Having even a small plot of land, it is difficult to do without a greenhouse. Grow seedlings, get early harvest, protect them from possible frost, from heat, make the plants bloom earlier - all this can be done with the help of this device. Moreover, making a greenhouse with your own hands is not difficult. There are absolutely simple designs, there are more complex ones, but making any of them does not require special education.

The frame for a greenhouse can be made of wood (boards), metal (corner, profile pipe or fittings) or from PVC pipes (round or square). Cover the greenhouse with the same materials as : film, spunbond (also called agrofibre or non-woven covering material), polycarbonate and glass. Since the size of greenhouses is smaller (plants in greenhouses are served from outside), the requirements for them are not so stringent: even strong wind they are not afraid.

Greenhouse sizes

Since in a greenhouse the plants are served from the outside, its width is chosen so that it is comfortable for you to process plants planted closer to the middle. You determine this experimentally: sit down and try to reach some area with your hand. Measure the distance. You get the width of the greenhouse with a one-sided approach. This is if the greenhouse is located in such a way that it is impossible to get to it from the other side (near a wall, for example). If you can approach from both sides, you double this result.

The distance for each person is different: height and physical state. You should not chase savings by making it wider than necessary. You will have to spend a lot of time weeding, loosening, fertilizing, and other work. A couple of hours in an uncomfortable position, and there is no strength left. Therefore, it is better to make the greenhouse a little narrower, but to make it convenient to work: while enjoying your work, you spend less effort.

And the length of the greenhouse is chosen based on the layout of the site. It's arbitrary.

A simple greenhouse made of arcs under film or spunbond

This greenhouse is made of several boards, knocked down to the required dimensions, arcs of PVC pipes, which are attached to a wooden base. The tops of these arcs are connected at the top by a beam or the same pipe. If it is a timber, it needs to be well processed, rounding the edges so that the film does not tear.

How to secure the arches

How to attach arcs of PVC pipes to a greenhouse frame. They are most often secured using metal perforated tape. Take a small piece of it about 5-6 centimeters, screws and a screwdriver. And they are secured on both sides. To be on the safe side, you can do it twice.

In exactly the same way, you can fasten them from the inside to hold them tighter by adding bars.

Another option: drive in pieces of reinforcement near the frame, place pipes on them and only then secure them with clamps to the frame boards. This option is more reliable.

How to attach the film

You can attach the film to PVC pipes using double-sided tape. But only if inexpensive polyethylene film was used: it is impossible to tear it off without damaging it, and polyethylene lasts no more than a year. So for a seasonal greenhouse this is a “cheap and cheerful” option. The second method is special clips for fixing films and anything that can replace them - a piece of an old hose cut lengthwise, a clamp for pipes that are used for installing pipelines, office binders, etc.

It also makes sense to secure a block on both sides along the edges of the film. To do this, the film is cut to a length greater than necessary, a block is wrapped in the excess and the film is secured to it. Now you have a piece of film with bars attached to its short sides. Leave one on one side, throw the second on the other. Now you don’t need to press the film to the ground with stones: the block holds it well. It is also convenient to open the greenhouse for ventilation; wrap the film and place it on top.

You can use small nails to attach the film, but place washers under the caps. It is faster to work with a construction stapler with staples. To prevent the film from tearing at the attachment points, it is padded with something. You can use thick braid or just a strip of fabric, and hammer fasteners into it.

More powerful option

If there is a need to make a greenhouse with PVC arches more reliable, nail it to the base of the boards in the center of the short side wooden racks. A board is attached to them on the edge, in which holes are pre-drilled with a diameter larger than outside diameter pipes

During installation, the pipe is threaded through the hole. You can fasten it on the sides as suggested above, or you can do it another way: first install pins in the bars and put the pipe on them.

The simplest greenhouse

Why are they good? PVC pipes, so this is because they are easy to bend. Also because they weigh little. Perfect option for a lightweight, portable greenhouse, especially if combined with spunbond. This material can be sewn. Take a piece with a density of 30 kg/m2 and make drawstrings in it in increments of 50-60 cm. For the drawstring, stitch across a strip of the same material about 10 cm wide (it is stitched on both sides). Insert pipes cut into the required lengths inside.

Now all this can be installed on the bed: stick pegs in two rows on one side and the other of the bed, and place a pipe on them. You immediately get a ready-made greenhouse. And what’s more convenient: you open and close the plants simply by collecting or straightening the spunbond on the arc. This is a very convenient temporary greenhouse: as soon as it is not needed, it can be removed and folded in a couple of minutes.

Greenhouse - it couldn't be simpler

This greenhouse is good for seedlings, but you can make it for peppers and eggplants. A stand is nailed in the middle of the base. There are two inclined boards attached to it. The cross section results in a triangle. If you need a long greenhouse, the same structure is installed approximately every meter. All tops are connected with a long bar or pipe. Simple and convenient design at this greenhouse.

Cucumbers are grown with it only until they begin to curl. Under the cucumbers, the covering material is removed, posts are nailed (screwed) to the sides, and twine is pulled between them.

Greenhouse “Breadbox” and “Butterfly” - photo

This design is called a “bread box” because it looks exactly like a plastic bread container. Its lid also rises upward, hiding behind the second half. If you look at the photo, you will understand everything.

There are two types of such products: opening on one or both sides. If it is shallow, you can work with a lid that opens on one side. If the width is more than a meter, it will be easier to work if there is access from both sides. This design with two opening sides has its own name: “Snail”.

A film or spunbond is stretched over the manufactured frame, but polycarbonate is more popular for this design.

The second design differs in the type of door opening. Its vault is also made on arches, but opens on hinges upward (see picture).

They can be installed directly on the ground or on a prepared foundation made of bricks or timber. In some cases, the lids do not open immediately from the ground, but there is a small side of 15-20 cm.

From scrap materials

Turning unnecessary things into useful products - our people have no equal in this. They make greenhouses from things you would never even think of.

For example, you can easily make a greenhouse with your own hands from old window frames. When replacing windows, do not rush to throw them away. They can be used to make an excellent greenhouse. Moreover, the designs may be different. The simplest is a body made of boards, to which a window frame (with glass, of course) is attached on top as a lid.

To ensure that the plants receive maximum light, one side of the frame is made higher (which faces south or east). There are different frames, any of them can be used for these purposes. As proof, here is a photo gallery of greenhouses made from frames that were made with their own hands by zealous owners.

They make greenhouses out of barrels. Cover with an old umbrella made of transparent film or cut-off plastic water cans.

A homemade greenhouse can be made from a plastic or foam box. Although “do” is a strong word. All you need to do is stretch the film.

Mini-greenhouses for seedlings

For those who grow seedlings for their own vegetable garden or flower garden, large volumes are useless. We need small greenhouses. Moreover, many grow seedlings on balconies. All of the above designs can be used for a balcony in reduced sizes. For very minor plantings, you can even take plastic trays for eggs. On one side there will be a container for soil and a lid instead of a shelter. Look at the photos for other ideas.

