are no obstacles to sunlight on it. Next, the site is properly compacted. If a tree is chosen as the base, then the prepared boards are treated with an antiseptic solution and knocked down around the perimeter. Reinforcement is installed in the corners of the boxes as an additional reinforcement. If for some reason it is not possible to allocate a separate place for the construction of a greenhouse, an alternative option would be to adjoin one wall of the greenhouse to any building - it can be a residential building or some kind of utility room.

When choosing a material for the frame, it is necessary to take into account all their characteristics. We must not forget that the frame itself and the doors must have special strength so that the structure cannot be damaged by winds, temperature fluctuations and snow masses during the winter period. None of the frame elements should be massive and prevent the penetration of light. If a collapsible design is intended, it should be made of lightweight materials and be able to be dismantled without additional effort.

Frames for greenhouses can be made of the following materials.

• Tree- the most environmentally friendly and easy-to-use material that does not require the use of any professional equipment and does not require specialized skills during the work. Since the tree tends to rot, special attention should be paid to its pre-treatment.
• aluminum profiles involve the creation of a rigid, but lightweight frame, while it is durable. This material has a higher cost, its use requires the use of equipment for fastening parts together.
• Plastic(as well as metal-plastic) parts have a low specific weight, are strong enough, and are not subject to external influences such as rotting or corrosive changes. Due to the flexibility, it is possible to change the shape of the parts, which provides ample opportunities for creating greenhouses with arches or two slopes. But it must be borne in mind that plastic elements require mandatory attachment to the foundation or ground.

• Steel frames are also quite widespread, but they require a strip fundamental foundation. If the elements are galvanized, they will last longer, as they are not subject to rust and corrosion.
• Drywall is a successful combination of low weight of the material and ease of work. Practice shows that a frame made of this type of material is inexpensive, easy to use, serves for a long time and is easy to disassemble. Gable, arched greenhouses, as well as Mitlider's greenhouses, are perfectly created from it.

Sometimes window frames are used as frames - which are characterized by excellent thermal insulation and relative ease of installation. However, it is worth considering their relative fragility - even with careful care, the service life is unlikely to exceed five years.

The next step in the greenhouse construction process after choosing a suitable location is choosing a suitable foundation. Its type directly depends on the weight of the planned structure, since in most cases the greenhouse frame weighs a little, and the covering material additionally adds windage to the building, which often causes destruction due to strong gusts of wind.

• The brick foundation is easy to install, reliable and quite suitable for most greenhouses. But it must be taken into account that laying a brick foundation requires specific skills and is quite a costly affair.
• Stone foundations are rightfully the most durable and strong. Heavy metal frames can be installed on it. This option cannot be called a budget option, as a rule, foundations for capital greenhouses are created from stone.

• Concrete is inexpensive and hardens quite quickly, but requires the creation of formwork and frame fasteners.
• A tree is often used as a foundation, but it should be borne in mind that a wooden base is not suitable for capital construction, since it is unlikely to last longer than five years even with the most careful care.
• In some cases, when building a greenhouse, it is quite possible to do without a foundation. These are portable greenhouses of small size, the windage of which is reduced by fastening directly to the ground with small pegs.

When choosing a coating material, it is necessary to take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of different types of materials.

Basically, the following options are used:

• polyethylene film;
• glass;
• polycarbonate.

The most affordable type of covering material is a stretch film. However, it cannot boast of durability and even the highest quality coatings require replacement every three years. A greenhouse with arches or arcs, as a rule, is covered with two layers of film, which creates excellent conditions for plants inside the building. The material perfectly transmits the sun's rays, but for the same reason it is subject to rapid wear and, as a result, a decrease in light transmission. In addition, very often condensation forms on the inner surface, which can also be attributed to the disadvantages of this type of coating. There are also options for a polyethylene film, additionally equipped with reinforcement. This option is stronger, more resistant to gusts of wind and will last longer.

Glass can be safely attributed to the traditionally used materials in the manufacture of greenhouses with their own hands. Glass coatings are durable and have excellent thermal insulation, however, it should be remembered that glass heats up very quickly and at the same time weighs quite a lot. A separate challenge is the replacement of broken glass.

Polycarbonate is a type of hard transparent plastic., which in structure is a material with large cells. It has sufficient impact resistance and light transmission, it is very flexible, therefore it is suitable for the construction of greenhouses with an arched vault or in the form of a tunnel. Since this type of coating consists of air-filled cells, it can be argued that it is the most thermally insulating among all possible options.

