Greenhouses for seedlings: types and their features

Even having a small piece of land, you can place a greenhouse on it. These designs are becoming more and more popular. Even in apartments and houses mini-greenhouses are already appearing, not to mention full-fledged summer cottages.

For the rapid growth of early seedlings, many conditions must be met. The parameters of the microclimate that will surround young shoots are of the greatest importance. The greenhouse can easily solve this problem. Inside this structure, a special microclimate is maintained, which contributes to the rapid growth of plants and their rapid development.

Such designs have a number of amazing features that do not leave indifferent even novice gardeners, not to mention experienced ones:

• Mini greenhouses attract mobility. They are easily portable, which allows you to take into account the requirements of a particular culture.

• Versatility regarding the choice of the type of plant for growing. With the right approach in the greenhouse, you can create the climate that the selected plant requires.

• Availability of materials for self-production and low cost for the purchase of a finished structure. Whichever option you choose, you will not incur high costs anyway. For a homemade greenhouse, you can generally use the remains of building material.

• Fast assembly is another important advantage. A greenhouse can be made in an hour; for a more overall design, you will have to spend no more than a day. Minimum time, maximum benefit.

All greenhouses can be divided into two large groups: for the home and for the garden, or outdoor.

Outdoor greenhouses can be monolithic, large or compact, portable structures. There are many varieties and variations. You can buy a ready-made version or create a real masterpiece yourself.

An arched summer cottage is a common option that is easy to make yourself. Small arcs are installed in a row, which can be made of various materials. From above, the structure is covered with a special agrofibre or an ordinary film cover. Can be portable or permanently mounted.

Outdoor portable miniature greenhouses look like a box without a bottom. A glass or film cover is located on top. This garden option can be easily transferred to a new place and even installed simply on the garden bed. A similar design is often used to protect seedlings that have already been planted on the ground from frost. Also, such a greenhouse is great for rooting the growth of horticultural crops.

Vertical greenhouse has enough space for shelves and stands. Even the rack can be placed in such a structure. There are greenhouses for sale on 4 shelves, but they are easy to make with your own hands. Such greenhouses take up little space, but at the same time they allow you to grow a lot of seedlings.

Recessed design, or a Belgian greenhouse is located in a trench. A harness is created on the sides, inside of which the selected crop is planted. On top is a polycarbonate or film cover. The simplest design has a lid with one slope. For more complex and dimensional greenhouses, a gable cover is constructed. The functions of thermal insulation are performed by the soil.

Greenhouse butterfly it stands out among the entire assortment with its unusual opening type. Small flaps are installed on top.When open, they look like the wings of a moth. In theory, such structures can have different dimensions, but most often they are small.

Snail greenhouse also called "bread bin", in most cases it has large dimensions, therefore it is suitable for a spacious summer cottage. The appearance of the structure, in particular, the principle of opening, really resembles a bread bin. Such designs are chosen for simple plant maintenance and convenient access.

Greenhouse "tulip" Is a modern large-sized structure, which is equipped with a sliding roof, doors, vents, removable transparent panels. Everything in this building is thought out to the smallest detail. The collapsible type of construction eliminates the possibility of damage to the panels under the pressure of snow. The retractable roof provides free access to plantings and does not interfere with natural irrigation.

Heated and illuminated greenhouses are essential for growing early crops. Without this condition, it will not be possible to grow a good harvest. A warm greenhouse can be equipped with heaters with infrared lamps, air heaters, heating panels. You can also lay a thermal cable or, at worst, install a container of hot water inside. Biofuels are another option for equipping a warm greenhouse. You will learn more about the rules for its use below.

For a house, a greenhouse needs a compact one. Often such structures are located on the windowsill. They allow you to start growing seedlings early - in February or early March. It all depends on the plant you choose. In any case, the seeds begin to sprout quickly, and the sprouts grow vigorously. Often, a micro-greenhouse is created like street structures, only in a reduced size. A home greenhouse can even be multi-level, not to mention the usual arc and film options. Mini-greenhouses in specialized stores are offered in a large assortment. But you can also build a structure with your own hands that will not be inferior to the finished version.

A variety of materials are used for the manufacture of greenhouses. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each of them further.