Usage plastic bottles already familiar, only the form is non-standard. The bottle is only cut and a glass with seedlings is inserted inside, or you can plant it directly in the lower part... And this is a portable mini-greenhouse for plants

You can assemble a greenhouse with your own hands in a few hours. There is no need to build any complex structures. Everything is very simple, economical and practical.

When choosing material for a greenhouse, do not discount wood. Wood is easy to process and affordable. Gardeners who are not experienced in the subtleties of construction can work with it. Following the technologies for arranging the foundation and processing the frame modern impregnations, increasing resistance to moisture and fungal diseases, the service life of such a structure can be extended to 20 years. Building a greenhouse out of wood with your own hands is an excellent alternative to industrial frames.

Original greenhouse made of wood and polycarbonate

The most common types of wood for construction are coniferous species: larch, pine, spruce. It is possible to use lumber from oak, beech and hornbeam. But these types are expensive and require a lot of effort to process, which increases construction time.

Softwood lumber

The basis for building a wooden greenhouse with your own hands is usually ready-made lumber:

• block with a cross section of 40x40 or 50x50 mm;
• boards;
• beam;
• round saw log.

Simple greenhouse made of wood

Remarkable results are obtained when using laminated pine timber - it is not subject to cracking and deformation, and better withstands the effects of adverse factors - high humidity and temperature changes. It is easier to work with due to its smooth surface, which does not require additional processing.

When using substandard lumber to build a greenhouse made of wood - unedged boards, slabs, old window frames, achieving durability and elegance of the building will be much more difficult, and the service life of such a greenhouse will be short, but it will be possible to significantly save money and time on assembling individual elements - frames, doors, windows.

Small greenhouse for a summer residence

Processing lumber before construction

Any lumber used to build a greenhouse with your own hands must be treated with antifungal drugs and impregnated with compounds that make the wood resistant to high humidity. The modern chemical industry supplies commercial enterprises with a wide range of impregnations, varnishes and paints, which help to annually treat the wooden frame, extending its service life.

It is advisable to do impregnation before installation of the structure. This will reduce the consumption of expensive chemical substances and properly dry the lumber, preventing it from deforming.

In addition to impregnation with modern antiseptics, less expensive means can be used to protect wood - drying oil or used machine oil, bitumen, roofing felt. They are less effective, but more accessible.

With the correct processing technology - using hot drying oil for repeated impregnation, soaking wooden elements in waste machine oil, applying bitumen coating using a “hot” method - they can also prevent the destruction of wood for many years.

The inside of the wood also needs to be treated

Arrangement of a reliable foundation

The frame of their tree cannot be built directly on the ground. This will lead to rapid failure of the lower structural elements in contact with the ground. Therefore, before building a wooden greenhouse, it is imperative to equip the foundation, at least the most basic one.

Columnar foundation made of various materials

This type of foundation is the most common, easy to install and inexpensive in terms of materials. The basis for the foundation can be either ready-made reinforced concrete products: stumps of piles, window lintels, or asbestos-cement or plastic pipes with a diameter of 150-400 mm, filled inside with cement mortar.

If you plan to lay timber framing at the base of the greenhouse, the foundation columns should be placed at a distance of 1000-1200 mm. If the greenhouse will have a frame structure without a wooden frame at the bottom, the posts should be under each vertical structural element.

Deepen the foundation columns for wooden greenhouse necessary to the freezing depth of the top layer of soil. Usually it is 400-600 mm.

The lightness of the structure does not require a stronger foundation. You can use metal elements inside the pipes (reinforcement rods, reinforcing wire), but you can do without them. To prepare the solution, cement of a grade of at least 400 is used; it is advisable to add silicate to the solution ( liquid glass), which will enhance the water resistance of concrete.

Strip foundation made of timber

The strip foundation can be constructed either from wooden beams, pre-treated with water-repellent impregnations and antifungal agents, or it can be made from concrete. Arranging a timber foundation consists of the following stages:

1. According to the dimensions of the future greenhouse, a trench 250-300 mm wide is dug to the depth of soil freezing.
2. 2/3 of the trench is filled with construction sand, which is carefully compacted.
3. 1/3 is filled with crushed stone of a fraction of 15-30 mm and compacted in the same way.
4. A layer of roofing material is laid on top of the crushed stone, and treated wooden beam cross section up to 300x300 mm.
5. At the corners, the timber is fastened either into a groove or into a tenon. To strengthen the structure, you can tighten it with metal staples.
6. Excess edges of roofing material are placed on the end surfaces of the beam and secured using a construction stapler or slate nails with a wide head.

Base for a greenhouse made of timber

The upper part of the beam cannot be covered with roofing felt, in order to avoid the “greenhouse” effect inside the roofing felt.

Installation of a greenhouse made of lumber

The best option, requiring a minimum of building materials and assembly time, is an arched wooden greenhouse. There are two options: a greenhouse with a semicircular arch and a “Gothic” type arch. The manufacturing technology is the same. The difference lies in height and resistance to snow loads. In a “Gothic” type greenhouse it is higher.

Gothic greenhouse

Consumables for a greenhouse measuring 3x5 meters

1. Wooden block with a cross-section of 40x50 mm and a length of 3000 mm – 30 pcs.
2. Bolts 8 x 100 mm – 36 pcs.
3. Metal washers – 72 pcs.
4. Door hinges – 3 pcs.
5. Window hinges – 4 pcs.
6. Thermal washers with self-tapping screws (at the rate of 1 piece per 500 mm of fastening length + 25%).

Arched frame made of wood

Greenhouse of “Gothic” shape:

1. Plywood 2440 x 1220 mm – 1 sheet (12-15 mm).
2. Wooden block with a cross section of 40x50 mm and a length of 5000 mm – 10 pcs.
3. Bolts 8 x 100 mm – 36 pcs.
4. Nuts for bolts d-8 mm – 36 pcs.
5. Metal washers – 72 pcs.
6. Galvanized or oxidized wood screws 3.5 x 45 mm – 1 kg.
7. Wood screws 35 h 40 mm – 1 kg.
8. Metal corner corner – 14 pcs.
9. Reinforced metal corner 40h 40 mm – 40 pcs.
10. Drywall hangers – 24 pcs.
11. Door hinges – 3 pcs.
12. Window hinges – 4 pcs.
13. Cellular polycarbonate (4-10 mm) – 30.5 (+20%) m2.
14. Thermal washers with self-tapping screws (at the rate of 1 piece per 500 mm of fastening length + 25%)
15. Antiseptics for wood – 5 liters.

Preparing a template for arcs and lamellas

Work on building a wooden greenhouse with your own hands begins with the preparation of a conductor - a template according to which the arcs will be made in the future:

1. Lay out three 25-40 mm boards 3.5-4 m long on a flat surface.
2. Lay two sheets of plywood or chipboard on them. Secure with self-tapping screws. Using a cord with a pencil attached to the end, draw an arc on the sheets (segment ¼ circle - d 3 m).
3. Attach three pieces of timber along the edges of the arc with a distance between them equal to the thickness of the lamellas. IN top point secure one block.

