How to make a greenhouse with your own hands, part 1. We build an inexpensive greenhouse with our own hands - successful projects in photos and videos

A high-quality frame and covering material are, of course, the basis of a greenhouse. But what's inside is just as important. To get the expected result from the plants, you need to take care of the arrangement of the greenhouse: prepare the soil, correctly arrange the beds and paths, etc. This largely depends on what and how you are going to grow under the protective layer.

When the greenhouse frame is assembled and fixed to the ground, film, glass or polycarbonate is formed into an airtight coating, ventilation is thought out and implemented, you can begin arranging the greenhouse. The task of a plant grower is to create a favorable and stable atmosphere for crops. The key nuances of this process include:

support for optimal thermal conditions;
laying out beds;
layout, choice of covering and placement of paths in the greenhouse;
creation of a fertile soil layer with specifications for different crops;
construction of shelving (if necessary);
preparation of devices for shading the south wall.

Advice. The equipment of the space inside the building is based on your needs. If you want to grow vegetables, create beds; if you want to grow seedlings and potted flowers, install a shelving structure. The principles for arranging different types of greenhouses differ.

Heating and heat saving in a greenhouse

The main thing in a greenhouse is warmth. Plants may well have enough energy from the sun's rays. The alternative is artificial. Experts recommend arranging greenhouses simultaneously with several types of heating:

gas;
wood, peat or coal using a stove;
electric convectors (an additional fan is required to distribute heated air);
water system (boiler heated by any type of fuel);
using a solar collector (a box with a coil covered with glass and a radiator system inside the greenhouse);
biofuel - burned manure, sawdust, compost.

Attention! In the latter case, the mixture must be burned in a special oven. If there is none, remove the top layer of soil and burn it directly in the garden bed and level the ground. Planting crops will have to wait 4-5 days.

Preserving thermal energy in a greenhouse is no less important than obtaining it. The main part of the work is carried out at the stage of designing and building a greenhouse, installing windows and doors. Some can be set aside while the greenhouse is being built. The simplest examples of natural heat accumulators:

Water. In metal or plastic containers it will accumulate and slow down the heat transfer. For greater efficiency, paint barrels or cans dark.
Stone. Cobblestones laid out on a bed at the edge of the greenhouse will heat up intensely on a sunny day, and at night they will release energy to the air. You can additionally install fan heaters to heat the stones.
The soil. Heating the soil in a greenhouse artificially will increase the overall air temperature in the greenhouse.

How to mark beds and paths inside a greenhouse

In small or medium-sized greenhouses, the ground is divided into 2-3 beds along the long side. The width of one should not exceed 1.5 m for the central one or 1 m for those located near the walls. You should be able to comfortably reach the edge with the hoe without stepping on the ground. It is not advisable to trample the soil - it becomes compacted.

Placement of beds

Also consider the width of the tracks themselves. They shouldn't be too narrow. You may have to carry water in buckets, remove weeds and crops in a wheelbarrow. In this case, you cannot cling to plants. The optimal size of the passage is about 50-70 cm. There is no need to make it wider - you will lose useful space.

Advice. A trick from gardeners: one path can be made wider for the described needs, and the second can be left for movement without loads.

On the central bed you can make 1-2 transverse transitions. Just lay a few bricks or a board directly on the ground. When installing passages, take into account the increased humidity level in the greenhouse. Choose non-slip material.

If you plan to grow plants in pots, install shelving with a height of 95 to 150 cm. It is advisable to make the side low, because such crops will most likely require drip irrigation. The rack may have several floors, but the worker should be at a comfortable height for you. Also reserve an area for a glass enclosed area. A large aquarium is suitable for this. Newly purchased plants should be quarantined in it (in case their soil is contaminated).

How to create a fertile layer

As a rule, delicate and capricious crops are grown in a greenhouse. The composition of the soil is very important for them. This is confirmed by video advice from plant growers. First of all, take care of the safety of the plants.
It is advisable to make the beds raised above the soil level by about 20 cm. To do this, they are framed with a border made of boards:

select material 25 cm wide;
place it edgewise;
drive in supporting pegs from the side of the passage;
additionally fix the boards in a vertical position: nail them to a support or make another row of stakes from inside the bed;
Cover the ridge with a 25 cm layer of soil.