Let's start with the materials used for the support and frame:

• Plastic is difficult to roll into an arc, since it retains its original shape well and can crack with excessive force. But in terms of availability, plastic material clearly wins.
• The metal is characterized by durability and strength, but corrosion remains the main problem. Metal necessarily requires processing.
• Wood for arches is used extremely rarely, more often for a frame. When creating a prefabricated greenhouse, this material is especially relevant. The tree also needs treatment to protect it from decay.

Shelter materials can also be used in different ways.

• Polycarbonate is widely used in many industries, including the production of greenhouses. This material can be used for DIY designs as it is affordable and easy to use. At its core, it is a plastic material. But, unlike plastic, polycarbonate is much stronger. It is also lighter and more practical than glass.
• Plastic wrap is often used, since this option is the simplest and most affordable. The fastening process is not difficult, regardless of the material of the arcs and the frame. Such material can be used for a maximum of 3 seasons, taking into account its removal for the winter. But for home greenhouses, it is the film that is the best option.
• Agrofibre is more expensive than the previous version, but it is durable and practical. There are no problems with fastening, due to the porous structure, the material passes moisture and retains heat.

• Spunbond is a relatively new material that is a non-woven fabric.The composition contains stabilizers that extinguish the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation. This feature provides the material with durability, despite constant exposure to the sun. Spunbond is available in various densities and stabilizers.
• Greenhouses in areas characterized by strong winds are covered with reinforced foil. The material is able to withstand wind loads up to 34 m / s, which is an impressive figure. She is also not afraid of low and high temperatures (from -50 to +60). The material is multilayer, with a fiberglass mesh inside.
• Glass is already receding into the background, since it is far from the best option for greenhouses. It is fragile, heavy, expensive, and difficult to work with.

Everyone can make a greenhouse for seedlings in the spring. We offer the most simple, interesting and practical options that can be created by hand.

First, you need to study some tips that will help you avoid mistakes during work.

• The size of the greenhouse must be carefully thought out so that the further operation and care of the plants are comfortable. If a mini-greenhouse is being created, then 1 x 2 m will be enough. The height is selected in accordance with the available boards.
• It is not recommended to mount inclined structures. On the one hand, this design allows water to drain away and not linger on the surface. But on the other hand, moisture will not interfere with the plantings and one side is shaded. With a lack of sun, young shoots are thin, tall and weak.

A greenhouse made of wood can be presented in several versions: with a box, frame, with window frames or with a film coating.

• For the construction of the box, it is necessary to prepare four boards: two for length and width. The ends are trimmed to fit the square. To collect the box, you can use bars or fasten the boards end-to-end. It is better to strengthen the box by means of right-angled triangles, which will be located in the corners.
• Then you can go to the top. For structures that are created for long-term use, it is better to mount frames with glass. They are made more difficult than a film coating, but the operation process will be comfortable and long.

• For a greenhouse with a length of two meters, it will be enough to make three frames. To create them, you will need bars - 4 for each frame. On one side, you need to make a chamfer for the glass. Next, we prepare the glass and fix it in the frames with glazing beads. Finished frames can be fixed with hinges, which will make further operation more convenient. In the case of using the film, you can simply fix it with small nails or lay the load around the perimeter.
• You can build a greenhouse out of wood without a box. This will be a frame tunnel structure. To implement such an idea, it is necessary to mount a frame from rails. The lumber is collected at an angle, from above the boards are fixed with nails / screws.

The lower ends, which will dig into the ground, are best made sharp. To increase stability, you can perform a bundle of all composite structures using bars. The film will stretch on both sides. On the one hand, it must be sprinkled, and on the other, it must be fixed with a load (stones, bricks).

Arched structures are usually created from metal. They turn out to be durable and reliable, quickly assembled and easily transported to another place. For structures, you need to choose rods with a diameter of 6–8 mm. The length depends on the assumed width of the greenhouse at a height of about 50 cm. Only foil or agrofibre is used for covering. It is possible to exclude sagging of the material by pulling the rope between the arcs.

Plastic pipes are great for creating arched greenhouses. The main problem lies in the bending process of the plastic. There are several ways to solve it.Initially, you need to make a template according to which arches will be created. You can drive nails into the board without forgetting the extra stubborn nails around the edges of the board. A pipe is inserted into the template and heated with a hair dryer or boiling water. The heated pipe will easily take the desired shape. It should cool completely in this position.

