Choice of greenhouses: types and characteristics

Our grandparents also tried to build structures in their gardens to help them grow good crops and protect them from the vagaries of nature. These were clumsy greenhouses from scrap materials such as old window frames and old metal pipes. Today, the market can meet the ultra-modern products, equipped with mechanical systems of watering and air conditioning.

To understand which ones are right for you, will help a detailed analysis of all existing types of greenhouses today.

All greenhouses can be classified according to several characteristics:

• According to the method of location. Here there are two main types: adjacent and detached. Each of them has its pros and cons.For example, the first is easier to build and pave them all the necessary communications. In addition, it is possible to equip the entrance to the greenhouse directly from the house. It turns out a kind of greenhouse or even a winter garden. The advantages of stand-alone structures include a relatively large choice for the place of their installation, the greenhouse illumination from all sides and freedom in the choice of shape and size.

• According to the method of construction. For this type of allocate temporary and capital construction. The latter are more reliable and durable. There is no need to clean and rebuild them every season. The downside is the need to fill the foundation and the inability to move the greenhouse to another place. The temporary greenhouse is deprived of such shortcomings, but it is much inferior to the capital in terms of reliability. In addition, this design does not imply a system of mechanical irrigation and lighting. After all, for the next season you can move it to another place or not install it at all.

• According to the height of the ground. If you do not plan to install a capital structure, but you really want to get an early seedling, then you can use a recessed greenhouse. Dig a hole of the required size and fill the bottom with soil. After planting seeds cover all the film. Soil with this arrangement freezes through much less and gives early shoots. The second type includes ground greenhouses. These are, in fact, structures made of film or other materials, which are installed directly above the bed without recesses and any foundation.

• By type of construction. There is a fairly large number of types of greenhouses, which differ directly in the design itself. It can be:

1. Arched or tunnel type. Represent a tunnel of metal or other bases, covered with special materials that retain heat and transmit light.
2. Polygonal. Depending on the idea of ​​the manufacturer, the design may have several faces and, accordingly, corners.
3. Single Shed Used mainly in adjacent structures.
4. Gables. Represent the classic shape of a house with a triangular roof.

• According to the method of heating. The main purpose of the greenhouse - the preservation of heat inside. This can be achieved through design and thermal insulation properties. The harvest in such greenhouses you get much earlier than in the open field. If you want to use the greenhouse as intended as long as possible during the season, you should think about additional heating. This can be done in several ways - electric or water. It all depends on the possibility of summarizing communications. The simplest way will be a bucket with glowing coals.
• According to the method of growing plants. Depending on the types of crops, seedlings and seeds can be planted in the ground or special pots and boxes. The latter for convenience can be placed on the shelves. This will simplify the process of caring for plants. However, there may be some difficulties with watering, especially if you do not visit your garden every day.

Comparing all the options of greenhouses that exist today on their main characteristics, we can conclude that cellular polycarbonate significantly bypasses its competitors. You can see this if you study in detail the indicators of the material on the main characteristics:

In comparison with glass, polycarbonate is very light. This greatly simplifies working with it and does not create an additional load on the frame. If you compare it with a film, it loses much, but the other advantages outweigh the balance in his favor.

Working with glass is very hard. It is necessary to have special skills and tools to build even a small greenhouse. Build a greenhouse in the form of a house with the use of polycarbonate is not difficult. But for the construction of the arched frame construction is better to contact the experts.

On the one hand, glass can be attributed to fairly durable materials.It is not afraid of moisture, wind, hail, and even temperature changes. But it can easily crack even from a small stone that accidentally falls into it.

It would be wrong to say that polycarbonate is not at all afraid of mechanical impact, but it still wins on this parameter in glass. It is also resistant to the vagaries of weather and small mechanical impact. However, snow from the roof structure in the winter you have to remove manually.

The leader here is glass, but this can hardly be attributed to undeniable advantages. If a hot summer comes out and there is not enough ventilation, the plants may die from the heat.

Polycarbonate can have different shades, respectively, and the light conductivity in different colors may differ. The most popular option is the transparent model. It transmits most of the light rays, while protecting against their oversupply due to a slight darkening.

The film can be compared to polycarbonate in light transmission, but if it is a small ground-based greenhouse, then very often a large amount of condensate accumulates from the inside, which worsens this indicator.

Greenhouses of glass warm up very quickly, but also quickly and cool. That is, with a sharp temperature drop inside the greenhouse, it will also very quickly become cool. Even film versions bypass it for this indicator.