It is best to use store-bought substrate as soil. It can be selected for a specific crop that you are going to plant in the greenhouse. Otherwise, the ground should be clear of weed seeds. In addition, it must be disinfected. For example, steam:

take the iron bucket;
place an inverted flat plastic container with a large number of holes in the bottom on the bottom;
pour 2 liters of water;
fill the bucket with completely prepared substrate;
put it all on the fire for 1.5 hours.

Advice. It is better to prepare the soil in advance, since the disinfection procedure takes a lot of time.

Homemade soil is also different for each crop. It is prepared based on the individual characteristics of the plants. Due to differences in the growing season, vegetables of different families cannot be planted in a greenhouse. But if this cannot be avoided, separate them with high partitions.

Greenhouse arrangement: video

A properly equipped greenhouse inside is the key to a good harvest and functional use of its internal space.

When making arrangements, it is important to understand that greenhouse shelving plays the same important role in the structure as the covering or frame.

If anyone believes that the frame and covering are the greenhouse itself, he is deeply mistaken.

A greenhouse is the entire complex of materials and assemblies, correctly selected and correctly arranged.
Otherwise, you will end up with an unknown structure that looks like a transparent hangar or house.

And in this case, you should not be perplexed about a poor harvest or the too high cost of the final product.

Growing Method Matters

The recent widespread use of polycarbonate coating cannot but raise the question - how to equip the inside of a polycarbonate greenhouse? (Cm. )

In today’s article we will tell you how to properly and most effectively set up a greenhouse or greenhouse of various shapes and purposes.

Our regular readers already know how greenhouses differ from greenhouses and that greenhouses are divided into certain categories. Some are used seasonally, while others are used all year round.

You need to start arranging a country greenhouse by deciding how you are going to grow the plants. They will be grown in pots, special boxes located on shelves, or you will create beds.

Interior arrangement - basic rules

There are beds - you need a path

If you plan to lay out the beds, and your structure is small, you need to lay a path exactly in the middle.
Thus, the beds will be located on both sides of the path.
The path must have a width of at least 500 mm, of course, you can arrange a path of greater or less width.
In the first option, most of the internal space will be occupied, which will negatively affect the number of plants grown, (See) and in the second it will not be very convenient for you to care for the plants.
Understanding this shows that the size in 500 mm is the most optimal.

Size and quantity

When arranging a path, it is worth remembering that the moisture level in the greenhouse is very high, so the path must be covered with a material that ensures minimal slipping. You can lay brick or pour fine gravel
When the task is to equip a greenhouse of a much larger area in this way, in this case we mean greater width, the best option would be to install several paths located in parallel. In this case, the beds will be located between the paths.

It all depends on the size of the structure; the main condition is the ease of caring for the crops being grown; you must be able to freely reach any of them without leaving the path.

Fencing paths - how to do it right

To prevent the soil from the beds from falling onto the paths, the beds must be fenced. You can use boards for this.

Before laying, treat the boards with a protective agent against rot and fungi.
The height of the side of the bed should be higher than the soil level no more than 20 – 30 mm. This is quite enough to protect the path from the soil and will not cause you any trouble when caring for the plants.

Soil – quality, an important factor

The soil used for cultivation should have moderate humidity and good air permeability.
Before filling, the soil for the beds must be cleared of weeds and disinfected with special antimicrobial agents.
Immediately add nutrients to the soil and move it thoroughly.
There is a wide selection of ready-made soil on sale that meets all of the above requirements.

We prepare the soil ourselves

If you decide to prepare the soil yourself, we offer you two options for preparing it.

The first option consists of:

Fine sand 1 part
Earth part 1
Humus 3 parts
Peat 5 parts

Our advice is to add lime to the resulting mixture. The proportions are as follows: three kilograms of lime are added to each m3 of the mixture.

Option #2:

Finely chopped straw 1 part
Peat 2 parts
Manure (cow) 1 part

Minerals must be added to the resulting mixture. For one m3 of mixture add:

Urea 300 g
Sodium chloride 2 kg
Superphosphate 3 kg

Our advice is that the soil being laid will eventually settle to 1/5 of its original height. Take this into account when constructing the sides.

South wall – color matters

Another important addition to such a greenhouse will be the installation of a south wall.