Structural elements of a wooden greenhouse

If a block is used to make lamellas, cut each of the blanks using a circular saw into strips (lamellas) 20 mm thick and 50 mm wide. When using plywood, mark the sheet along its short side (1220 mm) into strips 50 mm wide and unravel using a jigsaw.

Attention! The presence of strands, knots, and cracks in the bars is not allowed. When bent, this will cause the lamellas to break.

Cutting reinforcing bars 60-70 mm long is carried out using a jigsaw, at the rate of 10 pieces. for 1 arc – a total of 120 pcs.

All sawn material is treated twice with an antiseptic or hot drying oil. Dry until the stickiness on your hands disappears.

Assembling arcs for the frame

Assembling a greenhouse made of wood with your own hands begins by securing a lamella (a strip of plywood) between the two lower bars, first on one side and then on the other side of the template. In the upper part, the curved lamella is attracted to the block with a clamp. The second lamella is bent in the same way. Both lamellas are tightened with a clamp at the top point of the arc.

Reinforcing bars are placed in the gap between the lamellas. The outer and central bars are attached to the lamellas using bolts - through a hole drilled through the lamellas and the bar. The remaining bars are fixed with self-tapping screws. After fixing all the elements, the finished arc is removed from the conductor (template). All 12 arcs are made in the same way.

Assembly of arcs into a single structure

Assembling the frame halves

To assemble half of the frame, 6 arcs and 3 bars 40x50 mm are used. If the bars are shorter, they are placed in a checkerboard pattern during assembly.

The block is marked into segments with a pitch of 1000 mm. After this, the arc is inserted into the gap between the lamellas. So, step by step, all the arcs are “strung” onto the block. First, mount the lower fragment, secure it with self-tapping screws, and then fasten the upper one.

Using a plumber's angle, check the verticality relative to the bottom bar of each of the arcs (angle 90°). After this they are secured with self-tapping screws. Complete with the installation of the middle bar. The second half of the frame is assembled in the same way.

Installation of arches on supports

Frame installation technology

Due to the lightness of the design, it can be installed by one person. But it's better if you have an assistant. Half of the frame is installed on the foundation. Using a reinforced steel angle and self-tapping screws (2 angles per rack), they are attached to the mortgages wooden parts in a concrete foundation or directly to the beam wooden foundation. If there are no mortgages in the foundation, use a hammer drill to drill holes in the foundation and, using plastic dowels, secure the corners.

During installation under top part half of the frame is supported by support posts. They must be located strictly in the middle of the width of the greenhouse and be equal in height to the design height of the structure. The second half of the frame is mounted in a similar way.

In the upper part, both halves are pulled together using drywall hangers, fixed with self-tapping screws on both parts of the frame.

Construction of a greenhouse made of wood

Construction of greenhouse end walls

With a greenhouse length of 5 meters, it is impractical to install two doors in the end walls. Therefore, the door is made only in one of the walls; a transom (window) is provided in the second wall.

First, the sheathing is made - a horizontal beam made of timber at a height of 210 mm. Then vertical posts are attached to it, forming a doorway with a width of at least 800 mm (if there is a garden cart on the farm, they are guided by its width - the distance between the extreme points of the handles.

On the opposite side, a sheathing is installed, consisting of two horizontal and two vertical bars. The distance between the vertical and horizontal bars will determine the size of the window. For a wooden greenhouse of 15 m2, a window area of ​​1 m2 is sufficient.

The door and window are assembled from a block on a horizontal surface. The corners are reinforced with overhead metal corners or plywood gussets. After assembly, they are hung on the hinges.

Installation of door leaf

Installation of polycarbonate or polyethylene film

It is advisable to purchase polycarbonate sheets with a length of 2500 mm to minimize waste.

1. Installation begins from the top edge of the sheet, located along the ridge of the greenhouse. The distance between the screws should be 500 mm.
2. The sheets are mounted with an overlap (50-60 mm).
3. Before laying the next sheet, the edge of the mounted sheet is coated with transparent silicone sealant.
4. It is advisable to issue 200-250 mm polycarbonate sheets from the ends of the greenhouse to protect the end walls and foundation from rainwater.

When covering a wooden greenhouse with polyethylene, you should use reinforced film. It is attached to the wooden frame using staples from a staple gun (construction stapler). It is possible to cover the greenhouse with two layers of plastic film - outside and inside. The thickness of the frame allows this to be done without problems.

Building a wooden greenhouse with your own hands is the most “budget” option. He doesn't require large quantity lumber, minimally shades the interior space of the greenhouse and is resistant to snow and wind loads.

Greenhouse at the dacha

The basis of the greenhouse - its frame - can have different shape: arched, triangular, “house” (like a miniature greenhouse) and so on. Polypropylene pipes are used as the material for the frame; metal and fiberglass reinforcement; wooden blocks; window frames.

1. Simple arc-shaped greenhouse

(tunnel shelter)

To set up a simple greenhouse, ready-made arcs made from bent polypropylene pipe, and ordinary plastic film stretched over them and pressed on both sides to the ground with bricks. The bases of the arches can be fixed to wooden frame or just stick it in the ground. The optimal distance between the arcs is 50 cm.

To give the structure greater rigidity, horizontal slats are used, attached to the arches - they do not allow them to deform and move. Sometimes additional vertical supports are installed under the first and last arc, then the greenhouse keeps its shape perfectly all season. However, you can successfully do without such additions.

If the structure of arcs and film seems too flimsy to you, you can use the experience described in this publication:

2. Express greenhouse made from scrap materials

Greenhouse for seedlings from wooden gratings It is assembled as quickly as from arcs, but the structure is more rigid and stable.

3. Stationary wooden greenhouse

To build it, you will need minimal skills - anyone who can handle a saw and a hammer even a little can master such a construction project. The shape and size of such a greenhouse are arbitrary, it all depends on the available space, materials, your construction skills and the crops that are supposed to be grown in the greenhouse.

4. Metal greenhouse

5. Greenhouse made from old window frames

A frame greenhouse is very convenient for seedlings.

Length. Optimal length there is no such thing as a greenhouse made from window frames - it will depend on the size and number of these same frames. True, it makes no sense to build a greenhouse that is too long, since it is unlikely to be convenient to use.

Width and height. The width and height, as you already understood, will also depend on what size frames are used. Make sure they are the right size before starting assembly.

LET'S START ASSEMBLY

From the inside, we attach the boards vertically to the beam with self-tapping screws; the distance between them should be slightly less than the width of the frames. Top by outside To vertical boards We fasten more boards so that the top edge of the horizontal board completely coincides with the ends vertical supports. Then we attach the rafters to the ends of the boards. This shape of the roof is needed so that water can drain normally.

Greenhouse at the dacha

For growing seedlings of heat-loving vegetables in early dates On the site it is necessary to have greenhouses that reliably protect plants from the cold.

Greenhouses are small structures that have a side fence and are covered with glass or plastic film on top. They can be pitted (recessed) or above ground, and depending on the number of slopes of the transparent roof, greenhouses can be single- or double-sloped. In this case, single-slope greenhouses are placed with the slope only to the south, and double-slope greenhouses - to the west and east.