Polycarbonate constructions heat up rather quickly and release the accumulated heat more slowly, which makes it possible to maintain the optimum temperature longer without additional efforts and devices. This advantage allows owners of polycarbonate greenhouses to harvest a large crop.

It is difficult to identify a clear leader here, since all materials provide fairly good protection against the penetration of ultraviolet rays, the abundance of which can adversely affect crops.

Glass and polycarbonate are chosen as a covering material for stationary structures precisely because they are not afraid of either frost or heat.After the end of the summer season they are left at their summer cottage unchanged. And if you equip a polycarbonate greenhouse with a heating system, you can get a harvest almost all year round.

The film is used only with the beginning of the planting season and dismantled after harvest in the fall. Its technical characteristics do not allow to store and accumulate heat, moreover, it can easily crack in the cold. It is also impossible to install a heater, since the material may be deformed, and in some cases it threatens to ignite it.

Garden greenhouses can have various forms. Moreover, with proper planning, even the same form can be beaten completely differently. For example, the frame "house" can be made with an opening top. Covering material here can be any of the materials identified. Various zippers and windows can also simplify the process of caring for plants.

Manufacturers of budget versions of greenhouses offer us options such as greenhousewhich is very similar to those we saw with our grandmothers - curved rods inserted into the ground and covered with soft covering material. Now this version has a more modern look. For example, a greenhouse that has 6 sections with clips. Convenience that clips securely fixed on the arcs in any position. This allows you to easily open or close the structure. Such a greenhouse can easily be removed for the winter and it does not take up much space.

All known types of greenhouses are a frame covered with a covering material. The easiest greenhouse can be built with your own hands, using a thick film and curved steel rods. Manufacturers offer us more complex and reliable designs made of modern materials.

Both in production and in self-assembly, the frame can be made of metal, plastic and wood.

Wood is a traditional material for constructing the frame structure of a future greenhouse. If you have elementary tools, you can do it yourself, which will save a lot.And the material itself can hardly be classified as expensive. This makes the wooden frame one of the most popular and sought after among their fellows. Among the indisputable advantages is the environmental friendliness of this material.

But to extend the life is quite real. It is important to annually process all parts of the frame with special protective compounds. Another disadvantage is the very limited plasticity of the tree. It is almost impossible to make beautiful arched structures from it, so it remains to be content with the shape of a house or a lean-to option.

Plastic is an inexpensive material that allows manufacturers to produce affordable complex structures. This option can be safely chosen if you plan to install a temporary structure. For the convenience of users, even special collapsible and folding models have been created.

When self-made as a frame, plastic water pipes are quite suitable. This will save and set the design size and shape.If during the operation one of the elements is damaged, it can easily be replaced with a new one.

It is from plastic that it is easiest to build an arched frame. The material bends well, and low weight allows you to effortlessly assemble the structure.

This material has a number of shortcomings that can influence the choice:

• low strength, resulting in cracks;
• not suitable for capital structures, as it does not tolerate temperature drops;
• difficulties may arise when installing the frame to a concrete base;
• the inability to use polycarbonate as a covering material for arch greenhouses (due to the higher stiffness of the material relative to the plastic frame);
• glass can also exert too much pressure on plastic, as a result of which the structure may become unusable.

Not so long ago, an alternative material appeared on the market, from which it is also possible to make a greenhouse frame - these are fiberglass reinforcement. It differs from ordinary plastic with increased strength, but not so flexible. And the cost of such material is much higher.That is why the frames of such fittings can be found quite rarely.

Metal is the most reliable and durable material for capital greenhouses. It is able to withstand both significant temperature differences and additional load. For the winter, such a structure is not dismantled, as it is able to withstand even a thick layer of snow. Although it will still have to be thrown off, as the covering material may be deformed or even burst completely under the weight of precipitation.

The framework for the greenhouse can be made of a profile pipe, aluminum or galvanized profile. From the first you get beautiful, smooth and durable arc. You can create them manually if you have a specific tool like a pipe bender, or you can invite a specialist.

The aluminum case will serve you faithfully for a very long time. It does not need to be additionally painted or regularly coated with protective agents. Everyone knows the plasticity of this material, so with its help you can build a structure of almost any shape and size. Manufacturers offer already prepared items that need to be interconnected in a specific sequence. The disadvantages include the high cost of the aluminum profile.

Galvanized profile is widely used for the manufacture of various types of greenhouses. The relative cheapness and ease of installation makes it a favorite in this segment. In the shops you can find ready-made kits for the construction of greenhouses. Craftsmen have learned to use a galvanized profile for the construction of drywall to create structures.