When considering this type of coating for a potential greenhouse, also consider the following disadvantages:

• when exposed to sunlight, the material will inevitably collapse;
• when carrying out installation work, do not forget that polycarbonate tends to expand greatly when heated;
• in the absence of protective elements at the attachment points, the honeycombs of the material will quickly fill with dust or mold, which will render the coating unusable.

When attaching, also consider the following features:

• mount the material in such a way that water can drain along the longitudinal strips from the inside;
• on one side of the material there is an ultraviolet filter - this side must be outside the greenhouse;
• fasten polycarbonate on specialized self-tapping screws with a thermal washer on them, pre-drill holes in the sheets.

Also note the following rules:

• Only transparent polycarbonate is suitable as a covering material. Despite the great aesthetic appeal of the color, it transmits the sun's rays much worse, this is fraught with the failure of the greenhouse to fulfill its intended purpose.
• Be sure to check the presence of a layer with a UV filter.
• Choose the thickness of the layer depending on the season in which the greenhouse will be used. In summer and autumn, the thickness of the sheets should be approximately 10-15 mm, in winter - at least 15 mm. Also, this value directly correlates with the strength of the frame - the greater the thickness, the stronger the supporting structure should be.
• When connecting sheets, use special profiles; the use of nails is strictly unacceptable.
• Sheets must not be overlapped.
• Pay attention to the accessories and do not try to save on them - the use of an end profile and end tapes will significantly extend the life of the greenhouse.

When choosing, pay attention to the manufacturer. Do not forget that the miser pays twice, so it is better not to purchase Chinese materials, despite their attractive cost. Among the well-established in the market in recent years, we can note the domestic company "Kinplast". This Firm offers a range of different coatings - from inexpensive to premium options.

Sheets of the Russian company "Actual" will last about 8 years.

This is an inexpensive option, has a fairly soft structure, is well mounted.

• The Russian-Israeli production "Polygal Vostok" offers a material that is characterized by rigidity, flexibility, ease of installation, but also has a high price tag.
• "Winpool" is made in China, very soft, fragile, inexpensive, you can count on a service life of 3 years.
• "Sanex" is also a representative of the Chinese market, rather hard in work, not very convenient for installation, will last about 4 years.
• "Marlon" is brought to Russia from the UK, the material is quite expensive, but it will last at least 10 years subject to the rules of operation.

Since the market at the moment has a huge number of options, you can get confused and choose among them not very high quality.

To prevent this from happening, pay attention to the following points:

• The surface of the sheets must be uniform and smooth, without any protrusions, irregularities and chips. Also, it should not fall into layers.
• The ribs should be at a 90 degree angle and in no case should there be any waviness.
• Try to find out from the seller under what conditions the material was stored. Improper storage conditions will quickly reduce its life. Sheets should be laid flat, but if they are stored upright on edge or rolled up, the quality of the material may be reduced.
• Some summer residents prefer a mixed type of covering materials. With this option, the side walls are usually glazed, and the ceiling is covered with a film. Some farmers prefer to cover the frame with spunbond sheets.

Separately, it is worth paying attention that it is not recommended to grow different types of crops at the same time in the same greenhouse - in other words, the same room is not suitable for seedlings and fruit and berry crops at home. This aspect must be taken into account when choosing the type of greenhouse. Arched greenhouses occupying a wide area will not bring much benefit. He considers the optimal size of a simple greenhouse to be 3 by 6 meters - it does not take up much space, in such a greenhouse you can easily grow enough strawberries, cucumbers or tomatoes for a family.

Preparation of materials

Before starting work, carefully study the best designs and drawings from the resources provided in the public domain - this will allow you to see the most complete picture of the opportunities provided. Of course, you can create a scheme yourself, but remember that this will require not only the investment of additional time and energy resources. In addition, an error may creep in during the calculations, which can lead to the loss of the quality characteristics of the greenhouse.

If we present the work execution scheme point by point, a general description of the construction stages will look like this:

• determining the type of building required;
• preparation of the scheme;
• creating a framework;
• carrying out preparatory work on the site of soil where it is planned to install a greenhouse;
• laying the foundation;
• mounting the supporting frame;
• fastening of a translucent coating.

When designing on your own or choosing among ready-made options, start from the requirements for the finished structure, as well as from the available materials and preferences in choosing crops. Most often, arched structures with a frame made of PVC pipes are located on personal plots - this is an inexpensive type of greenhouse, quite simple in execution. If a flat area is chosen for construction, it is best to stop at a model with two slopes. In the case when it is planned to put a greenhouse adjacent to the wall, it is more logical to make it single-sided. The base can be a geometric figure of various shapes - a square or a rectangle, a trapezoid.

Before purchasing the materials needed for construction, it is necessary to make a calculation. This will help prevent unnecessary costs in the future.