If greenhouses are installed directly on a regular garden bed, then this is a cold greenhouse (solar heated greenhouse). A greenhouse installed on a bed with biofuel is a warm greenhouse, or a biofuel greenhouse.

To construct such greenhouses, choose a site that is flat or has a slight southern or southwestern slope. It should be protected from north or east winds by buildings or trees, but not shaded by them.

If the area is not protected, then a fence of boards is made on the leeward side.

Greenhouses cannot be placed on the site on the north side of buildings that will shade them.

In such places protected from the cold wind, the temperature is usually 3-4 degrees higher than in open places plot. At the same time, the sum of active temperatures during the growing season increases by 220-250°C compared to open areas, which is especially important for the Urals and Siberia.

The period of use of greenhouses depends on the heating method (biological, solar) and on the type of shelter (glass, film).

Greenhouses are often used temporarily, mainly for growing seedlings, which are then planted in open ground. The widespread use of greenhouses is explained by the simplicity of their design and the reliability of protecting plants in the early stages of development from adverse weather conditions and, above all, from low temperatures.

GREENHOUSES WITH BIOHEATING

Most often on garden plots There are in-depth greenhouses with bioheating, which are simple in design and for the production of which you can use the cheapest building materials - waste logs, boards, slabs, broken glass, old window frames, etc.

More often, lean-to greenhouses are built, because they are warmer than gable ones. The basic rule in the design of a lean-to greenhouse is that the frame should be at an angle of 6-10 degrees towards the south side of the greenhouse. This will ensure optimal illumination for the plants. To do this, one longitudinal side of such a box needs to be made 10-20 cm higher than the other.

To determine the height of the box, you need to know for what purpose the greenhouse is intended. If you plan to grow seedlings or low-growing greens, then the height of the sides of the box can be from 10 to 25 cm. If you plan to grow vegetables, the height of the north side can be up to 100 cm.

The main advantage of such a recessed greenhouse is that it allows you to get rid of drafts, which quickly blow out all the heat accumulated during the day. In addition, such buried greenhouses provide a big benefit from the effect of averaging soil temperatures over the seasons.

How to make such a greenhouse? First, for such a greenhouse, they dig a pit up to 150 cm wide at the top, and up to 50 cm at the bottom, 55-65 cm deep, positioning it lengthwise from west to east. A frame made of logs 12-12 cm thick is placed on the edges of the pit. On the south side it is placed on the edge of the pit, and on the north it is raised by 10-15 cm.

At the corners of the pit and in the middle long sides they dig in pillars to which this harness is attached. If there are no logs, you can make the sides from boards. But for better preservation They must be double-heated, i.e. interior boards nailed horizontally, and external ones - vertically.

The gaps between the frame and the ground are carefully sealed, then the frame is trimmed so that the frames fit tightly. When frost occurs, additional frames covered with film are placed on the horizontal piping inside the greenhouse. This creates double cover. And if there is an urgent need, you can put a bucket with a lid filled with hot coals in the greenhouse.

The finished greenhouse is covered from above with frames, which are secured with hinges to the northern higher side. These frames are raised to ventilate the greenhouse. They are held open by wooden stops.

And near the premises on the south side, a wall-mounted greenhouse is often built. To cover it, greenhouse frames are used, installing them at an angle of 45°.

They are attached to the top beam of the frame with pieces of belt or metal loops. The sides of such a greenhouse are made of glass, plywood, boards and insulated.

Before you start adding biofuel, the greenhouse itself and the frames must be disinfected with a 1% solution of caustic soda or a weak solution of bleach.

To prevent the greenhouse from being washed away by rain, a drainage ditch is installed around it at a distance of 60-80 cm to remove rain or melt water. For a convenient approach to the greenhouse, such grooves must be covered with wooden shields.

First, a thin heat-insulating layer should be placed under the biofuel.

This is done to prevent the heat from leaving too quickly. Such an insulator can be: polystyrene foam, sawdust, straw, peat chips, leaves.

Then, to heat the greenhouse, hot manure (horse), straw (cow) or other biofuel, for example, compost from tree leaves or organic waste, is placed in the pit, when decomposed by microorganisms, heat is released.

Each of these warming materials has its own characteristics. Horse manure is the best biofuel. Mixed with a bedding of straw and sawdust, it is quite loose and moderately moist. In a week it can warm up to a temperature of 60-65 degrees. It cools down gradually, only after 15-20 days its temperature drops to 30 degrees and remains at this level for 50-70 days.

Cold biofuel - cow dung. It has significant density, viscosity, acidic reaction, contains phosphorus and potassium, but is poor in nitrogen. The combustion temperature reaches a maximum value of 40-47°C on the 18-20th day after stuffing, then decreases to 20°C. Therefore, cow manure requires careful packing and is especially susceptible to freezing.

The quality of cow manure is significantly improved when mixed with loosening materials, which are added in equal parts by volume. Such materials include dry peat chips, sawdust, etc. If there is a choice of biofuel, cow manure is better used for greenhouses at a later date.

But pig and sheep manure is wet and cold. Its maximum combustion temperature reaches 30 degrees only after 25 days. It is used in the same way as cow milk, i.e. mixed with other loose materials.

Many gardeners use waste from city landfills for biofuel. It is heated artificially, creating “hot” pockets. In 7-8 days, the garbage warms up to a temperature of 60 degrees and retains it for 40-45 days.

An available biofuel for the gardener is tree leaves. IN pure form they give a low temperature, but when mixed with mullein or pig manure (1:4) they heat up to 50 degrees. To do this, in the fall, fallen leaves are placed in a stack, and so that they do not fly away, they are covered on top with earth, old film or boards.

Different types of biofuels can be mixed with each other in different proportions: sawdust with manure and bark, manure with straw, etc. This mixing is carried out when the biofuel is mixed.

It is better to prepare manure for greenhouses in the fall. As it arrives, it is placed in a stack near the greenhouse and compacted so that it does not heat up prematurely. And to protect it from freezing in winter, the stack is covered with peat, soil, leaves, and sawdust.

At the same time, some gardeners make the mistake of putting it directly into the greenhouse in the fall. There it freezes heavily during the winter and does not warm up for a long time in the spring, which leads to a significant delay in sowing time.

Before laying in the greenhouse, the manure is heated by heated, carefully transferring it with a pitchfork into loose piles up to 2 m high. In the early stages, this heaving begins two weeks before laying the manure in the greenhouse, and in later periods - 7-8 days. Manure can also be heated artificially by adding dry manure to wet manure and moistening it. hot water. It’s even better to pour several buckets of “steep” boiling water into the middle of the heap and immediately cover it with straw mats.

For quick heating, you can place hot stones or quicklime in the very middle of the pile. For the same purpose, you can light a fire in the middle of the heap by placing a box of sheet iron over it. When coals appear, manure is poured onto the box, leaving room for traction.

For uniform heating, the interruption is repeated after 2-3 days. Manure is ready for packing when its temperature reaches 50-55°C. At this time, the manure begins to steam and the smell of ammonia appears.

