Greenhouse for the balcony

A greenhouse for a balcony is a very convenient and practical piece of equipment. It allows you to grow plants, creating the most comfortable conditions. A variety of options for balcony greenhouses allows you to choose the perfect model.

There is a huge range of greenhouses, depending on the shape and size:

• Small balcony greenhouses have many advantages. They are characterized by affordability and practicality. Even in a small room, you can grow seedlings yourself.
• A greenhouse for a balcony is usually presented in the form of a rack, which is covered with a transparent film. It can be quickly installed and dismantled after use.
• Greenhouses with 4 shelves are compact. They have an approximate size of 50x50x157cm, take up very little space when assembled and weigh no more than five kilograms. You can assemble them yourself on your balcony.
• The most popular models are greenhouses with 3 shelves. Their dimensions are usually 50x70x127cm. This option can be used not only as a greenhouse for plants, but also as a balcony decoration.
• Mini greenhouses can be portable, which allows them to be freely moved from one corner of the room to another. Manufacturers offer models of all sizes and with a different number of tiers.
• Some models have built-in ventilation, irrigation and additional lighting. They are called automated because the greenhouse independently regulates all the processes necessary for the normal growth of plants. Such a greenhouse has up to about four square meters. The gardener is only responsible for planting plants, and the rest of the processes are carried out by the automation system.
• Many people prefer a greenhouse-showcase, which also acts as an element of balcony decor. Such a greenhouse is characterized by the presence of an autonomous type structure, which is additionally a closed film. The open part of the model is located in the area of ​​the facade.

If you have your own garden, but there is no opportunity or time to devote time to creating a greenhouse on the site, then the ideal way out of this situation would be to grow seedlings on your balcony. The compactness of the greenhouse will allow, without taking up much space, to grow seedlings for further planting in your garden.

The greenhouse on the balcony has a simple structure, so if you wish, you can do it yourself. A variety of materials that are at home will do. These can be unnecessary pipes, bars, old window frames made of wood, glass and plastic wrap.

Before proceeding directly to the construction of a greenhouse, you should consider several important points:

• Where is the best place on the balcony? It should not interfere with movement. It is necessary to create access to the structure for comfortable plant care.
• Determine the dimensions of the future structure, as well as from what materials you will make it. You can buy ready-made materials or search among the available tools.
• If the balcony is located on the south side, then the plants will receive a sufficient amount of light. In another case, you should think about additional light sources, where they will be located.
• Do not forget about your financial capabilities and take into account your skills in the construction business.

The simplest solution for building a greenhouse structure is a wooden frame. The manufacturing process includes several stages:

• First you need to calculate the dimensions of the lid and box, as well as pick up a sufficient amount of materials. You will need wood boards and bars, screws and hinges, polycarbonate or glass.
• An excellent solution would be to create a diagram of the future greenhouse, where the dimensions of the structure should be indicated.
• After that, you can proceed to the manufacture and assembly of the box parts. Wooden boards must be carefully treated with a protective agent. All seams must be sealed. It is better to paint the inside white, and on the outside you can use the color you want.
• The double frame should be hinged and have special grooves where the glass will be inserted. You will also need wooden glazing beads to securely fix the glass.
• For ease of use, the frame can be fitted with a handle. The frame is attached to the structure by means of hinges with latches. This will allow the cover to be fixed in different positions.
• If the greenhouse will be used all year round, it is worth taking care of its insulation. For this, you can use mineral wool or foam, since they have thermal insulation properties. Insulation is used both inside and outside.

A greenhouse on the balcony can be made of unnecessary metal pipes:

• To create a reliable frame, pipes made of metal or plastic are used. The choice of sizes is individual.
• To give the structure stability, you can use the load-bearing balcony wall and attach the enclosure to it.
• The greenhouse should be filled with shelves, on which trays or pots will then be installed. The number of shelves should be calculated based on the height of the plants.
• On top of the greenhouse, it is covered with plastic wrap, which transmits light and also protects the plants from external factors. The film should fit very tightly. Clearances will lead to heat loss inside the structure.
• On one side of the structure, a swing door should be installed, which will be securely closed due to the presence of a zipper or adhesive tape. To fix the zipper on the film, you can use a special glue or, using an additional layer of paper, iron it.

How to make a greenhouse on a balcony with your own hands, see the next video.

Usually, seeds are planted for seedlings in late winter, or early spring. It is during this period that plants will need a sufficient amount of additional light for active growth. If we talk about eggplants, bell peppers and tomatoes, then daylight is not enough for them even in late spring. Artificial lighting is ideal for regions in the north or northwest.

• The most common and cheapest option is the use of LEDs. With a certain combination of colors, you can create the desired spectrum for normal plant illumination, which practically does not differ from daylight.
• It is very convenient to use a ready-made "phytolamp". It can be purchased at a specialty store or made by hand. It contains a whole set of LEDs in one bulb. The power of the phytolamp is adjusted depending on the area of ​​the greenhouse.
• If you make it yourself, then you need to calculate the total power of the LEDs used. Usually this combination is used: two red, one blue and one additional white or green LED.
• When installing an additional light system, it is worth considering the waterproofing of each level in the greenhouse. Excess water that may flow from the drainage holes of the pots must not get onto electrical appliances.

For convenience, many greenhouse buyers use a drip irrigation system. It provides many benefits, the main one being that the plants get moisture without damaging or breaking the stems.

The practicality of the system lies in its automation, which frees your time from watering. The essence of this system is that it supplies water directly to the root system, while not irrigating the leaves and the topsoil.

The automatic system includes a small submersible pump. Since greenhouses for balconies are small, the plants do not need a lot of water. To make an irrigation system yourself, you can use tubes from medical "droppers".

Additional connectors can be purchased at your pet store. You also need a programmer to turn the system on and off, which is inexpensive. All the elements should be connected, and the automation of irrigation for your plants is ready.

For an overview of the finished greenhouse for the balcony, see the video below.

Many people like greenhouses for the balcony because they provide many advantages. They can be purchased ready-made in specialized stores or made by hand. In stores, a ready-made frame is sold, on which a polyethylene coating is subsequently stretched.