When the design is completed and the greenhouse manufacturing scheme is selected, it is necessary to start preparing the necessary components for future construction.

If we take the simplest option, which can be built in a couple of days, the set of materials will be as follows:

• Soaked with an antiseptic, treated with drying oil or burnt with a blowtorch boards. Please note that if you want to save money, you can not buy specialized tools, but use time-tested old-fashioned methods for processing wood and timber. If funds allow, of course, you can purchase factory chemicals.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. Before making a frame, calculate the required amount of material for construction. After making the calculation, add 10% in reserve, especially if you have to make a pipe bender.
• Durable polyethylene film - the more wear-resistant the material is, the longer it will not require replacement with a new one. You can also use polycarbonate sheets if desired.

• Metal rods or pieces of reinforcement one meter long.
• Self-tapping screws and nails.
• Hinges for fastening vents and doors.
• Fittings - handles for doors and windows.
• Special loops for fastening pipes.

If a decision is made to use HDPE pipes to form a frame, consider the following features:

• Pipes contribute to the creation of tightness inside the building, which creates favorable conditions for the ripening of crops.
• This material is easy to use and does not require special skills.
• With the help of pipe fasteners, it is easy to mount and dismantle if necessary. Thus, the frame is easy to assemble for a warm climate period and remove again when the greenhouse is not in use.
• There is no need to use additional reinforcement. The pipes themselves have good characteristics and are self-sufficient in use.

• Plastic, unlike wood or metal, is much less affected by the environment. Finished products do not have to be treated with anti-corrosion and other protective substances.
• The building may well last at least a decade.
• Since the material has a low specific gravity, the greenhouse can pump with strong gusts of wind. In this case, it is necessary to install additional metal elements in the ground to strengthen the structure.

Please note that metal corners can be used to strengthen the foundation., they will give the structure strength. This element is attached from the inside at the junction between the boards. If the base is made of timber, it is better to use metal brackets for fastening, which are mounted on the outside. The finished foundation should fit snugly into the soil. In case of cracks, sprinkle them with earth.

Assembly and installation

When mounting the frame into the finished foundation, metal reinforcement is driven into the ground from the outside at a distance of no more than a meter. Parts of plastic pipes pre-cut to the required length are placed on these blanks. To fasten them together, as well as to mount them on a wooden base, use screws or nails, self-tapping screws. To install the elements horizontally, as a rule, pre-drilled plastic sleeves, angles and crosses are used, which enable the pipes to cross the connecting elements.

When polycarbonate sheets are used as a covering material, the steps will be as follows:

• The protective film is removed from the sheets, the upper side is marked with a marker. For convenience in carrying out work, it is better to make several marks on each sheet.
• Make blanks for the end walls - for this purpose, a sheet of standard size is cut into three equal parts 2 by 2 meters. One of the parts is applied to the end in such a way that all cavities are located vertically. The left side of the sheet is aligned to the left edge, the contour of the required arc is outlined with a marker. A similar manipulation is done with the right edge, as a result of which the sheet acquires the contours of two semi-arches. After that, they are cut out with a jigsaw, leaving a tolerance of 3-5 cm, and the right end of the building is cut out in the same way.
• The cut parts are attached to self-tapping screws at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other. Try not to pinch the material too much. The excess is cut off with a knife.

• The third part of the sheet is used for the door and vents. The sheet is vertically applied to the doorway. The contour of the door is outlined with a margin, blanks are cut out and attached. The remains are used to close the space above the door. Joints are best fastened with special profiles.
• To cover the top of the greenhouse, the sheets are laid on arcs, aligned with the bottom edges and trimmed. The sheets should protrude slightly above the end of the building, then they are fixed in the corners.
• The second sheet is overlapped on the first one at the junction, the corners are fixed and put on self-tapping screws from the bottom edge at a distance of 40-60 cm from each other.

In the event that it is decided to cover the greenhouse with plastic wrap, the stages of the work will be as follows:

• The film is attached to the frame with staples or wooden slats. Fasten it in such a way that there are no tears in the canvas.
• It is necessary to cover the front and back of the frame with a film. In the part where it is planned to make a door, the film is bent inward.
• Re-measure the doorway, then you need to assemble the frame from the tubes. A film is attached to the resulting frame, the excess is cut off and the door is hung with hinges, the vents are designed according to the same principle. If glass doors are planned, carefully study the fasteners of glass to metal.
• This version of the greenhouse is suitable only for the summer. The next and final stage after the construction of the greenhouse is the preparation of the soil and the planting of seedlings.

As mentioned above, for the winter version of the greenhouse, it must be equipped with a heating system. Despite the apparent complexity, it is not so difficult.