The greenhouse is filled with hot manure after clearing of ice and snow. First, a layer of sawdust or dry leaves up to 10 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the greenhouse to isolate the frozen ground from manure. Then hot manure is placed evenly and loosely on the sawdust.

In the middle of the greenhouse, it is lightly slammed with a pitchfork to compact it, and at the edges - a little harder. Burnt manure (it gray) there is no need to put it in a greenhouse. A greenhouse filled with manure is covered with frames and mats and they wait 2-3 days for the manure to settle. In case of heavy precipitation, manure is added.

Before filling the soil, the manure is leveled, but no longer compacted, but sprinkled with fluff lime or a double rate of ash to prevent the development of pathogenic fungi.

The maximum temperature inside the manure layer occurs approximately 7-10 days after it is heated, then it begins to gradually decrease. However, heat generation may continue for 2-3 months.

Then the prepared soil is poured into the greenhouses. Peat composts, composts with turf and humus soil, etc. are used as soil. The composition of the soil and the thickness of its layer depend on the crop that is going to be grown.

When growing potted seedlings, pour a layer of soil 6-7 cm thick, for potless seedlings by sowing seeds or for green crops (radish, onion, dill) - 10-15 cm, and for cucumbers and tomatoes - a layer of 20-25 cm.

This amount of soil should not be exceeded, because... under the weight of the earth, the manure becomes compacted, the flow of air to it becomes difficult, and it stops burning. For the same reason, you should not over-moisten the soil.

To insulate the greenhouse at night and in cold weather, you can use mats made of burlap and stuffed with straw or spare glazed frames. Kraft paper bags in which cement is carried are very convenient for this purpose. The paper of these bags does not allow water to pass through and retains heat well. Mats made from these bags are as reliable as straw mats. You can also use old blankets, worn out clothes, etc.

After use, biofuel materials turn into humus and are suitable for various vegetable crops. And when in a greenhouse, they serve as a source of mineral and air (CO2) nutrition for plants.

SOLAR HEATED IN-DEPTH GREENHOUSE

Many gardeners successfully use in-depth solar-heated greenhouses to grow seedlings and early green crops in the absence of biofuel.

Solar heating is based on the properties of covering materials (glass, film) to transmit solar rays, which are converted into heat inside the structure. But since these covering materials transmit heat rays not only from the outside, but also from the inside, before frost such greenhouses have to be insulated with different covering materials.

Therefore, solar-heated greenhouses have to be used at a later date, but they allow you to harvest green crops 12-15 days earlier than from open ground. And seedlings grown in sunny gable greenhouses are squat, leveled and hardened.

A solar greenhouse is much smaller than a biofuel greenhouse, its depth is no more than 40 cm. Any insulating material (slag, sand, etc.) is placed on its bottom, and its piping is often made of slab.

GROUND GREENHOUSE WITH SOLAR HEATING

A ground-based solar-heated greenhouse is even simpler in design. To make it, make a wooden harness of arbitrary length, 20-25 cm high and install it on previously prepared soil. For insulation, earth is added to the outside of the harness.

In order for the soil to warm up faster and more strongly, frames are placed on the harness 3-5 days before sowing seeds or picking.

A type of ground-based solar-heated greenhouse is beds covered at night and during cold snaps with portable film shelters.

You can easily make a folding wooden greenhouse with screws with your own hands. It can be easily assembled, carried away and stored elsewhere when not needed.

And they install it directly on the surface of the earth. This not only increases its durability, but also requires less material consumption. The gap at the bottom can be covered by sprinkling earth around the perimeter. Place such a greenhouse, for example, in a flowerbed and plant flowers directly in the ground or in seedling boxes.

V. G. Shafransky

How and from what to build a simple greenhouse at the dacha

A greenhouse is a simple structure designed for growing seedlings, which anyone can make. What it can be built from, how to do it correctly, where to install it and how to heat a country greenhouse, let’s talk.

A greenhouse is a small unheated structure that is used for growing seedlings and various vegetables. Unlike a greenhouse, which can reach a height of 3 meters or more, the height of a greenhouse does not exceed 1.5 meters. In addition, unlike greenhouses, which are often artificially heated, greenhouses are heated by the sun's rays and the heat generated by the oxidation of biofuels.

Sometimes tunnel film shelters are classified as a separate category of structures, arguing that calling them greenhouses is incorrect. But we will not complicate the classification and will consider them as one of the types of greenhouses.

WHAT TO BUILD A GREENHOUSE FROM

Another difference between a greenhouse and a greenhouse is the ease of its manufacture. Building a greenhouse yourself is quite a troublesome task; it requires not only ingenuity, but also certain skills and financial costs. But it’s not difficult to build a greenhouse even on your own, using available and inexpensive materials.

As a rule, it is used as a covering for a greenhouse. polyethylene film(regular or reinforced) or non-woven covering material (lutrasil, spunbond). Less commonly used cellular polycarbonate; In greenhouses made from window frames, glass is usually installed.

The basis of the greenhouse - its frame - can have different shapes: arched, triangular, “house” (like a miniature greenhouse) and so on. Polypropylene pipes are used as the material for the frame; metal and fiberglass reinforcement; wooden blocks; window frames. Greenhouses are often stationary, but can also be installed as temporary shelter for plants. Let's see what this looks like in practice.

SIMPLE ARC-SHAPED GREENHOUSE (TUNNEL SHELTER)

This building is probably familiar to every summer resident.

To set up a simple greenhouse, there are enough ready-made arcs made from a bent polypropylene pipe and an ordinary plastic film stretched over them and pressed on both sides to the ground using bricks.

The bases of the arcs can be fixed to a wooden frame or simply stuck into the ground. The optimal distance between the arcs is 50 cm.

To give the structure greater rigidity, horizontal slats are used, attached to the arches - they do not allow them to deform and move. Sometimes additional vertical supports are installed under the first and last arc, then the greenhouse keeps its shape perfectly all season. However, as is clearly seen in the photo, you can successfully do without such additions.

ZXPRESS GREENHOUSE MADE OF WOODEN GRIDS

If a structure made of arcs and film seems too flimsy to you, you can use the experience described in this publication: Express greenhouse made from scrap materials. A greenhouse for seedlings from wooden gratings is assembled as quickly as from arches, but the structure is more rigid and stable.

The disadvantage of this design is that its height is quite small - it is only suitable for producing early greenery and seedlings.

STATIONARY WOODEN GREENHOUSE

A stationary greenhouse assembled from wooden blocks and boards will be even more durable, stable and reliable.

To build it, you will need minimal skills - anyone who can handle a saw and a hammer even a little can master such a construction project. The shape and size of such a greenhouse are arbitrary - it all depends on the available space, materials, your construction skills and the crops that are supposed to be grown in the greenhouse.

GREENHOUSE FROM METAL

If you want to build a greenhouse, as they say, “for centuries,” make a frame from steel pipes or corner. It can be welded (this is reliable, but it will no longer be possible to disassemble such a structure), or it can be made collapsible.

Such a frame can be covered not only with film, but also with cellular polycarbonate. A greenhouse made in this way is good for everyone, its only drawback is its rather high cost.