To make better use of the sun's rays, paint the inside of the south wall black.

Our advice - If your greenhouse has a transparent south side, you can install a protective, opaque screen painted black in front of it.

All the benefits of shelving

If you plan to grow seedlings for further planting in open ground, the best option would be when the seedlings are grown on racks.

By arranging them, you will simultaneously receive a number of additional qualities:

Ease of caring for cultivated crops
Increasing the sown area
Saving on heating

Considering all of the above in more detail, we get the following list:

Crops grown on shelves are very easy to care for.
At the same time, several tiers of placement of grown crops allow you to grow much more seedlings on one square meter of the internal space of the greenhouse.
It’s no secret that warm air rises, but don’t heat up the greenhouse; without forced heating, it’s very difficult to heat the soil to the required temperature.
Plants placed on racks are perfectly heated, using much less thermal energy.

Quarantine zone is an important necessity

What is also important to note is that the arrangement of the greenhouse inside and the presence of shelving allows you to create a so-called quarantine zone in it.

What is it and why?

This space is necessary for the temporary isolation of some cultures from others.
Let's say you are growing seedlings in pots.
At a certain point, you purchase a new seedling and place it among the growing seedlings.
In this case, there is no guarantee, even if you made a purchase in a specialty store, that the purchased crop does not suffer from a certain disease at an early stage or that the soil is not contaminated with harmful bacteria.
The infection can quickly spread to all plants closest to the “newbie”.
The best way to combat such phenomena will be the presence of a quarantine zone.
A new plant is placed there for a certain time and if its condition is normal, it is placed with already adapted and established ones.

Our information: The optimal period for keeping a plant in a quarantine zone is from 10 to 15 days.

"Quarantine" device

The quarantine zone is relatively small in size, sufficient to accommodate 2 to 4 pots of seedlings.
To be effective, this space must be protected from the main room on all sides with glass.
The best option would be to use an aquarium with flat walls. It becomes clear that it is best to place the aquarium on a shelf.

Our information: to set up a quarantine zone, you can use an aquarium or a homemade box with glass walls. In both cases, a tight lid is required.

The size of the racks is the main factor - convenience

When arranging shelving, there is no specific height for it. In this case, each gardener arranges shelving based on the actual growth. Caring for and maintaining plants should be convenient and not a hassle.

Regarding the width of the racks, they are divided into central and wall ones. Their names speak for themselves and do not require additional explanation.

Of course, you can arrange the shelving as you wish, but we recommend that you set the shelving width to the following:

For centrally located, central ones, accessible from two sides, the width should not be more than 1500 mm.
For shelving located along the walls, near the wall, the width should not exceed 950 mm.

Our information is that wider racks and shelves are inconvenient because they make it difficult to care for distant plants.

Selecting material for shelving

We will not give exact diagrams and drawings for the arrangement of shelving, but we will give small recommendations.

When a polycarbonate greenhouse is being arranged inside, it is possible to arrange shelving, both metal and wood.
When choosing a material for their device, you should know that each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Wood - advantages and disadvantages

Many gardeners, when setting up greenhouses or greenhouses, prefer to install wooden shelving.

The tree itself is warm and plants feel good next to it.
Therefore, if your structure has insufficient thermal protection or you grow heat-loving crops, wood is the best option.
The disadvantage of this material is its fragility.
In this case, treating wooden shelving with protective agents is mandatory.
During operation, such a structure should be periodically tinted.

Another disadvantage is the weight and bulkiness.

Having considered these questions, you can understand that if your greenhouse is small in size, by arranging wooden shelving in it, you will significantly reduce the usable area.

Metal is different from metal

It is easier to heat a small space, so in this case it would be preferable to install metal racks; they are lighter and much more compact than wooden ones and have the same strength.

Metal stands are much more durable and do not require constant attention.
Of course, such a design requires external protection, but paint on well-cleaned metal holds much stronger, and the use of special paint allows the structure to be used without modifications for a long time.
If you want to have stands that will cause you the least amount of hassle, you should use aluminum in their construction.
There are a large number of different aluminum profiles on sale, and assembling racks with them will not be difficult.
In this case, you will get a durable, unpretentious, lightweight design, which, despite being relatively compact, will also be very durable.
Profile aluminum posts have good rigidity with a small cross-section.
The minimum cross-section creates a minimum of shadow, and this is important for plants.
For a small structure, this material is ideal for the manufacture of supporting structures.

