Greenhouse in the house: the most spectacular options for home and garden
Today, no one is surprised by exotic flowers and fruit trees grown in the home. Flowering plants create comfort and warm in cold winter or rainy autumn evenings. If we take into account a number of nuances (design solutions, heating, lighting, plant varieties, care), then creating a real greenhouse in the house or at the cottage with your own hands seems quite possible.
Features and benefits
Breeding tropical plants in temperate climates is quite a challenge. However, it can be easily solved with the help of the construction of greenhouses and winter gardens, which have a number of features and advantages over summer greenhouses, intended, as a rule, for the cultivation of seedlings, vegetables and greens.Home greenhouses are not only the pride of amateur gardeners and agronomists, but also a recreation area.
A competently designed and properly constructed greenhouse will delight not only with greenery, but also allow its owners to enjoy the flowering and tropical fruits of exotic plants all year round.
Purpose
Before you start designing the greenhouse in the house, it is important to define its goals and purpose:
- to create a cozy atmosphere;
- for cultivation of rare exotic plants;
- to create a pharmacy greenhouse (planting medicinal plants).
It should be noted that the construction of greenhouses are often used to increase the value of the property when it is sold.
Having defined the appointment, perform the following types of work:
- create a design project for a future greenhouse;
- select flower arrangements and determine their compatibility;
- choose different materials for its technical equipment;
- calculate the rate of consumption of electricity and heat;
- pick up the soil and soil.
Creating a greenhouse is quite an exciting process because it takes into account various factors, including those that affect the growth and development of living organisms.
Materials and Forms
When building a greenhouse, it is important to consider not only the aesthetic characteristics, but also the stability of the power frame, for which durable, but at the same time, lightweight materials are used.
The key factor determining the choice of material for building a greenhouse should be its safety for both plants and human health. When building a greenhouse at its base, it is advisable to lay a strip foundation in order to prevent the structure from cooling down strongly.
For lining the floor using materials such as marble or ceramics. To finish the greenhouse, PVC profiles and aluminum structures are combined, which are characterized by high fire resistance, moisture and UV resistance, safety, durability and unpretentiousness.
Modern designers in the arrangement of greenhouses using wood, which harmoniously complements the plants, but at the same time spoils from high humidity. To extend the life of wooden structures, they are painted and additionally installed metal insulation. Glass is used increasingly in the construction of walls and roofs of greenhouses.It can improve thermal insulation and control the intensity of sunlight penetration.
The glass finish of the construction will allow you to spend time comfortably and comfortably, enjoying the beautiful view. Glass can be decorated with stained glass windows, wrought iron bars or arches, combined with the design of the house.
When choosing the shape of the greenhouse, you must take into account the overall architecture of the building, compliance with the style and design of the house or cottage. In practice, various geometric shapes are used: polygonal, quadrangular or rounded. There are glass constructions, for example, balconies and loggias, where it is impossible to fully implement new ideas, since it is necessary to take into account existing architectural solutions. In such structures it is not possible to install additional lighting, drip irrigation, drainage, irrigation of the soil, etc.
Location
When choosing the location of the greenhouse, it is important to consider a number of features. The correct location should ensure an optimal flow of light and heat, which eliminates the need for additional heating or lighting. In a private home accommodation greenhouse is very diverse.It can be equipped on the roof of the house or altered under the veranda.
A small greenhouse can be designed in the living room, attached to the house forms with it a complete composition. However, it is better that the greenhouse adjoins the house, but at the same time it is separated from the living rooms with solid doors, since it will not be comfortable for a person in high humidity conditions.
When choosing the location of the greenhouse should take into account the orientation of the cardinal points. This will increase the yield and endurance of exotic plants, as well as significantly save on lighting, watering, ventilation and heating.
- the building on the north side must be heated and have excellent thermal insulation, especially in winter;
- on the east side - the likelihood of overheating is reduced and the plants do not require additional ventilation;
- on the south side, there is a danger of rising temperatures and therefore it is advisable to install ventilation equipment.
The eastern and south-eastern sides are considered the most comfortable for placing a greenhouse.
How to do it yourself?
Build your own mini-greenhouse in the apartment, private house or at the cottage is quite real.The device of the greenhouse should meet the necessary conditions and standards of plant maintenance and provide appropriate care for them. Flower arrangements create an incredible atmosphere of comfort, give peace and enjoyment from the contemplation of plants that bloom all year round.