The types of heating include:

• solar;
• technical;
• biological.

Technical, in turn, is divided into the following subspecies:

• water;
• gas;
• furnace;
• electric.

The solar type is based on the greenhouse effect, which is formed when natural light enters the greenhouse space. This heating option is used only in summer when the sun is active. In the cold season, to achieve the best result, a mixed type is used - a biological and technological option.

The biological species is used both in winter and in summer to heat the soil. The soil is removed from the racks, after which manure is laid on the bottom, horse manure is best suited, since during its decomposition a large amount of heat is released. Soil containers are filled with manure by a third. In addition to manure, you can also use compost - one of its components is also a waste product of horses. Pour all the earth back into the racks. When the decomposition process begins, the roots of the plants will begin to warm up. In addition, it will serve as an excellent fertilizer, since manure and compost contain many minerals for plant growth.

The electric heating method is also easy to use. For these purposes, a heating cable laid in a special way is used. Read the instructions first. Please note that the heating cable can be purchased with a temperature controller, so it will be quite simple to create the optimal temperature for seedlings.

Water heating is arranged as follows: the entire perimeter of the greenhouse is laid with a double row of pipes, which are looped into an electric boiler. To connect the boiler, it is necessary to lay an electrical cable. Please note that the boiler can stand inside the greenhouse or can be taken out to its limits. Experts insist that the boiler must be taken outside and pre-insulated. These manipulations are done with the aim of more uniform heating. You can also heat the room with a heat generator. The boiler is directly purchased in the store or you can make it yourself, but keep in mind that in the second case you cannot do without special knowledge and skills. Further, the procedure is similar - pipes are laid from the boiler under the racks, which are looped. Any solid fuel can be used as a fuel: coal, firewood, woodworking waste.

If gasification is present on your personal plot, heating can be arranged by means of gas burners or heaters, for this purpose they must be placed around the entire perimeter of the building. With a small greenhouse area, it is quite possible to use gas cylinders. If the greenhouse occupies a large area, then it is necessary to connect to the general gas system of the house. Gas burners create carbon dioxide, which plants need. To distribute heat evenly, fans are installed in the building. Burners can also be replaced with a gas factory boiler, but be sure to look at its country of manufacture.

As a heat source for electric heating of a room, aluminum radiators or electric convectors are used, which are installed at an equal distance around the entire perimeter of the building or located on both sides if the greenhouse area has the shape of a rectangle. This type of system is connected directly to the power supply or heating system.

You can also make a stove in the greenhouse, which is best located at the end of the building. A horizontal chimney is laid from the stove around the entire perimeter of the greenhouse. For these purposes, metal pipes or brickwork are suitable. When connecting the chimney and the vertical riser of the furnace, you need to make a small rise at the junction. The higher the riser, the better, because the stove will have good draft. With this type of heating, do not forget to prepare fuel in advance. You can put the stove in a pre-made recess in the ground.

In addition, a water oven can be made from a conventional oven. For this purpose, a boiler for water heating is installed on it, from which the pipes will go to the water tank. The pipes and the boiler are looped using wiring around the entire perimeter of the room. There is also another option - to collect pipes along each of the racks, thereby providing wiring for four different pipes.

We must not forget that plants require the creation of a special microclimate for their successful development and growth, special equipment will help to improve these indicators inside the greenhouse, with which you can increase the productivity and yield of grown crops. Additional equipment involves not only additional heating, but also the possibility of ventilation, irrigation and lighting. As you know, watering plants is a rather laborious process. An automatic system will help relieve the owner of a summer cottage from this hard work, while saving time and water.

Good room ventilation is extremely important in a greenhouse., as it prevents the formation of condensate and improves the overall microclimate, which undoubtedly benefits plants. Properly created air exchange will protect crops from overheating. For the natural movement of air, it is enough to open the doors and vents, an additionally installed fan or extractor hood will increase air circulation.

With a short daylight hours, additional lighting sources are indispensable. Special lamps will help seedlings get enough light in early spring or late autumn.

Best projects

Be sure to check out the best and most common options, you may have your own ideas.

For cucumbers

Separately, I would like to consider making a greenhouse for cucumbers as one of the most beloved vegetables. Any summer resident knows that cucumbers need warmth and high humidity. With the proper organization of protected ground, this vegetable is less susceptible to diseases and is able to produce a larger crop.

To get a rich harvest, the following requirements are necessary:

• daytime air temperature - no more than 30 degrees, night - no less than 16;
• soil temperature - about 23 degrees;
• calm air without drafts;
• humidity about 80%;
• high degree of illumination;
• insect access, if the variety involves bee pollination;
• strong structures for vertical movement of seedlings.