It is worth keeping in mind that if you use an automatic system for watering plants, in this case it is best for you to use structures made of waterproof material.

Planning is paramount

When setting up a greenhouse or greenhouse and choosing a material for this, carefully plan all your actions, take into account all additional equipment, types of plants grown, heating system, light transmittance of the coating and the calendar period of use of your structure.

One space, different cultures – what to do?

Many people wonder whether it is possible to grow cucumbers and tomatoes together?

For beginners, this question may seem strange, but experienced gardeners know that these crops have completely different microclimate requirements.

If you take cucumbers, they love moist air.
In tomatoes, due to high humidity, pollen clumps together, resulting in low yield.

But it’s not always possible to have several structures for growing individual crops on one site at once, but what if you really want to?

Many gardeners have been growing these crops together for many years, putting up with the possible loss of some vegetables in favor of others.

Proper division of space

When setting up greenhouses, you can do the following: simply fence off one crop from another.

This can be done using plastic film.
In this case, tomatoes, as a more heat-loving crop, are located on the sunny side.
In this way, you can create artificially high humidity on the cucumber side.

A small but important note

Using this method, you should know that you should not plant the same crops in the same place every year, you need to alternate.

One year tomatoes are planted in the same soil, and the next year they are swapped with cucumbers.
It will be a good idea if you change the top layer of soil once a year.

If you are thinking about how to arrange a greenhouse inside, it is worth considering every nuance. This will determine how well the cultivated plants will feel in such a greenhouse.

Beds and their features

When landscaping a greenhouse, it is important to think about the presence of beds. If the structure is small, the path should be laid exactly in the middle. This will allow you to place the beds on its two sides. The track should have a width of approximately 500 millimeters, but you can choose this parameter yourself. When thinking about the features of this element of the greenhouse, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the conditions there will be characterized by high humidity. Therefore, it is important to cover the surface on which you will move with materials that have anti-slip characteristics. Brick, gravel or sand are often used for this.

Path fencing

Before you start, you should think about what kind of fencing the paths will have. To carry out these manipulations, boards can be used, which must first be treated with an antiseptic composition. The sides of the bed should be given a height of within 30 millimeters. This will be enough to protect the path from the ground.

Self-preparation of soil

If you want your cultivated plants to feel good, you can prepare the soil yourself. To do this you need to use one of the existing methods. The first involves the use of one part of fine sand, the same amount of earth, as well as three parts of humus and five parts of peat. Lime must be added to the resulting mixture. In this case, it is important to maintain the proportions, which include the use of 3 kg of lime per cubic meter of soil.

If you are thinking about how to equip a greenhouse inside, then the soil can also be prepared by mixing peat in two parts, cow manure in one part, and finely chopped straw, which is taken in one part. Minerals will need to be added to the resulting mixture. For 1 cubic meter of composition you will need 300 grams of urea, three kilograms of superphosphate, and two kilograms of sodium chloride. Experts advise laying the soil in such a way that its height is 1/5 higher than the final height, this is due to the fact that the soil will shrink.

South wall color

Another important addition to the greenhouse will be the construction of a southern wall. In order for it to attract more sunlight, it must be painted black on the inside. If the greenhouse has a transparent southern wall, then a transparent protective screen is also installed in front of it. It should be pre-painted black.

Shelving arrangement

If you are faced with the task of “how to arrange a greenhouse inside,” then it is important to think about the issue of having shelving. Their design features are also important. However, there is no specific height that should be adhered to. In this case, you need to be guided by your own growth. It is important to think about where to place the elements. In order to make it convenient to care for plants, you need to correctly calculate the width. For those located in the center, access to which will be provided from two sides, the width should be 1500 millimeters. As for those racks that are installed along the walls, their width should not be more than 950 millimeters.

Choosing material for making shelving

If you are thinking about the question of how to equip a greenhouse inside, photo examples can be seen in this article. It is important to choose the appropriate material for them before making racks. If the greenhouse is made of polycarbonate, then wooden or metal products can be installed in it. However, each type of such designs will have its own pros and cons.

