Summer residents, before planning the planting of cucumbers or tomatoes, first arrange a greenhouse. After all, unfortunately, some cultivated plants only yield in protected soil.
Today this structure can be purchased ready-made in any construction market or built independently from materials at hand.
Content
Greenhouse classification
In reality, there are not many types of greenhouses, they are divided by the presence of heating, the type of coverage used and the area. As a material for finishing greenhouses, polyethylene film, various types of polycarbonate, and glass are used.
Of course, instead of a film, it is better to use glass, since it is more durable material... You can verify this on the forums, where there is a lot of information about him.
Many gardeners choose to supply greenhouses additional heating... Of course, you can do without it, but then only the sun's rays will warm up the closed room. Another important factor is the area of the greenhouse glazing.
Other factors in the distribution of greenhouses by type include:
- the need to build a foundation;
- frame type;
- the possibility of airing;
- availability of free space.
Moreover, the useful area is also considered an important factor. For example, a rectangular sectional structure has large free spacerather than triangular.
Choosing a greenhouse frame
It is necessary to approach the purchase of material for creating a frame seriously and responsibly. After all, the frame must conduct heat poorly, be bulky and durable. For greenhouses, they mainly do metal or wooden frameworks. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Greenhouses made of metal are durable and reliable. To create a frame, they are most often used shaped pipes, aluminum or galvanized steel.
But wooden structures are better able to retain heat than metal greenhouses. True, they must be applied special protective equipment and constantly paint, otherwise the wood will quickly rot.
The frame made of wood turns out to be voluminous, which is why less sunlight enters the greenhouse. Pine is usually used for the manufacture of such greenhouses, since it is strong and lightweight. On various forums you can read reviews about it.
What materials are greenhouses made of
Buying a greenhouse begins with choosing the material to cover it. Greenhouses with the use of glass, films and polycarbonate.
Many people believe that polycarbonate is superior to all other materials in its characteristics, however, this is not entirely true. Film too has the advantagesfor example, at any time you can disassemble the roof or wall of the greenhouse for thorough ventilation.
Moreover, then covering the greenhouse with a film will not be difficult.Summer residents take it off in the fall in order to protect the material in the winter, since it will not withstand the weight of the snow and will break.
True, every year they have to re-stretch this material onto the greenhouse. This option is especially suitable for those who cannot keep an eye on her in winter and remove snow from the roof.
Even when the film is removed for the winter, the soil is covered with snow, creating natural temperature and humidity for various microorganisms. If the ground remains uncovered under a roof, then it will freeze deeper, and microorganisms will die. That is why it is so important to throw manure or snow into the greenhouse.
The film is inexpensive, but you need to take into account that you will have to buy it quite often. Many varieties of polyethylene wear out quickly under the influence of ultraviolet rays. In addition, the film can be easily punctured or torn. But it will not crack, therefore it is considered safer than glass.
Still exists reinforced film... It will last longer than polyethylene, moreover, it is more resistant and stronger to stretching, since it has a mesh frame. This film can withstand hail and strong wind thanks to the reinforced mesh inside. It will take several seasons to use such material.
Pros and cons of glass greenhouses
Glass structures have high light transmittance. Glass greenhouses have the following advantages:
They are not subject to combustion and oxidation, which cannot be said about film structures. Therefore, when heating such greenhouses, there is no danger of fire, which leads to the release of harmful substances.- The combination of a glass cover with a wooden frame will allow you to create a natural and sustainable structure.
- In the summer, a static microclimate is created in the glass greenhouse.
- Care of silicate materials is simple, they just need to be regularly washed, cleaned and disinfected.
Unfortunately, such greenhouses also have disadvantages, so it is impossible to call them the most reliable and suitable for growing various crops. In addition, they have fragility and high thermal conductivity.
It will be possible to build only one glass out of glass - or a gable structure. In addition, you will have to make a foundation. Of course, a glass greenhouse will last much longer than a film structure.
However, due to its high thermal conductivity, the harvest will be late. Install and transport this structure carefully.
Polycarbonate greenhouses
For their manufacture, polymer plastic is used that is resistant to mechanical damage. Polycarbonate transmits light, not worse than glass, without giving off heat to the outside.
When installing it, be sure to pay attention to the surface of the material, since the front side can not be replaced with a return... The inside of polycarbonate will be quickly destroyed by the sun's rays.
Polycarbonate has low thermal conductivity, but high light transmission, which contributes to the long-term retention of heat in the greenhouse, however, in hot weather, the air temperature in it can rise to 60 degrees. That is why it is recommended to choose greenhouses with two doors and air vents.
Of course, polycarbonate too has disadvantages... Such material must not be washed with solvents, aldehydes and abrasives. To create such a greenhouse, you will have to build an expensive foundation.
Store polycarbonate only horizontally. The cost of this material is quite high. Today, on specialized forums, they leave a lot of reviews about polycarbonate greenhouses. They should be read to find the best design.
Greenhouse shapes
Most in demand are:
- Semicircular.
- Arched.
- A-shaped shapes.
- Rectangular structures with a rigid structure.
Semicircular greenhouse Is the simplest option. Although it has a primitive design, it is still effective.For its construction, bent plastic or steel pipes are used.
Cover the greenhouse reinforced or polyethylene film... Moreover, the first material is much better than the last one. In addition, reinforced sheeting is better suited for semi-circular greenhouses.
Only minus such forms - lack of vertical walls, because of which plants cannot grow at the edge. For such purposes, arched structures are more suitable. The entrance to them is in the shape of a semicircle.
Greenhouses made in the shape of the letter A are something in between semicircular and arched structures. Such greenhouses differ in that the top in them is not arched, so they can be covered with more rigid materials, and not just with a film.
Rigid greenhouses today very popularhowever, they are mostly used by professionals. To build such a structure, you will have to seek help from specialists.
What to consider when choosing a greenhouse
Before buying a greenhouse, you should decide on the time of its use, since it depends on this whether to do additional heating or not. Moreover, it is necessary to select its future location in advance.
It is advisable to install greenhouses on the south side for good lighting. During the acquisition of the greenhouse, you still need take into account the materialwith which it is covered, because not all of them are suitable for permanent use.
Which greenhouse is better can only be decided independently according to your needs. But you still need to remember that the frame of the greenhouse must withstand various loads and be durable.
When choosing a suitable option, do not forget that additional heating consumes a lot of electricity. Most of the heat escapes through the walls of the structure and the ground, and only a small part of it is dissipated through the roof.
For this reason, the frame must be sealed in such a way as to reduce heat loss in winter. This procedure will significantly save heating costs.
In the construction markets, you can buy a ready-made greenhouse structure or build it yourself according to your needs.
Consumer reviews from forums about polycarbonate greenhouses
For many years she has been growing vegetables in glass structures. To get an early harvest had to spend a lot of time and enormous effort. When the temperature in the greenhouse dropped, the tomatoes and cucumbers had to be covered with foils.
This problem was solved immediately after purchasing a polycarbonate greenhouse. Moreover, even in the winter period, the soil does not freeze, the heaters began to be used in the rarest of cases.
We have many greenhouses installed on the site. My husband built them with his own hands, spent a lot of time and effort. But every year the same difficulties arose - either corrosion, then the film broke, then the frame bent. That is why we decided to buy a polycarbonate structure. With her, we managed to forget about these troubles.
Natasha
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