Depending on the type and design of the greenhouse, polycrbonate, glass, film or spunbond can be used as a covering material.

Dense film can serve as a covering material for small temporary structures. It is easy to pull on the frame of any shape. But it should be borne in mind that you have to constantly air the greenhouse, as it does not let the air through at all. With strong gusts of wind and hurricane, this design can easily break or tear.Despite these disadvantages, she is still loved by many gardeners due to its low cost.

Alternative to the film can make designs of spunbond or agrofibre. They are well breathable, protect seedlings from gusts of wind, cold and retain heat. You should not worry that the plants will die due to overheating, as can happen in the case of the film.

It should be noted that the agrofibre is also possible to use as a covering material that spreads directly on the ground. This production technology is used by large agro-complexes. This helps in weed control and provides additional protection for the sprouts. In the garden they can lay the beds with Victoria. At the same time it will not be necessary to constantly weed them, and picking berries will be much easier.

Even some 15-20 years ago, a glass greenhouse was considered a real luxury for the backyard. But today, manufacturers prefer more modern and practical materials. This is associated with certain difficulties when working with it. First, it is quite expensive. From it is impossible to build a favorite arched structure. Also, the glass is quite heavy and fragile, which complicates the installation process.

If you still prefer the glass construction, think over the ventilation system in advance. Otherwise, you will need to manually air the greenhouse in the morning and evening. It is also worth considering that even a small child can break the glass and the risk of injury is quite high.

When deciding on the construction of a greenhouse at their summer cottage, most gardeners want it not only to be functional, but also succinctly fit into the existing landscape. Manufacturers offer their customers different shapes and sizes of greenhouses. Therefore, if you wish, you can find exactly the one that will have an aesthetic appearance and will help to collect a large crop.

The frame for such a greenhouse can be made of both metal and wood. In homemade designs, the latter is often used. Manufacturers prefer a more reliable and durable galvanized profile.

This form is traditional and can cover it with any of the available materials. The difference is only in the complexity of installation.This form is very convenient, especially if you plan to install racks. One of the significant drawbacks is the high cost of the greenhouse.

A gable roof in this design has a distinct advantage, since precipitation does not stay on the roof, but rolls down. And if the rainwater can easily flow from other structures, the snow can linger on them. Here there is no threat of stagnation and breach of the structure.

It is a peculiar modification of the form "house". There are no significant differences between them, especially if the walls are set at a vertical right angle. Another modification is a frame with walls tilted inward.

This option combines the advantages of a "house" and an arched structure. Plus, the height of the greenhouse can be made somewhat lower than that of the traditional gable construction. At the same time, the base area will remain quite large. In addition, if desired, it can easily be placed and shelving.

Recently, this type of greenhouse has become the most popular. But to make it in artisanal conditions without special tools is quite difficult.In order for the design to serve you for a long time, it is better to give preference to ready-made models. Installation of such a complex shape is also not recommended to do manually. Firms that provide this type of service guarantee their work.

Do not think that the arched design can only have the shape of a hemisphere. Some models are almost round frame. It looks quite interesting against other buildings and certainly attracts attention.

The pyramid frame with glass or polycarbonate inserts can be a real decoration for your site. Therefore, it is not necessary to hide it in the backyard. A competent designer will certainly tell you how to correctly fit it into the existing landscape.

If you yourself decided to build such a structure, we advise you to consult with the architect.Here it is necessary to accurately calculate the allowable load.

The second name of this design is wall. As the name implies, the greenhouse has one slope and is mounted to the wall of the house or any other structure. Its main advantage is the saving of building material, since, in fact, there is no single wall.

If you decide to give preference to this option, then you should take care of additional protection of the wall to which it will be attached. High humidity is always present inside the greenhouse, which can adversely affect the condition of a wall made of wood, concrete or brick.

Very comfortable compact design. It is a tunnel with a height of about one meter, covered with polycarbonate or film. The peculiarity of its design is that the flaps open from the bottom up like the wings of a butterfly.

The indisputable advantages can also be attributed to a small height. This is due to the fact that there is no need to go inside.Access to crops by opening the sides.

Greenhouses can have absolutely any size depending on the needs and wishes of the customer. It can be both miniature designs covering one bed, and models 25 meters long. How to choose the optimal size?

Here it is necessary to take into account several important parameters.