Ventilation
The greenhouse must be equipped with a ventilation system, because the plants constantly need fresh air. As the simplest ventilation system in the home, you can use doors, vents, windows and openings in the floor, which can be controlled by electric drives.
In the process of natural airing of the room, the removal of "waste" air saturated with carbon dioxide, the mixing of warm and cold air layers, which eliminates the accumulation of hot air masses under the ceiling.
Air entering the greenhouse can be polluted by natural ventilation., not warm enough, too cold, dry or wet, as well as severe frosts or scorching sun make it necessary to use a more advanced ventilation system.The air conditioning and ventilation system provides for the use of exhaust units, main ducts and electric fans, providing controlled air exchange and maintaining optimum atmospheric parameters.
Normal ventilation corresponds to air exchange with an intensity of 7-11 times per hour.
Humidity
An important condition for the growth and development of plants in the greenhouse is a normal level of humidity, which can be regulated by irrigation. The intensity of irrigation depends on the composition of the soil, drainage, plant species and varieties, time of year, climatic conditions, air humidity and selected temperature conditions.
Most houseplants like tropical (warm winter content, 17-23ºС) or subtropical (cold winter content, 4-11ºС) climate, therefore, at home they need to create the most favorable artificial environment.
For tropical plants, the normal moisture level is about 70-90%, while for humans it is 44-50%. In the summer, these figures in the room vary between 45-55%, and in the winter around 30-40%, therefore it is important to maintain a normal moisture balance.
In winter, optimum humidity can be achieved by spraying., installation of a humidifier, mini-pond or aquarium. Dry air is not allowed for exotic plants. A special artificial greenhouse will give a special personality to the greenhouse, which will help to humidify the air and create comfort. In order to avoid condensation it is necessary to air the room regularly.
Mini-greenhouse requires regular watering. This process can be carried out manually or using a drip irrigation system that irrigates the land and provides plants with nutrients. Currently, the majority of irrigation systems on the market are automated and equipped with various sensors, which allows you to organize a regular water supply, taking into account individual needs and characteristics of plants.
In addition, the installation of an automatic irrigation system will leave the plants for several days in case of the necessary departure.
Lighting
A sufficient amount of sunlight is a prerequisite for the normal growth and development of plants, so for the greenhouse choose a bright room from the east, west or south-west.Each plant must receive enough light for the photosynthesis process. In winter, the flowers do not have enough sunlight, and in summer they suffer from excessive surface irradiation by the sun. In a well-organized greenhouse, additional lighting and darkening in the form of roller blinds or tinted glass are combined.
Conventional incandescent bulbs are not recommended for use, as they can cause burns in plants.
For additional lighting install lamps with a discharge lamp under high pressure. With their help, you can adjust the intensity of flowering. You can also use salt lamps made of rock salt, which have healing properties and will be useful to others. It is necessary to remember about the cleanliness of the window structures and the absence of blackout (high buildings, fences, large trees), so as not to impede the penetration of sunlight. The level of natural lighting of the greenhouse depends on the design and size of the windows.
Full glazing greenhouses will increase the intensity of illumination and increase the thermal effect. When designing it is necessary to take into account that double glazing do not let the sun's rays lightly. This is due to the design features of the frame. So, at a distance of 3-5 meters, the illumination intensity does not exceed 10-15%.
Plant selection
When choosing and combining exotic plants for a greenhouse, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors. For example, the identity of care and needs for light, moisture, temperature, a combination of shapes, dimensions and shades of leaves. Creating a variety of floral arrangements, take into account the original size, style and design of the room.
With proper placement of plants in the greenhouse, you can create a cozy atmosphere, for example, ivy will twist around the walls, and bloom all year. You can hang flower pots around the perimeter, build alpine slides, cover the floor with an artificial lawn.
Very carefully should be planted poisonous plants and flowers, which are strong allergens, especially if the family has allergies and young children.
When organizing a greenhouse, remember that in order to preserve comfort and increase its attractiveness it is necessary:
- regularly care for indoor plants;
- spray and water them;
- remove dust from the leaves;
- optimize the level of moisture and brightness of the lighting;
- timely adjust the temperature;
- nourish and enrich the soil.
Beautiful examples in the interior
- Developing the design of the greenhouse, you can use indoors a variety of statues, decorative lamps.
- In the greenhouse you can place the living room or work area.
- Different colors look very interesting.
- The greenhouse can be layered.
Review the greenhouse in the house, see the following video.