GREENHOUSE FROM OLD WINDOW FRAMES

I propose to talk in more detail about how to build a greenhouse from frames. And for inspiration, here is such a wonderful photo.

The design of this wall-mounted greenhouse is probably clear even without descriptions. We will build something more complicated - our greenhouse is suitable not only for seedlings, but also for growing tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers under film.

We will need: actually several pieces of window frames, a couple of long boards and not too thick logs or timber, old brick- for foundation construction, self-tapping screws - for connecting frames to each other.

DIMENSIONS OF A GREENHOUSE FROM WINDOW FRAMES

Having prepared the material for constructing a greenhouse, let’s decide on its dimensions:

LENGTH

There is no optimal length for a greenhouse made from window frames - it will depend on the size and number of these same frames. True, it makes no sense to build a greenhouse that is too long, since it is unlikely to be convenient to use.

WIDTH AND HEIGHT

The width and height, as you already understood, will also depend on what size frames are used. Make sure they are the right size before starting assembly.

LET'S START ASSEMBLY

We adjust the boards and beams to the required size and coat them with waste (spent car oil) or bitumen mastic. We lay bricks along the perimeter of the future greenhouse, and place timber directly on them.

From the inside, we attach the boards vertically to the beam with self-tapping screws; the distance between them should be slightly less than the width of the frames. On top of the outer side, we attach more boards to the vertical boards so that the upper edge of the horizontal board completely coincides with the ends of the vertical supports. Then we attach the rafters to the ends of the boards. This roof shape is needed so that water can drain normally from the greenhouse.

We fasten the window frames to the assembled frame of timber and boards with the same screws. Advice: at least one of the frames in the greenhouse must open; to do this, “put” it on the hinges on one side and secure it with a hook on the other.

PLACE FOR GREENHOUSE

It is advisable to place the greenhouse on the site from east to west - only in this position will shadows from the supports be minimized, and the sun's rays will be able to penetrate the plants at the optimal angle. At the same time, the place where the greenhouse is planned to be installed must be fairly level, not blown by winds and well lit.

TEMPERATURE IN THE GREENHOUSE

Ideally, a constant temperature should be maintained inside the greenhouse. You can heat a greenhouse using:

ELECTRICITY

To do this, use heating wires, which are laid in a snake pattern on the bottom of the greenhouse, on a layer of gravel 2 cm thick plus 3 cm of washed sand. On top of the wire is covered with a denser - 5 cm - layer of washed sand, and its ends are connected to a 220 V network. To protect the wire from accidental mechanical damage, a thin iron sheet must be laid on the layer of sand, and a nutritious soil mixture is poured onto this sheet. To be honest, for me, this method of heating greenhouses is not very cost-effective and quite exotic, but it’s up to you to decide.

SOLAR HEATING

The simplest, most common and cheapest way. Advice: in order for the sun to heat the greenhouse well, try to always keep the glass or film in it clean.

BIOFUELS

Exactly biological method heating a greenhouse is the most effective, while it is accessible and economical - after all, heat is released during the decomposition of ordinary manure, and filling a greenhouse with manure will not be difficult.

USING BIOFUEL IN A GREENHOUSE

The side earthen walls of the greenhouse must be lined with insulating material, for example polystyrene foam, and a dense layer of straw, leaves or peat chips must be placed on the bottom before laying manure. We do the stuffing itself, alternating layers, for example, layers of manure and leaves. Moreover, the greater (in percentage terms) the number of leaves, the lower the temperature inside the greenhouse will be. Such simple manipulations will help preserve the heat generated during fermentation for as long a period of time as possible.

When packing, remember that the substrate settles over time, so the layer must be high enough. And one more thing: you can only use leaves for stuffing. good quality- not rotted. A layer of soil is poured into the greenhouse directly on top of the organic matter.

When using biofuel in a greenhouse, it is worth considering that manure can be different and, accordingly, the methods of laying it differ:

Horse manure is the best option for biofuel used to heat greenhouses. Already a week after placing horse manure in the greenhouse, the temperature inside it rises to +50...+60°C. Moreover, it lasts for about 1.5-2 months, and then drops to +20°C. Due to the release of such a large amount of heat, it is most advisable to use horse manure in early greenhouses for seedlings.

Cow manure, of course, is slightly inferior to horse manure, because as a result of its decomposition, the temperature in the greenhouse only reaches +40...+50°C, but it is also an excellent biofuel for heating a greenhouse. In addition, cow manure “burns,” that is, it emits heat, for about two weeks, after which the temperature inside the greenhouse drops to +20°C.

During the process of decomposition, pig manure emits even less heat than cow manure - about +40...+45 ° C, although the temperature in the greenhouse also lasts about 2 weeks.

Sheep, goat and rabbit manure are also excellent biofuels and are in no way inferior to horse manure, releasing approximately the same amount of heat during decomposition.

We build a greenhouse (greenhouse) ourselves

All summer residents or gardeners are familiar with anxiety in anticipation of unpredictable spring frosts. Greenhouse! This is what will protect your plants and allow you to harvest when others are just planting. First, decide what the greenhouse is needed for. For growing seedlings, early greens and radishes, a small greenhouse. But to get impressive yields of tomatoes and cucumbers, you will have to think about a more solid structure. The height of the varieties you plan to grow will help determine the dimensions of the greenhouse.

Film greenhouses quite common. But in most cases they are very inconvenient to use: panels films Can only be laid by two people and in calm weather. Yes, and it is sometimes quite difficult to securely fix them. We offer a greenhouse design that our 13-year-old children can easily cover, and unplanned "vents" that sometimes appear can be easily and quickly eliminated.

The basis of our greenhouses- a foundation with channels concreted in it. They measure 45x45x1700 mm, bent from a steel sheet 2 mm thick. In total, our greenhouse measuring 13x3 m used 36 channels - 16 along the long sides and 2 at the ends. The foundation is columnar-ribbon. They did it like this. We leveled the soil surface, then dug holes 40x40 cm in size and 50 cm deep every 85 cm, and dug grooves 20 cm wide between them. Then we installed channels with the cavities outward, simultaneously filling them with concrete to the ground level. After the concrete had partially set, formwork was installed between the pillars and a tape 20 cm wide and high was poured (Figure 1):

The formwork consisted of two steel sheets L-shaped. The sheets were fastened with two wire staples; what type they are is shown in Figure 2.

After the concrete had completely set, the staples were unbent, and the sheets were easily separated, while the wire remained in the thickness of the concrete. When the concrete had completely set, wooden support bars with a cross-section of 40x40 mm and a height of 170 cm were secured in the cavities of the channels with self-tapping screws, and the lower part of the bars did not reach the foundation by a couple of centimeters, which prevented them from rotting.

The channels and support bars were painted with rubber-bitumen mastic. Then they did top harness support bars. Figure 3 shows the connections of the support and longitudinal beams to each other, as well as sections of the longitudinal beam. The floor rafters were made separately.