• Price. Everything is simple here. The larger the size of the greenhouse, the more expensive its cost. If your family does not require a huge construction with an area of ​​several hectares, then spending money on the purchase of a large greenhouse is not practical.
• The size of the plot. Happy owners of large plots can easily find a suitable place even for a large greenhouse. If you have a standard 6 acres, then you should not overload them with a construction of 20 meters, especially if you like to come to the country with the whole family. Think about the fact that you will need to leave a place under the standard beds, a recreation area and a place where children can play.
• Individual characteristics. If you and your loved ones have average growth and build, then it is possible to use the standard sizes of greenhouses.For people who have problems with the locomotor system and wheelchair users, it will be necessary to provide for wider doorways.

• Greenhouse shape. Rectangular designs can be of almost any length. The width in most cases is a standard value. For a greenhouse with two rows of beds and a passage, this value will be 2.5 meters, for greenhouses with 3 rows of beds from 3.5 m to 4.5 m.
• If you decide to install a greenhouse in the shape of a pyramid or dome, its size may vary according to your wishes. Such structures are usually made to order, which affects their value. However, with a well-made installation, it can become a real decoration of the site, since it has a very attractive appearance.
• Cultivated crops. In some cases, you can do a low greenhouse type "breadbasket". It does not take up much space and succinctly fits into the available space. But this type is suitable only for low cultures. In standard greenhouses (above human growth), both stunted and tall plants can comfortably accommodate.It is important to correctly place them inside the structure so that the sun rays reach each of them.

• Purpose When growing crops on an industrial scale is impractical to use greenhouses of small size. Their area can reach 5 hectares or more. If you do not want to spend all the time on the beds (even in an equipped greenhouse) you should not choose too large models. The optimal length is the greenhouse length of 4, 6 or 8 meters. It is in such sizes that most manufacturers produce them.
• Planting method. Even before buying a greenhouse, it is worth deciding whether you will plant plants in the ground, pots or place them on special racks. In many respects it depends on the selected cultures and their quantity. If you plan to place the plants on racks of several floors, then consider the optimum height. On this will depend on the illumination of each individual sprout, and, ultimately, the harvest.

The standard width of the greenhouse is about 2.5 meters. This allows you to comfortably accommodate all landings and leave the passage. It will be necessary both at care of cultures, and at harvesting.Often it is concreted in capital structures in order to avoid excess dirt and the spread of weeds.

The minimum length of the greenhouse is 125 cm. This is the size of a polycarbonate sheet. But in most cases it is not enough and gardeners choose more practical options with a length of 4 meters or more.

The height of a full-fledged standard greenhouse should be comfortable for an adult to freely sit in it. As practice shows, a height of 2 - 2.2 m turns out to be convenient.

The main purpose of any greenhouse is to get a good harvest, even in the cold season. This can be facilitated not only by the construction itself and the insulating properties of the covering material, but also by additional equipment.

• Lighting. Of course, installing conventional lighting in a greenhouse is very convenient and practical. For example, in the early morning or in the evening you will not have to walk with a flashlight.But you can equip it with special lamps that will accelerate the germination and maturation of crops. To dwell in detail on what properties the various light spectra studied by lamps have, we will not. We can only say that some accelerate photosynthesis, others warm up the soil well, etc. From the currently existing variety on the market, the following types of lamps can be distinguished: LED, fluorescent, infrared, high pressure sodium lamps, mercury.

• Heating system. If you plan to grow crops year-round, you will need to take care of heating. Without it, even the best greenhouse will be unsuitable for growing crops in the cold season. There are several options: electric, oven, gas and steam. Each of them has its pros and cons, so you need to choose one of the options, taking into account individual characteristics and wishes.

• Automatic watering. The system of automatic watering greatly simplifies the life of the gardener. It is only necessary to program the system for a certain number of waterings per day and you can be sure that the plants will not dry out.This is very convenient if you do not live in the country all the time. Of the main drawbacks can be noted the additional cost of installing such a system.
• Conditioning. For airing the premises of the greenhouse in various designs windows and doors are provided. The whole question is whether you have to manually open and close them every morning and evening, or the automation will do everything for you. However, plants, as well as all living things, need air, so do not forget to think about the air conditioning system before installing the greenhouse frame.

When choosing a greenhouse may be certain difficulties. It is believed that the undisputed favorite at the moment are polycarbonate greenhouses. But still you should not discount other types of greenhouses. The general concept of what characteristics each of them possesses has already been dismantled. Let's try to summarize all the pros and cons of different types of greenhouses.

Advantages:

• Easy operation.
• Easy disassembly. This may be necessary not only after the end of the season, but also for intensive airing.
• There is no need to take care of cleaning the snow from the roof of the greenhouse in winter.
• Affordable price. Of all its competitors, it has the lowest price, but it will also need to be changed every 2-3 years.
• Even if the hurricane turns over the greenhouse, the film will not break, like glass, into shards. Remove it from the site will not be difficult.