Features of using wood

If you do not know how to arrange a greenhouse inside, it is recommended that you examine the photos in our material in detail. By choosing wood, you provide comfort to the plants, since this material has excellent heat capacity properties. This option is best suited for growing heat-loving crops. As a disadvantage, fragility can be highlighted, however, to level out this property, the racks can be treated with protective compounds. During operation, such products will need to be looked after, periodically tinting them. If you are not afraid of bulkiness and weight, then you can consider lumber for making greenhouse elements.

Use of metal

If you are thinking about how to arrange a polycarbonate greenhouse inside, then you can choose metal shelving to save space.

Among other things, they are much more compact and lighter. Steel structures are more durable, they do not require constant attention, and they have high rigidity with a small cross-section. The latter circumstance is especially important for plants that do not like shade.

Construction of a quarantine zone

A quarantine zone can be set up in the greenhouse. It is necessary when it is necessary to isolate some cultures from others. This need arises when growing seedlings in pots and purchasing new, young plants. In order to eliminate the possibility of disease transmission, it is necessary to enclose the main room with glass. This area may be quite small, just large enough to accommodate about four pots of seedlings. An excellent option would be to use an aquarium that has flat walls. It is best to place it on a rack. A homemade box, for the manufacture of which you need to use the same material, is also suitable for this. It is important to complement this design with a tight lid.

Layout for greenhouses of different shapes

Before you set up a polycarbonate greenhouse inside (3x6 meters - approximate size), you need to pay attention to the shape of the roof. If we are talking about a gable structure, then it is best to plant tree seedlings in such greenhouses. At the same time, when planning the beds, it is necessary to place a wide one in the center, while there should be narrow passages on the sides. If you “settle” the seedlings in the central part, this will prevent them from coming into contact with the walls and roof.

If you don’t know how to arrange a greenhouse inside (dimensions 3*6), then it is important to pay attention to the design features. In the case of an arched roof, it will warm up faster; this feature must be taken into account. It is recommended to grow flowers and vegetables in such structures. The beds must be installed in the amount of 2 pieces, which are located near the walls, while the path will run in the center.

Geodesic roof

In this design, the widest and main bed should be located along the walls of the dome. She should be given 1.2 meters of space. There should be a passage in the central part. If you are faced with the question of how best to arrange the inside of the greenhouse, then you need to take into account all the recommendations described above. As for geodetic greenhouses, the path should be wide; this parameter can be 1.5 meters. It is important to install high and strong enough sides that you can even sit on. If space allows, you can install another bed after the passage.

Conclusion

Every summer resident is interested in the question of how to properly equip a greenhouse inside. It is important to take into account the location of the greenhouse in relation to the cardinal points. It is recommended to use ultraviolet light to its maximum benefit. However, it is necessary to arrange the places for planting plants in such a way that it is convenient to care for the crops.

Many owners of private houses dream of having a greenhouse on their property. This agricultural structure will help owners provide their family with herbs and some types of vegetables already in late spring or early summer. Well, some greenhouse designs, which include heating and lighting systems, are used for growing crops all year round.

A greenhouse with your own hands can be built from wood and brick in combination with metal elements, or have a frame structure, for example, made of lightweight metal-plastic pipes.

When implementing an idea, the first thing to determine is the location where the greenhouse will be installed. 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 you choose the “winter” option, then you need to know that construction will cost much more, since it will require more materials, and will also require lighting, heating, plumbing and ventilation.

Then, you need to select the material of manufacture and type of greenhouse construction. To focus on one of them, several of the most commonly used options will be considered.

Types of greenhouses

The design of greenhouses, in principle, is not very complicated, so any owner of the site can build it independently. To do this, you just need to prepare the material and tools. Greenhouses can be divided into types, based on various criteria - 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 and may have shades favorable for plant growth. For example, which has become especially popular recently, sometimes not only a colorless transparent one 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 performance characteristics. KINPLAST is a 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 developed grades of polycarbonate for use in agriculture AgroTITAN.

Glass is often used to cover the walls and roof of a greenhouse. Due to its structural structure and transparency, it is excellent for this room, but to install glazing it is necessary to create a particularly reliable, durable frame structure, since this material has considerable weight. Capital winter greenhouses are sometimes built from metal-plastic frames and double-glazed windows, but such a structure will be extremely expensive.