Due to the large number of details, the necessary climate is difficult to create in one room. Consider the general disadvantages and advantages of each type of greenhouse for a specific purpose - growing cucumbers.

The advantages include simplicity of design, ease of creation from improvised and existing materials. A small area and internal volume will provide good warming, it is well lit and easily accessible for insects for pollination. Among the minuses, one can note such characteristics as a low planting density - you can place a maximum of three pieces per square meter, inconvenience when cultivating the soil and harvesting. If you water the plants with a watering can, the water reaches the leaves, which can lead to a burn. The greenhouse needs constant opening and closing, otherwise the crops will overheat and die.

arch type with foil

The advantages of this type of greenhouse are that it is easy to build and does not require expensive materials, it has enough internal space for growing vertical bushes. The film coating retains moisture well, promotes rapid heating of the soil and air, and perfectly transmits light. Disadvantages: the film is a short-lived material and requires regular replacement, it has poor thermal insulation performance, therefore, in the event of early frosts, the greenhouse will have to be covered additionally. When building a greenhouse of this type, it is necessary to have vents, since drafts will inevitably occur when the doors are opened.

Coated with polycarbonate

Pros: high structural strength of the frame, high ceilings and ample interior space. Polycarbonate perfectly transmits sunlight, has an excellent ability to scatter it. Provides convenient conditions for watering plants and tillage, easy to harvest. The provided window openings provide good ventilation and lack of drafts.

Cons: high financial costs for the purchase of materials or finished products. Polycarbonate strongly reflects light, which causes energy loss. The coating and frame require constant maintenance; in winter, snow must be removed from the greenhouse. Difficult access to pollinating insects.

Gable with glazed wooden frames

The advantages are as follows: noteworthy design, which has already become a classic, demonstrates high thermal insulation properties. Good heating of the entire interior space of the room. Glass has excellent light transmission ability, when placing windows on the roof, the possibility of drafts is excluded. The ability to plant a large number of plants, the availability of convenient access to them. Among the shortcomings, it can be noted that the severity of the frame requires preliminary laying of the foundation. The tree requires mandatory preliminary and regular post-treatment, otherwise the frames will quickly begin to rot. It is also worth considering that glass is a fragile and traumatic material, and also does not have scattering properties at all, which can lead to burns of plant leaves.

With one slope

Positive characteristics: it is always attached to the house or barn on the north side, which ensures that the ramp faces south to receive the maximum amount of sun rays. The room assumes rapid heating and long-term retention of heat, and also gives scope for the choice of materials for construction. Negative characteristics: if the sun is active, it will be difficult to avoid overheating, curtains and a high-quality ventilation system are necessary. If a greenhouse is built next to the house, a prerequisite is good waterproofing and protection of the greenhouse from snow and ice.

Mitlider

The undoubted advantage lies in the special arrangement of the vents - they are located in the roof and facing south, which leaves no possibility of drafts and helps to maintain an optimal microclimate. The greenhouse is large, has high ceilings and plenty of space inside.

The disadvantages are related to the complexity of the design and the inability to build it yourself, without accurate drawings and installation skills. If the doors are closed, insects will not be able to get inside, either self-pollinating varieties are suitable for such a greenhouse, or you will have to additionally plant bait varieties. Among other things, the greenhouse requires close care.

in the shape of a pyramid

Pros: The center section is ideal for growing cucumbers vertically. It is well lit, easy to install, only budget materials are needed.

Cons: small area, inconvenient to care for plants. Insect access is difficult. The structure is unstable and can easily be blown away by the wind.

For tomatoes

Polycarbonate greenhouses create ideal conditions for the harmonious ripening of fruits. Tomato belongs to crops that love sunlight and heat, the optimal temperature regime for their cultivation is 22-25 degrees. If the soil has a high clay content, then humus, sawdust or peat must be added to the soil at the rate of one bucket per square meter.

Planted seedlings must be watered frequently until they are fully developed. If the nights are cool enough, it is better not to water the plants after sunset, so as not to overcool the soil. Watering from a watering can makes sense during the hottest time of the season. Next, the seedlings need to be cut and tied up, thereby ensuring uniform lighting and ventilation of the beds. With this growing option, tomatoes ripen much faster and it is possible to harvest a good harvest. After that, the plants are attached to wire gratings or pegs, giving them space for further development.

For greenery

In the cold winter period, there is nothing better than a bunch of fresh herbs, especially if it is grown by yourself. What is especially nice, greenhouse greenery is not too whimsical to care for and gives several crops a year. It is quite possible to choose the type of greenery based on your own preferences.

Most people who use winter greenhouses to grow herbs prefer dill, celery, and parsley.