Disadvantages:

• The need to dismantle the structure for the winter. Although, on the other hand, it gives the soil the opportunity to soak up a sufficient amount of moisture in the spring. And the snow protects from freezing.
• Quick wear and gusts. This is the main problem of this material. Increased wind or hail can ruin the coating and it will become unusable.
• It is possible to use film ready designs only in a season. In the frost, it does not retain the necessary heat.
• Impossibility to use heating devices and systems. The film is highly flammable, so the installation of any electrical appliances is associated with the risk of fire.

Advantages:

• passes light well;
• resistant to temperature, humidity and frost;
• it is possible to install additional elements (lamps, heating, etc.);
• does not emit toxins even at high temperatures;
• resistant to various types of chemicals that can be used to treat plants or soil;
• structural stability - a well-mounted greenhouse is not afraid of any strong wind or hail.

Disadvantages:

• material fragility;
• installation complexity;
• the need for regular wet cleaning, otherwise the glass can become very dirty and it will be worse to let the sun's rays through;
• the large weight of the material itself requires a clear calculation of the maximum load on the supporting structure.

Advantages:

• high resistance to mechanical impact and abrasive products;
• good ductility allows you to give it almost any desired shape;
• long service life - with proper care and protection, the greenhouse can last up to 20 years;
• resistance to the vagaries of weather - she is not afraid of bright sun, wind, rain, or even frost;
• high degree of protection against ultraviolet radiation;
• excellent insulation performance;
• low probability of ignition of the material, which allows equipping it with complex electrical and other systems.

Disadvantages:

• high price;
• impossibility of assembling an arched structure without special tools and skills;
• the need to regularly clean the snow in winter;
• the need to fill the foundation.

Today, manufacturers of polycarbonate greenhouses a lot. In addition to the leaders of this segment known to all of Russia, in each region there are also their own firms specializing in their manufacture.

When choosing it is very important to know how the greenhouse will behave during operation. And it depends, sometimes, on a variety of factors: on the quality of the polycarbonate itself, on the skill of the installers, on the reliability of the frame, and on all the connecting elements. You can ask them in detail about all the difficulties and shortcomings that they have identified.

We give a small list of manufacturers who have proven themselves in this market.

• Company "Volya". It produces one of the most popular and high-quality greenhouses - Strelka, as well as Treshka, Dvushka, Optima.
• "BashAgroPlast". Produces excellent arc, covering material and other components for greenhouses.
• "New Forms". The most popular model of this manufacturer is the greenhouse "Kremlin Suite".
• TD "Harvest" and their greenhouse with the same name.
• Neftekamsk Mechanical Plant LLC. Branches of the plant are located in 5 cities of Russia. Their greenhouse "Uralochka" is in the greatest demand.

Among other popular models that have not been included in the list, we can mention the greenhouses “Snail”, “Kabachok”, “Pickle”, “Agronomist”, “Accordion”, “Dayas” already loved by many gardeners.

• Decide on the appointment of the greenhouse. Will it be a big greenhouse, where you can find all the cultures you need or a small butterfly-type greenhouse.
• Decide whether you need additional equipment. In most cases, high-quality greenhouses cope with their main task of preserving heat and accelerating crop aging and without additional heating (but not in winter).
• The choice of a particular model may depend on where you are going to place the greenhouse, so before you buy it, clearly draw on the plan where it will be mounted.
• Consider whether you need a fixed structure or whether a temporary structure will suffice. For the first option will have to fill the foundation.
• Try to collect feedback from friends and acquaintances who are already using one or another type of greenhouse.
• If you already have a certain amount of building materials (boards, metal pipes, etc.), then you should think about their active use in the construction of the greenhouse.
• The low price of the finished greenhouse should alert you. If it is polycarbonate, then perhaps it is of poor quality and will not serve you for a long time.

It is difficult to give universal advice, which greenhouse is better. It all depends on your requests and capabilities. You can install on your site a super equipped greenhouse with automatic irrigation, heating and air conditioning. But will it be rational to spend big money if you are going to grow there only cultures that are familiar to our climate that feel great without greenhouses?

But it can be said with confidence that if you are not a “handyman” and have never tried to make a greenhouse yourself, and such a need exists, then rely on professionals.Modern producers offer quality and affordable options that will not require you to have the special skills of an agronomist, but at the same time will give you the opportunity to get a rich harvest.

How to choose a greenhouse, see the video.