Warm greenhouses are very convenient, because you can start growing seedlings in February or with the onset of spring and not give up early crops. A variety of techniques can be used in warm greenhouses, but biofuels are best chosen as the most efficient and inexpensive option.

The work is carried out according to the following scheme.

• A pit is dug, the depth of which is determined by the month the fuel was laid. For March, at least 70 cm is required, for April 50 cm will be enough.
• The prepared foundation pit is filled with fuel, which is best used as manure.
• On top of the pit, there is a film and mats. After a while, the manure will heat up, it is necessary to add new fuel to the original level.

• Along the edge of the pit, lamellas are laid - logs or boards. From the south side, the lads are laid down simply on the ground, and from the north side they rise by 10 cm. The frame of the greenhouse structure is laid on top.
• After a week, the fuel will warm up well, as indicated by the steam. At this time, soil can be poured on top with the addition of ash and lime.

A warm greenhouse can also be made using artificial heating, for example, a special cable.

The scheme of work will look like this:

• the bottom of the greenhouse is covered with gravel and sand;
• a snake cable is laid on top of the gravel-sand cushion;
• to protect the heating element, cast iron boxes or iron sheets can be stacked;
• now follows a fertile layer, its thickness should be about 18 cm;
• the system is connected to the mains, the voltage of 220V will be enough.

A greenhouse can be made from many materials at hand. For example, an ordinary box covered with foil will already be a good greenhouse. The box can be replaced, for example, with a barrel. Under any old frame with glass, you can knock down the frame. Several frames, set up by the house - and the greenhouse is ready. It remains only to cover the side parts with a film. For home mini-greenhouses, you can adapt the resealable egg trays.

Often there are situations when a greenhouse is installed on the site, and what to do with it is not known. You need to be able to use such constructions, otherwise you can ruin all your undertakings.

Different crops require different conditions (soil and air temperature, illumination, humidity). Expanding the existing structure or planting all crops in one greenhouse is not worth it. Better not to be lazy and make several greenhouses.

When choosing a place for a greenhouse, it is necessary to give preference to flat and quiet areas. You can even choose a garden area. During the growth of seedlings, there are few leaves on the trees, so the shade from them will not block the sun. The greenhouse should be conveniently located so that the process of its operation is convenient. There should be a source of water, a shed with tools and other useful structures nearby.

When choosing a film for covering, it is imperative to study the parameters that all responsible manufacturers apply to it.

It is recommended to warm up the soil before planting seeds. To speed up this process, it can be covered with ash or peat. This way more solar energy will be absorbed. In addition, both ash and peat are excellent fertilizers.

If there is a lack of sun in the greenhouse, artificial lighting should be made. Shelves and stands are created inside vertical greenhouses, which save space and create an additional bed.

There are a number of tips for preparing the soil for use in greenhouses.The wrong soil can seriously ruin the whole idea, the seeds may not germinate at all or the plants will be weak.

The soil is prepared according to the following rules.

• Good soil should be light, rich in organic and mineral components.
• The soil must be composed of peat. A good soil is obtained from the following ratio: one part of turf, foliage (preferably forest) and humus is taken for three parts of peat.
• Components for the future soil are harvested in the fall, and mixed before planting seeds. Packages are used to store composite components. The room temperature should not drop below zero.
• The soil must be disinfected. To do this, you can use fumigation, steaming, use antiseptics or copper sulfate. Most of these methods require the use of personal protective equipment.

This greenhouse is mobile, reliable, quick to assemble and easy to move to a new location. The frame does not create difficulties when caring for plantings. Such a greenhouse requires a minimum of investment, effort and time.

This greenhouse can be called a work of art and a dream of many. Any homeowner would not mind getting such a frame greenhouse. One of the downsides is the difficulty of growing crops with different requirements for environmental conditions.

This beautiful greenhouse was created by hand, one might say, from scrap materials. But at the same time it looks very beautiful. If you figure it out, the most difficult step is bending the plastic pipes. All other processes are easy, do not require the use of a complex tool and the use of special skills. Everyone will be able to build the same structure for their site.

For this greenhouse, polycarbonate was used - a durable and reliable material that can last for many years. The structure itself is built on the principle of a bread bin. It is easy to use, looks beautiful and provides free access to plantings. You can make such a structure with your own hands, but you will have to spend a lot on materials, clearly calculate the dimensions and give the metal bars the desired shape.

For information on how to make a greenhouse for seedlings with your own hands, see the next video.