• When growing dill, it is necessary to strictly observe the temperature regime - the thermometer should not fall below 15 degrees. In addition, dill needs constant spraying and does not tolerate drafts and cold winds, so be extremely careful when ventilating the greenhouse. The first harvest can be obtained in two months with appropriate care.
• When growing parsley, there are a few more nuances - firstly, this type of plant can be grown in the form of root crops or seeds. In the first version, the root crop must first be kept in sand, the temperature of which does not exceed two degrees, after which it is planted in highly moist soil. If it is planned to grow parsley from seeds, the seeds previously aged in a damp cloth are planted in the soil. As a rule, germination takes no more than ten days. The harvest is about one and a half kilograms of greenery per square meter.

• Celery loves well-fertilized soft soil; cow or chicken manure is perfect as fertilizer. The temperature in the greenhouse should be between 15 and 20 degrees. Watering for plants requires infrequent, but as plentiful as possible, and it is necessary to ensure that the water does not touch the leaves of the seedlings. Pay special attention to lighting, since the amount of harvest directly depends on the length of daylight hours.
• Many people are very fond of mint and are happy to use it in cooking. This type of plant tolerates frosts up to eight degrees below zero, while giving sprouts at the lowest temperatures above zero. Experts recommend using hydroponics or biological heating of the soil with peat as a soil. Carefully monitor the soil moisture, its drying is strictly unacceptable. If you plan to grow mint, it is best to equip the greenhouse with a drip irrigation system.
• Mint, like most crops, does not tolerate temperature changes, not only because sudden jumps can destroy plants, such moments can lead to a dangerous disease - powdery mildew. Also, for mint, extremely dangerous pests are spider mites and greenhouse whiteflies. You can defeat them by spraying the culture with industrial means or time-tested folk recipes.

For better engraftment of seeds in the soil, you must first dry them in a draft. If it is not possible to plant seeds directly, it is quite possible to grow seedlings at home and then plant them in the ground for 10-14 days.

Not all summer residents have the time and desire to understand the intricacies of the technology of building a greenhouse on the site with their own hands. At the moment, the market is filled with ready-made greenhouses of various options. The first thing to do is to decide for what purposes the greenhouse is being purchased. If we are talking about growing crops for family consumption, this is one thing, but if a summer resident considers a greenhouse as a way to increase his income and wants to put up the resulting crop for sale, the situation will be different. In the first case, you can get by with an inexpensive option, in the second, of course, financial investments will be much higher and the cost of maintaining a greenhouse will also increase.

• The protective layer on which the inscriptions are applied must be located on the outside of the greenhouse.
• To obtain the most durable structure, be sure (!) Pay attention to the location of the "honeycombs" of polycarbonate - they should only go vertically, in inclined structures - parallel to the slope.
• When creating arches, keep in mind that polycarbonate sheets bend only in one direction - in length, that is, along the line of stiffeners.
• The joints of the sheets should fall on the center of the frame rack, connect the sheets only in this way.
• Cut this type of plastic with a construction knife, jigsaw , grinder. You can also use a hacksaw or a circular saw.
• For strong connection of sheets among themselves special plastic profiles are used. Manufacturers do not recommend overlapping polycarbonate. In practice, in the manufacture do-it-yourself polycarbonate greenhouses cutting and fitting sheets perfectly does not always work. Some craftsmen generally manage to do without connecting profiles, placing overlapping polycarbonate. The most important thing is that the junction must necessarily fall on the center of the rack, and not sag in the air. Moreover, even with perfect installation under the pressure of snow, the sheet can be squeezed out of the profile. In the case of overlap, this does not happen.
• Powerful drill it is undesirable to use it for screwing in self-tapping screws - it will overtighten the fasteners and often slip off during operation. It is better to work with a conventional screwdriver. Polycarbonate is drilled at low speed with little effort. Next, turn off the tool, insert the screws and continue to work.
• The distance between the screwed screws is 25-70 cm. It all depends on the type of frame and the expected snow and wind load.
• When assembling polycarbonate structures, riveting is sometimes used instead of self-tapping screws. However, it will be more difficult to dismantle the greenhouse or replace the damaged sheet in this case.
• When the temperature changes, the plastic is able to change dimensions. When butt-joining between sheets, a small space of a couple of millimeters in size is necessarily left - a technological gap. Otherwise, cracks will form at the junction. For the same reason, the size of the holes for the fasteners is made a little larger. To prevent the plastic from cracking, do not twist them all the way.
• To compensate for expansion and protection from cold bridges, it is recommended to use special thermal washers for polycarbonate (self-tapping screws are purchased separately). It is allowed to use EPDM roofing screws equipped with a gasket or standard for metal with a rubber thermal washer, in which the thread has a small pitch.