Each of the 16 rafters consists of two rafter legs, including wooden blocks measuring 4x4x170 cm, two fastening strips and one cross member. The fastening strips fix the rafter legs on both sides, and the crossbar is nailed so that there is 3 m between the lower ends of the bars. Our rafters are 40 cm high, and accordingly, the greenhouse (taking into account the support bars in the channels) is 210 cm high. In the upper part Using fastening strips, a groove measuring 4x4 cm is cut out, in which the upper longitudinal beam is fixed. Then the rafters were installed at the ends of the support beams, securing them with self-tapping screws and securing them with four slopes on each side of both rafter legs (Fig. 4).

This is what the rafter fastening looks like (photo 1).

Alas, it was not possible to complete the construction in the first year, so the completed part of the frame - 8 “compartments” - was simply covered with film, attaching it with strips directly to the rafters and support beams. And in next year We have already done everything else: installed the missing support beams, rafters, and arranged the ridge. For this purpose, small bars were attached to the rafters and metal visor. And a perforated channel was attached to the crossbars of the rafters along the entire length of the greenhouse. We first covered the lower part of the greenhouse to a height of 60 cm from the outside with boards, and then covered them with film from the inside. Then, starting from the bottom, they nailed down planks one by one and filled the gaps with clay “reinforced” with scraps of fabric. Such insulated heat accumulator panels significantly reduce daily temperature fluctuations. Photo 2 shows heat accumulators and grooves into which the side frames are installed. At the same time, frames were prepared for arranging the side surfaces and roof of the greenhouse (Figure 5).

For the whole greenhouse 64 frames were required - 32 top and the same number of side frames. The top frame measures 73x160 cm, the side frame measures 73x80 cm. The width of 73 cm was chosen based on the fact that film, which we use, is 3 or 6 m wide, that is, a multiple of 75 cm, so when it is “cut,” there is no waste, and the 1 cm wide strips of film remaining at the edges seem to seal the joints of the frames, and water practically does not penetrate inside. The slats of the large frames in the corners are fastened together with metal corners on screws; I also attached the middle bar with screws. In the side frames, additional corner slats are used to increase the rigidity of the structure. Frames like all others wooden structures, are treated with rubber-bitumen mastic, and the part to which the film is attached is also painted with light paint on top of the mastic (to reduce heating and, accordingly, destruction of the film). The film itself, stretched over the frame, was secured with wooden strips coated with the same mastic.

It is not difficult to install ready-made frames (which, by the way, are stored in the garage in winter) on the greenhouse. It is enough to lay the frame on the ceiling so that the plank goes under the ridge, then simply move the frame to the already installed ones (photo 3).

Large frames are attached with wire: at the top - to a perforated channel from inside the greenhouse, at the bottom - to a screw screwed into the side frame beam. The side frames at the bottom are not attached, since they are installed in grooves, but at the top they are attached to the same screw as the top frames. Two wire hooks allow you to remove the top or side frame separately for repair. In hot weather, for ventilation, the side frames can either be removed or opened slightly by removing the bottom hook (instead, we tie a ribbon to the screw). Last year we bought “high quality” sensitized film with a three-year warranty according to the seller. After standing for two months, it began to tear, so we had to do repairs. Fortunately, not all frames deteriorated at the same time. The main tears and cracks appeared in the places where the film was attached, so the repair was reduced to removing the fastening strips, gluing the edges with wide tape and installing the strips in place. It only took me about half an hour to remove, repair, and put back one top frame. But I don’t know how I would have managed the repair if there were no frames and the film lay, as usual, like a canvas.

Another feature of our greenhouse is that it has a so-called winter compartment, for which two spans of frame are allocated on the north side. Here you can work with early spring and until the autumn cold. Some tools, garden "utensils" and various chemicals are stored in this compartment. There is also a desktop. This “house” is made from scrap materials: on the inside there are panels made of vertical slats, on the outside there are horizontal slats. Between them, into a 4-centimeter cavity, we filled and compacted pieces of foam plastic and a slightly moistened mixture of sawdust and cement in a ratio of 4:1. Partial backfill was made from a lime-sawdust mixture, also slightly moistened.

In total for arrangement greenhouses required: base channel measuring 45x45x1700 mm 34 pcs.; for the foundation - 2.9 cubic meters of cement for both columns and tape; self-tapping screws 30 and 50 mm - about 150 pcs.

I cut the lumber - bars measuring 40 x 40 x 170 cm - from a slab, which I purchased inexpensively at a sawmill. On support structures took 34 pcs. (62 linear meters), for the horizontal piping - 36 linear meters, and for the ridge beam - 13 linear meters, a total of 111 linear meters, about 2 cubic meters of scrap boards were required for lining the sides. Of polyethylene film with a roll width of 6 m, in order to cover the entire greenhouse, you need to buy 14 linear meters, since the upper frames need about 58 sq.m, the side ones - about 20 sq.m, and the southern end - 6 sq.m, that is, only 84 sq.m.

With the onset of spring, the active gardening season begins. City residents flocked to their dachas and vineyards to cultivate their acres. The villagers also took up shovels.

The seedlings are already growing, soon it will be time to plant them in the ground, but fragile plants need protection from cold spring nights. And everyone wants to quickly get some food early vegetables grown in our own garden beds. We urgently need to build a greenhouse.

Which greenhouse to choose

Depending on many factors, the design of the greenhouse will have its own distinctive features.

First, you need to decide what plants you are building a greenhouse for. Different cultures require their own specific conditions of detention, often incompatible. For example, cucumbers and peppers like a warm, stuffy and very humid environment, while tomatoes and eggplants prefer a hot, but well-ventilated environment. It is clear that they need different structures, taking into account the differences in temperature conditions, intensity of moisturizing, methods of care. Some plants have a tall stem and are vigorous; they will require an appropriate height, while for growing, for example, greens, this issue is not important.

Secondly, you should decide whether your greenhouse will be a winter or a “spring” one, which is used in spring, summer, and autumn. The location of the building (west-east or north-south) depends on this.

It is advisable to erect a winter structure with the long side facing south, with a large slope of the slope, blank, painted in dark color northern wall. Sometimes it is made reflective and inclined to direct the rays onto the soil. The coating materials used are the most transparent and preferably the least thermally conductive, with a decent margin of safety - cellular polycarbonate; several layers of dense stabilized polyethylene, which can be reinforced, bubbly, with foam layers. You will have to think about heating and additional lighting options in advance.

Thirdly, greenhouses can be intended for soil and soilless, hydroponic farming. They can be industrial and “dacha”, temporary and stationary, vegetable and seedlings.

The main thing is that the greenhouse reliably performs its main functions - it allows maintaining the desired temperature and humidity.

This is what we will build

Features of design and location

The design with one slope was chosen as the simplest to construct and very advantageous in terms of thermal engineering. We orient it with a slope to the east, so you can collect the greatest amount of solar heat in the morning.

Having an overall size of 5.5 by 3.5 meters, the greenhouse is placed with its long side in the north-south direction, in the hope that it will be best illuminated by the productive rays of the morning and evening sun, and on a hot afternoon it will be easier to shade the plants, avoiding critically high temperatures.