Another option that is most often used for covering greenhouses is plastic film. It can be used for tensioning on a frame built from any material, since it has a very small mass. Recently, a special reinforced film has appeared on sale, which is more durable and easier to attach to the frame sheathing.

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

Material Evaluation Options	Cellular polycarbonate	Glass	Film
Miniature
Mounting 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, you will need to consider 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 secured to the frame through special slats and additionally secured with thin stretched ropes.
Durability	Polycarbonate as a greenhouse covering 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 distort.	Glass can last for a long time, as it is not affected by ultraviolet rays and moisture. On the other hand, glass is a fragile 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 deteriorates. In addition, it cannot be called resistant to temperature changes.
Noise insulation	Cellular polycarbonate dampens the noise of wind and rain well, thanks to its structure.	If the installation of the material is done poorly, then during strong winds gusts of air can penetrate inside and the glass can make a ringing noise.	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 can 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 during 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 transmittance.
Safety	Polycarbonate has high strength, exceeding that of glass by approximately 200 times, and is also approximately 15 times lighter. 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 fragments fall into the soil of the greenhouse, you can be seriously injured during subsequent cultivation of the soil. Therefore, if you plan to install glass, then it is recommended to entrust its installation to professional craftsmen.	Completely safe for both people and greenhouse soil.
Care	This material is easy to care for - just wash it with water using a strong pressure in the hose. However, it should be noted that dust on the surface of polycarbonate is almost invisible, so the greenhouse does not have to be washed often enough.	Traces of rain drops remain on the glass, and dust is also retained well. 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.	Plastic film is not washed, because after wet cleaning, stains remain on it and it becomes cloudy, which makes it difficult for light to fully penetrate inside. The only way out in case of severe contamination is to completely replace the film.
Created microclimate	Polycarbonate is able to reliably thermally insulate a greenhouse and protect plants from the wind. Vapors settling on internal surfaces flow down them into the soil. In addition, the material not only transmits light perfectly, 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 capable of creating high thermal insulation, unless it is metal-plastic structures with double-glazed windows. The material perfectly transmits light, but does not scatter it, and sometimes even focuses it on a specific bed, which is extremely harmful for plant leaves.	Dense new polyethylene film is capable of creating high thermal insulation, but over the course of a season, under the influence of temperatures, sun and wind, it becomes thinner and loses its original qualities. Therefore, it is recommended to change the film coating every year.

Having weighed all the “pros” and “cons” of materials, as well as taking into account the design of the planned structure, it will be possible to make a choice of the type of coating.

Greenhouse structures

Greenhouses have different designs - it can be a spacious room or just a large box covered with a glazed frame. Structures are also used that extend half their height into the ground. It will be possible to choose one of the varieties only after the owner understands the features of each.

The simplest greenhouse design, which can be built from scrap materials, consists of an ordinary box, for example 2000x1500 mm in size, assembled from boards and installed in a favorable area of the local area. For such a greenhouse, old ones are often used as a roof.

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

Another option for a simple and affordable greenhouse to build is a simple frame structure made of metal-plastic or polypropylene pipes, fittings, and sometimes even thick steel wire, covered with plastic film.

If plastic pipes are chosen for the greenhouse, then even a woman’s hands can make a frame from them, since this material bends quite easily and holds its shape well.

This type of greenhouse can be used throughout the entire spring-summer season, from spring to late autumn. The convenience of the design is that by planting seeds, for example, tomatoes, under the film, after germination and strengthening, the seedlings do not need to be replanted. It is simply thinned out, and when a stable and comfortable temperature for plants is established outside, 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 as needed.

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

In this design, it is imperative to provide a hinged lifting of the roof to provide access to the plants from 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 need to grow a small amount of greenery or seedlings, you can make a greenhouse from a metal barrel, in which slots are made in the form of windows. This design uses a transparent polyethylene film as a roof - it can be removed at any time, opening access to air, and, if necessary, closed so that the night coolness of the off-season does not cause harm to the plants.

A more complex greenhouse design, in which you can already 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 the plants, but also the gardener will be protected from wind and low temperatures. Such a greenhouse can be covered with a very dense polyethylene film or cellular polycarbonate. When creating a structure from pipes, 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, so to tie it to the place, you need 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 components for them.