Can be assembled with minimal effort. Therefore, today we will discuss the best ideas on how to make greenhouses with your own hands. We will show the best projects in photosets and master classes.

The first and most important thing, how a greenhouse differs from a greenhouse, is the lack of heating in the winter. The greenhouse structure is purely seasonal. However, in the southern regions, where the temperature is above zero all year round, greenhouses are constantly used.

There are several varieties of them. The most popular and easy-to-make greenhouses of the "Agronomist" type. Although such structures have different names, the design variation does not change - a simple low frame made of plastic pipes or wood, dug into the ground. On top of this design is covered with a film. Frames are made for reinforcement.

More "serious" designs are greenhouses with a sash opening mechanism. There are several varieties -, "Chest". All of them are shown in the photo below.

Also popular among gardeners are full-sized greenhouses for growing tall plants seasonally. Outwardly, they resemble greenhouses, but the main “ingredient” is missing - the heating system.

Related article:

Standard dimensions, what the design is, its advantages and disadvantages, the materials used in the manufacture, the features of the independent development of the drawing and the assembly of the polycarbonate greenhouse - read our publication.

Overview of winter greenhouse projects for do-it-yourself construction

In fact, you can make heated greenhouses and for giving your own hands, you can absolutely any configuration. The main thing is that there should be a complete tightness of the structure and be present. Also, another condition is the arrangement. It is desirable that it be monolithic and raised above the ground by at least 15 cm.

The best material for sheathing such greenhouse structures is glass or polycarbonate, which is more affordable and easy to process. At the same time, it keeps heat indoors more efficiently, which can also lead to stale air. Therefore, even at the design stage, it is necessary to think over not only the heating system, but also for the winter period.

Overview of the best projects for a do-it-yourself greenhouse heating device

The first thing to know about heating a greenhouse with your own hands is that not only warm air is important for plant growth. Therefore, the best projects involve ground heating, which will also provide more comfortable conditions. Consider what are the options for heating greenhouses:

1. - the simplest and most economical heating system in the device. Great for ground heating. But his device is more suitable for buildings located near the main house.
2. Electricity- a very expensive way of heating, if we consider it in a variation of the heat supply from. Another thing is if a pump organizes a heating system that works with water, soil or air. If there is a body of water nearby, then it is best to use the “water-water” scheme. "Soil-water" is the most expensive option, but also effective. “Air-water” is cheaper, but it is tied to climatic conditions. In frosts from -25 ° C, the system fails.
3. Gas- Another common method of heating greenhouses. And the cheapest, which may not seem at first glance. But there is one caveat, when heated with gas, a large amount of carbon dioxide is emitted, so there is a risk of burning the air. Therefore, the system is always arranged for .
4. biofuel- the most economical and easiest way to do-it-yourself heating. In the process of decay, heat is released, which is necessary for the growth of plants. Humus is simply laid under the ground, and after a few months it is updated. True, in the northern regions of the country this method is not enough. You can use it for small areas of greenhouses.

The video below will tell you how to choose the best way to heat a do-it-yourself greenhouse.

What is the "skeleton" of greenhouses and greenhouses made of?

Frames for both greenhouses and hotbeds are made of the same materials:

1. Tree- not the cheapest option, but reliable with proper design and processing. So that the frame does not rot, it is necessary that the tree does not come into contact with the ground, it is about 30 cm higher above it. Painting and varnishing is also required. But remember that wood is still an organic material that will shrink in a couple of years, dry out, and you will have to make repairs. Slowly moving away from the role of the main frame material for greenhouses and hotbeds.
2. Metal- a more reliable option for the frame. Apply both strips and profiles, painted or galvanized. Minus - the severity of the frame and the obligatory device of a good one. Perhaps the most expensive material for the frame of the greenhouse system.
3. plastic pipes- relatively recently they began to make various objects and spatial figures. As the main frame material for greenhouses and hotbeds, such pipes have shown themselves well - they are easy to process, light in weight, flexible, and the ability to manufacture even complex structures. They also need a foundation and additional reinforcement of the structure. Of the minuses, it can be noted that only films and a maximum of polycarbonate can be used as a covering material. Glazing such a frame simply will not withstand.

You can buy a polycarbonate greenhouse only with a metal frame. Manufacturing enterprises do not make such structures from pipes. This is the fate of perhaps "handy gardeners."

Polycarbonate is an ideal material for making simple greenhouses and winter greenhouses with your own hands.