As a material for the frame, we will use wood, which is easy to work with, it cuts well, and it is easy to attach film to it. With a reasonable approach, wooden structures are very durable and strong. In addition, observing a certain “montage culture”, they are quite aesthetic. And its low price distinguishes this material from plastic and metal, especially non-ferrous ones.

Installing racks

According to the given dimensions, which is 5.5 by 3.5 meters, we mark the walls of the structure and pull the cords low from the ground. To maintain the rectangularity of the structure, it is necessary to measure the length of the diagonals - they must be equal.

Now, using a shovel or hand drill along the long side, after about 800 mm, we make holes about 300 mm deep.

Well with crushed stone

The frame posts are made of pine beams with a section of 100x50 mm. Each post, that part of it that will be in the ground, should be generously coated with bitumen mastic and wrapped in polyethylene - this will protect them from rotting. If desired and financially possible, it would not hurt to treat their aboveground part with special protective impregnations or drying oil, since the greenhouse will be very humid.

Waterproofing

We place pillars along the cord that have not yet been cut to height, and fill the well with medium or fine fractions of crushed stone, gradually compacting it. It fills voids very tightly and stabilizes the timber well. It’s worth using a long building level now, although adjustments will still be required later.

The corner posts are secured in a strictly vertical position with slab braces from the bottom of adjacent beams.

Arranging the racks

On the short sides, the pillars are placed at a distance of 1150 mm from each other. Should be formed in advance on one of them doorway size of at least 800 mm wide, for free passage of a garden wheelbarrow (700 mm). To arrange the entrance, we step back a little from the high angle so that we can make it an acceptable height.

When the posts are in place, you can mark the cutting lines for the beams. Underneath it, horizontal struts are screwed to the posts from inside the future room, with which the pillars are leveled from the already rigidly fixed corners.

Now the timber can be sawed off. On the high side of the slope, the height is taken to be about 2100 mm - cucumbers will live in this part of the greenhouse. On the low side, the height of the racks is limited to 1300 mm, which is quite suitable for working with low-growing crops such as peppers and herbs. Close to the high part of the building, opposite the entrance, there is a convenient path. Please note that the actual useful height of the greenhouse will be 100 mm greater due to the roof.

Stands in place

To eliminate some weakness of the structure, it is advisable to install an auxiliary rack in the middle of the long sides, from the bottom of which another brace is mounted.

Auxiliary pillar in the middle

Roofing system

Rafters made of timber with a section of 100x50 mm and a length of 4.5 meters are installed on top of the pillars. They are attached to the posts with galvanized metal corners using commonly available 35mm “black” wood screws.

Post and rafters

To save money, using metal scissors, you can quickly make a lot of budget corners and plates perforated with a large nail from scraps of “plasterboard” profiles.

Installation and unfastening of rafters

Small crossbars are nailed between the rafter legs and long posts, stabilizing the resulting acute angle.

At the bottom of the slope, the rafters are not cut to length, this will somewhat complicate the installation of the film, but they can be used as a frame for setting up a small seasonal greenhouse for seedlings in the future.

The frame is ready

Why plastic film

The choice of polyethylene as a coating is due to many reasons.

Unlike glass, film is permeable ultra-violet rays, which are also necessary for plants, it scatters light, which is also very useful.

Light transmittance for our spring greenhouse is not the most important factor, although glass is only 10-15% better in this regard, and even then it is perfectly clean, which does not last very long.

The financial issue will undoubtedly be in favor of polyethylene, given the price of glass, which does not last forever and quite often breaks and bursts. If your budget allows, then it is best to use polycarbonate for these purposes - it is preferable in all respects.

In our case, stabilized wide-format polyethylene with a thickness of 100 microns will be used.

Film fastening

First, we cut a strip of film 6 meters long, it is enough to cover the roof and low wall greenhouses. It is important that there will be no polyethylene connection at the bottom of the slope; therefore, there is no need to install jumpers between the rafters, which can delay water flow.

Film stretching

The main pressing of the film to the frame is carried out with thin meter-long slats. The polyethylene must be stretched well and nailed through the shingles with thin 20 mm nails. It is better not to finish off the heads of the nails - this will allow dismantling and replacing the coating in the future with minimal losses.

At the bottom of the canvas, they are securely fixed to the posts and sprinkled with earth.

If you have to install the covering alone, a construction stapler will be a great help for temporary pre-tensioning. The main thing is that they can be used with one hand, while the other remains free. A high-quality staple gun will nail even thin slats, not to mention pneumatic or electric models.

Ventilation device

One of the main problems faced when growing vegetables in a greenhouse is the removal of excess heat. In summer, in the sun, the temperature inside the cultivation structure can reach 60 degrees, especially in the upper part, despite the fact that the 40-degree mark is destructive for most agricultural crops.

Opening the doors and tucking the film from below on the walls does not give the expected effect, but only creates a draft, which carries away precious moisture. Cucumbers don't like it that much. It’s better to play with shading the plants with various curtains, or spray polyethylene with a solution of clay or chalk.

Therefore, at the very top of the slope we will install four opening transoms from old glazed windows. We fasten them with small canopies from the ridge into the overlay with the roof. Our windows have small windows that can be opened in the spring.

It is believed that the optimal ratio of the transom area to the total floor area of ​​the greenhouse is approximately 1:6 or 1:7.

Transoms on the ridge

There are several options for automating the opening of transoms. They are based on the use of an electric, hydraulic or bimetallic drive with the possible use of temperature sensors. This is very convenient - you do not need to constantly monitor the degree of heating of the air inside the greenhouse and constantly manipulate the vents, however, costs increase significantly.

Making a door

The door is made from dry slats with a cross section of 30x40 mm. Using corners and plates, a lightweight frame is assembled, braced with braces, 10 mm narrower than the doorway in width and height. It is covered with film and mounted with canopies on the rack with an outward opening.

Convenient door

From the same slats, a porch is made on the opening, onto which a rubber seal can be attached closer to winter.

It is imperative to make a threshold. It will make it possible to avoid the penetration of cold air from under the door and raise it above the ground, facilitating free opening in the presence of an “unfavorable” slope of the site or fallen snow.

The door must be equipped with handles on both sides and some kind of closing mechanism (turntable, bolt, hook...).

Let's sum it up

Such a structure is erected by one person during 16-17 hours of leisurely, thoughtful work.

As far as power tools go, you can probably get by with a jigsaw and a screwdriver without any problems.

The total cost of a house for vegetables was around 4,500 rubles.

The following materials were used:

As you can see, in order to make a convenient, problem-free greenhouse of this size (5.5 x 3.5 meters), it is not at all necessary to invest serious funds. You just need to put in a little effort, and it will definitely bring its owner a good, stable harvest from early spring until late autumn frosts.

Ready. You can plant seedlings

Obviously, some issues of the internal arrangement of the structure remained “behind the scenes” - these are automation, irrigation options, artificial heating, heat accumulation systems, features of space organization, nuances of caring for greenhouse plants and many others. However, these are topics for another article.

Anton Turishchev, rmnt.ru