The permanent structure of the greenhouse, equipped with heating and irrigation, can be used throughout the year. 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 building

To more easily provide heating and water delivery to the greenhouse premises, 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 added 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 costs, is a room that extends half its height into the ground. This structure, due to its high energy-saving qualities, is often called a “thermos greenhouse”. To achieve the desired effect, a pit is dug for this greenhouse, going 1600÷2000 mm deep into the ground. Additionally, walls 500÷700 mm high are erected above the ground surface, and then the entire structure is covered with a frame made of timber or a metal corner.

The work of constructing a building is quite labor-intensive 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 divided is the shape of the roof. Insolation, that is, high-quality lighting of the room, and therefore the creation of optimal conditions for growing plants, largely depends on this.

Gable roof

Greenhouses with a gable roof can most often be found in suburban areas, since it is this shape that contributes to effective lighting of the room from above. Provided the greenhouse is located correctly, the sun will “work” all day long from sunrise to sunset, promoting plant growth.

“Classic” option - gable roof

Therefore, this design is often used to create winter versions of greenhouses, since at this time of year plants experience a lack of sunlight.

Arched design

Arched structures are made of metal-plastic pipes or metal elements. The first ones are usually covered with polyethylene film, while the second option most often has a polycarbonate coating. Metal structures can be purchased ready-made, and all that remains is to assemble them on site. Well, a frame made of metal-plastic pipes is quite easy to make yourself.

The convenience of such a greenhouse lies not only in its maximum illumination, but also in the fact that snow 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, you will not need 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 markings, a pit-trench is dug, 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 light 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 whether they will be made of brick.
A sand cushion 50÷70 mm thick is placed and compacted into the finished trench, and crushed stone is poured on top of it with a layer of the same thickness and distributed.
A formwork made of boards and timber is fixed along the trench, into which roofing material is laid, which will become an excellent waterproofing for the foundation.
The next step is to fill the formwork with concrete, spread it, and then pierce it with a bayonet shovel and gently tap the formwork to remove air from the solution.
If the frame is made from a metal corner or it is needed to secure wooden blocks, then sometimes support posts or sections of the corner can be immediately embedded in the foundation.

Basis for greenhouse-thermos

For a thermos greenhouse, it is necessary to dig a fairly deep pit, and if you plan to build an agricultural 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 removal, the soil is piled up, because it is perfect for laying the 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 insulating a greenhouse.
The pit is deepened so much that the gardener working in the greenhouse feels free, and there is quite a lot of free space above it. To ensure that the required temperature is maintained in the greenhouse and the soil does not freeze, it is recommended to deepen the pit by approximately 2000 mm.

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

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

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

Separately, it is necessary to say about the laying, 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 a pit, which is mixed with chopped straw and adobe bricks are formed from this mixture.

— If you don’t want to waste time, and you have the opportunity to purchase foam blocks, which are called permanent 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. Having chosen the latter option, you will need to separate the foam wall from the ground surface of the pit with roofing material or plastic film.

After the solution in the blocks has hardened, a film or roofing felt is hooked onto it, and the gap remaining between the waterproofing material and the ground wall of the pit is filled with clay or a mixture of clay and soil, and while filling, it is periodically compacted.

— If brick is chosen for wall decoration, then it is insulated from the outside using polystyrene foam, which is mounted between the brick and soil wall. Thermal insulation material must also be protected with roofing felt. The resulting gap, just 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 - this 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 on top with corrugated sheeting, which is fixed to the top of the wall. The corrugated sheeting will ensure the drainage 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 with a cross-sectional size of 100×150 or 150×150 mm. This 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-compacted cushion. Another option is to raise it above the ground using concrete slabs.

Construction of a thermos greenhouse

The installation of all greenhouses takes place differently, depending on the type of structure and the period of use of the structure, since “winter” options require a more careful approach and additional functions. It’s probably worth considering this, the most difficult option.