A polycarbonate greenhouse today is incredibly popular. How did such material deserve people's love? There are several reasons why you should choose, which the video after the description will also tell about:

• a honeycomb structure filled with air makes polycarbonate a heat-retaining covering material;
• light transmittance;
• flexibility - you can sheathe a frame of any shape;
• accessibility of installation - easy to self-processing and installation on simple fasteners - self-tapping screws, bolts;
• durability - the service life can be up to 20 years;
• not exposed to atmospheric influences;
• resistance to mechanical damage;
• relatively inexpensive material.

Is polycarbonate the ideal building material? No, as we know, everything in this world is imperfect. One of the main disadvantages is flammability, under the influence of fire, and simply high temperature, it begins to melt.

Also, professionals in crop production, despite all the seductive advantages of polycarbonate, try to bypass it due to its high reflectivity. If there is one, then less light will pass inside. If this is not critical for greenhouses, then for professional greenhouses it is a real disaster.

Also, polycarbonate does not "breathe" at all. This, of course, is a definite plus - a stable warm and humid microclimate develops inside the greenhouse, as plants love. But, on the other hand, they also vitally need fresh air in any weather. This problem is solved by installing vents and others, walls and doors. However, if such a greenhouse is not opened for a long time, then the plants there can simply die from stuffiness.

Polycarbonate is a popular type of building material with a wide variety of species. And not every type is suitable for sheathing a finished structure. What you need to pay attention to:

1. Only honeycomb sheets are suitable, since they retain heat better due to the additional air gap, which is not present in a monolithic material.
2. Also pay attention to cells. Usually they are square in shape, but it is better if each of them also has a diagonal partition, which provides additional rigidity to the sheet.
3. It is also better to give preference to the usual transparent material, since it has the largest percentage of light transmission. Colored sheets can absorb it by 60%, which will only destroy the plants in the greenhouse.
4. Be sure to pay attention to UV protection, as prolonged exposure to the sun can warp polycarbonate. If the manufacturer claims that it is, but only inside, this means that its level is minimal. Sheets on which there is a protective film, with the recommendation of the manufacturer of mounting the sheet with a certain side outward, are the guarantor of the protective layer.
5. The optimal thickness for the device, both greenhouses and hotbeds of various modifications, is from 4 to 10 mm with a crate step of 700-1050 mm. These are the optimal characteristics that allow you to build reliable structures.
6. Also of great importance when choosing such a material is its specific gravity. The greater the weight of the sheet, the higher its density, which means that the strength will be greater. The optimal density is from 0.7 kg / m 2.
7. High-quality material does not allow any, even the smallest defects on the surface. Also, the stiffeners should go strictly in straight lines, no waves or zigzags.
8. If the sheets were stored correctly, it means that their quality percentage did not fall. Proper storage - the location of even sheets in a horizontal position. If the polycarbonate was on edge or wrapped in rolls, it is better not to take such material.

Related article:

. Dimensions, prices of products from leading manufacturers, characteristics, varieties, pros and cons of different designs, features of assembly and use, user reviews - read our publication.

The foundation is the head of everything, or when you need a foundation for greenhouses and greenhouses

The foundation sounds proud and solid. But is it needed when arranging greenhouses and hotbeds? It depends directly on the type and size of the structure. When building a mini-greenhouse, for example, "Khlebnitsy", laying the foundation is not required. Someone just puts such a structure on the ground. But this is not always advisable, since such polycarbonate structures are relatively light in weight. Therefore, it is recommended to mount it on, which, if necessary, are dug into the ground. Small ones are improvised, and are completely mounted without a foundation. For structural rigidity, it is preferable to “mount” the arches on pre-dug ones.

Today at the peak of popularity are growth arched greenhouses made of polycarbonate. In fact, the weight of such a structure measuring 3 × 6 meters is 100 kg. This means that approximately every square meter of the structure experiences a load of 10 kg. By construction standards, this is just a “ridiculous” load, which is not even taken into account in the calculations. But guided by the unpredictable climate of our country and the experience of summer residents, such greenhouses are blown away by a good gust of wind. No, not to the Emerald City, of course, the maximum to the neighboring site. But such an unplanned flight can cause a lot of damage. Therefore, when constructing large greenhouses, it is best to make full-fledged foundations on or sand blocks.

And, of course, a solid foundation is simply necessary for stationary greenhouses. Firstly, it will remove the load and distribute it evenly throughout the structure, which guarantees a longer service life. Secondly, even during a hurricane, the building will remain in place. And, thirdly, the foundations prevent the freezing of the soil, additionally the soil. Bases are made from those materials that are convenient to work with, and even more economical in a particular case, bricks, blocks, concrete monolith or tape, and even screw piles.

Attention! The type of foundation for greenhouses is chosen in the same way as for the main buildings - primarily by the type of soil.

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