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

The first step is to attach a frame made of 100x150 mm timber to the walls of the greenhouse. Fixation is carried out with anchors or using embedded embedded elements.
The rafter system must be assembled from timber of the same cross-section as the harness. To install the rafter legs, markings are carried out on the harness, since the rafter pairs must be distributed at the same distance from each other.
The rafters are secured to the frame with metal corners, and in the upper part they are connected to each other using metal plates or using a ridge board.
Wooden sheathing bars are fixed to the rafters, but with a fairly large step. There should be no more than two or three of them on each slope so that they do not block the sunlight.
Polycarbonate sheets are laid on the sheathing, which are secured to it using 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 installed in the same way on the gable parts of the roof.
After this, the door frame and the door itself are installed. It is desirable that the door leaf is also equipped with a transparent insert.

Creating optimal conditions for plants in the greenhouse

Greenhouse thermal insulation

In a greenhouse with a gable roof, one of its slopes must face the south side. It is recommended to finish the second side inside the greenhouse. Such a system will help not only retain heat, but even increase illumination inside the structure, since the sun, hitting the insulation foil, will be reflected into the room.

The insulation is fixed to the rafters with self-tapping screws, then it is folded onto the wall and glued to its surface using liquid nails. All the walls of the greenhouse are insulated in the same way, 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 foamed polyethylene is an excellent vapor barrier membrane, and can not only enhance the lighting of the greenhouse, but also retain 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 to prevent heat from escaping from the greenhouse, it is necessary to create a reliable seal in the greenhouse space. To do this, be sure to install doors or valves on the ventilation openings, on which you can set the required gap as necessary or close them completely.

Greenhouse heating system

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

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

For growing seedlings - + 25 ° C;
For normal development of vegetable beds - + 18 °C.

If any exotic plants are grown, then the corresponding values are adopted.

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

5. Thermal conductivity indicators ( wtp), that is, the amount of thermal energy that is transferred outward by a covering area 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×°C)
Glass:
- thickness 4 mm;	5.82
- thickness 6 mm;	5.77
- thickness 8 mm;	5.71
Monolithic polycarbonate sheet:
- thickness 4 mm;	5.33
- thickness 6 mm;	5.09
- thickness 8 mm;	4.84
Polycarbonate sheet honeycomb:
- 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 electrical heating power of the greenhouse. It’s even easier to use the online calculator below.

Nowadays, he dreams of building a greenhouse on his plot. A greenhouse is a very profitable building for a summer resident, because seedlings can be planted much earlier and, accordingly, the harvest will ripen faster than in the garden. In a greenhouse, the humidity and microclimate favor the rapid growth of plants and vegetables. You can also grow seedlings in a greenhouse, for example for sale, you’ll agree that this is a good help for the family budget. And if you build a larger greenhouse, you can even organize a family business and grow some of the vegetables for sale.

Mostly, summer residents build greenhouses of small sizes and from materials such as plastic film or glass. This type of material is of course good on one hand. For example, a structure made of wood and polyethylene film is lightweight and does not allow moisture and cold air to pass through from the street side of the greenhouse. But the trouble is that this film, when exposed to direct sunlight, precipitation and wind, becomes unusable after one season of use.

Summer residents also build glazed greenhouses, which also have their drawbacks. Firstly, the glass structure still has a decent weight, which can often affect a wooden building; of course, such a greenhouse will last longer. And another problem is that glass tends to chip and crumble, for example from hail or strong gusty winds.

Fortunately for all summer residents, nowadays there is a universal material for greenhouses that has gained considerable popularity and respect, and this material is called polycarbonate. Lightweight and durable, transmits sunlight very well. There is a large selection of similar polycarbonate greenhouses in stores, but the price for them, of course, is not low and not everyone can afford it.

But what can an ordinary person do if he wants a greenhouse made of this material? Of course, he must use ingenuity and imagination. So the author decided to build a polycarbonate greenhouse with his own hands. He bought this material in sheet form, which is much cheaper than buying a ready-made greenhouse. And the author decided to build a permanent greenhouse so that it would last until the end of his days and so that his grandchildren could also use it.

The author is building a greenhouse with a recess into the ground, which will provide increased temperature comfort to the vegetables and plants planted there. Makes a solid structure from timber and boards. So, what did the author need to build this greenhouse?

Materials: polycarbonate, brick, cement, sand, timber, board, nails, screws, hinges.
Tools: hacksaw, hammer, pliers, axe, shovel, trowel, mallet, mortar trough.