10 ways to make a greenhouse with your own hands

Having even a small plot of land, it is difficult to do without a greenhouse. Grow seedlings, get an early harvest, protect them from possible frost, from heat, make the plants in the flowerbed bloom earlier - all this can be done with the help of this device. Moreover, making a greenhouse with your own hands is not difficult. There are very simple designs, there are more complex ones, but the manufacture of any of them does not require special education.

The frame for a greenhouse can be made of wood (boards), metal (angle, profile pipe or fittings) or PVC pipes (round or square). The greenhouse is covered with the same materials as the greenhouse : film, spunbond (also called agrofibre or non-woven covering material), polycarbonate and glass. Since the size of greenhouses is smaller (plants in greenhouses are maintained from the outside), the requirements for them are not so stringent: even strong winds are not afraid of them.

What you need to know about greenhouses

Purpose

Like a greenhouse, a greenhouse is used to create a favorable microclimate when preparing seedlings or when fully growing tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and other plants.
In a broad sense, both structures are perceived as the same thing, although in fact a greenhouse is a small and unheated structure. A greenhouse is a larger building with a heating and ventilation system, which allows for the cultivation of many crops at any time of the year.

Design

The structure of greenhouses is quite simple. A frame is assembled from pipes, metal or wood, which is covered with film, polycarbonate, glass, acrylic and other light-penetrating materials. If the weight of the structure is very large, it is additionally installed on the foundation.

For ventilation, removable panels or opening transoms are provided. Heating is carried out using water heating with radiators, infrared heaters or hot air from heat sources outside the greenhouse.

Installation

Since sunlight is vital for plants, the greenhouse should be built on the south side. It is advisable to place it on a slope and closer to other buildings in order to protect it from the wind and have access to utilities. It is better to stay away from high fences and trees: they provide shade, and falling leaves reduce light transmission.

Varieties for greenhouses

To grow tomatoes under cover, you should choose hybrid varieties . Moreover, preference should be given to species that independently limit growth . Varieties should be medium and low growing . It is recommended to plant exclusively hybrids in greenhouses, as they are more resistant to diseases and are less affected by pests.

According to experienced gardeners, the most popular and successful varieties for growing in greenhouses are:

Samara is a tomato of the raceme type of fruit formation. Fruits up to 90 g, smooth, suitable for canning.
Honey drop is a sugar variety, yellow in color.
Labrador is short-growing, fruits 50-60 grams, does not take stepson. The variety is able to set fruit even in unfavorable conditions.
Talalikhin 186 – flat-rounded fruits, up to 100 g, medium-sized. The downside of the variety is its lack of resistance to late blight.
New Year's - yellow, large fruits, suitable for long-term storage. The variety is resistant to diseases and is characterized by uniform yield.
Russian size – lettuce, red fruit up to 500g. The bush is medium-sized, resistant to diseases.

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands from agrofibre and reinforcement

youtube.com

Assembly complexity: low.
Foundation: not required.
Cost: low.
Variations: the frame can be replaced with plastic pipes, and the covering material with film.

The simplest design option, which is ideal for a small greenhouse. A frame made of reinforcement is installed directly on the bed, and agrofibre or, as it is also called, spunbond, is stretched over it. This material protects from the sun while retaining heat and moisture.

1. The dimensions of such a greenhouse are chosen arbitrarily, depending on the footage of available materials. For example, it is convenient to cut six-meter reinforcement in half. With such a length of arcs, the width of the greenhouse is about 80 cm. The arcs themselves should be installed in increments of 1.2–1.5 m.

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2. Arcs are bent from reinforcement with a diameter of 8 mm. Next, drip irrigation tubes or an old hose are put on them, leaving 10–20 cm at each end so that it is convenient to insert the structure into the ground.

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3. After marking the installation locations for the arcs, scraps of steel pipes or drilled wooden pegs 20–30 cm long are driven into the ground, and the reinforcement is inserted into them.

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4. Spunbond can be stitched on a sewing machine, forming pocket folds that fit directly onto the arches. Another option is to install plastic pipe guides on the sides of the beds and attach agrofibre to them using purchased clips or cut pieces of pipes. The covering material can eventually be easily lifted by simply removing them.

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5. If desired, you can attach the arcs not to pipes driven into the ground, but to metal guides rigidly fixed at the edges of the base. This design will allow you to fold the greenhouse like an accordion, simply by moving the arcs.

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6. The free ends of the spunbond at the ends must be collected, tied in a knot and secured with a peg, earth or other means.

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Here are step-by-step video instructions.

Soil preparation

Every gardener knows about the importance of crop rotation. After all, the right approach to the planting plan allows you to avoid damage by diseases and pests, as well as preserve the fertility of the post .

The best predecessors of tomatoes are: strawberries, carrots, cucumbers, onions, green manure. After them, the yield will increase several times, and the fruits themselves will become much larger. If turnips, beets, and cabbage crops were previously grown in beds with tomatoes, this will also ensure good yields.

It is not worth planting nightshades after potatoes, peppers, eggplants, zucchini, peas, fennel, and various tall vegetables. The harvest from such beds will be insignificant.

Another important factor is ensuring soil quality.

1 Acidity. If you don't know the acidity level of your soil, pH tests can be purchased at any garden department. For neutral soil this indicator is 7. A higher value indicates increased acidity. To grow tomatoes, the soil pH level should be 6-7 units. If the indicator is lower, then lime must be added to the soil at the rate of 0.5-0.8 kg per 1 sq.m.

1 Nutrients. To ensure a large tomato harvest, the soil must contain three important components: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Nitrogen has a beneficial effect on the leaves of the plant. Potassium increases immunity and resistance to disease. Phosphorus strengthens the root system and ensures high-quality fruits. To replenish the lack of nitrogen in the soil, it is recommended to add compost or inorganic substances, potassium - sand, wood ash or granite dust, phosphorus - compost or superphosphates.

1 Compost. This is a natural remedy that not only saturates the soil with nutrients. It also makes the soil structure looser, which has a good effect on the development of the plant’s root system.

It is recommended to add compost in autumn and spring. In the autumn, humus, peat, bird droppings and other organic fertilizers are applied to a depth of 20-25 cm. In the spring - 12-20 cm.

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands from masonry mesh and film

dachadecor.com

Assembly complexity: low.
Foundation: not required.
Cost: low.
Variations: instead of film, you can use agrofibre, and make the door on a wooden frame.

A budget option for a greenhouse made from masonry mesh and regular film, which is quickly assembled and has a number of advantages. The design does not require a foundation; due to its elasticity, it is resistant to wind loads, and is also convenient for tying up plants from the inside. At the same time, by folding the mesh, you can get different sizes depending on your needs.

Wooden beams, steel angles, pipes or channels are used as load-bearing posts. They are hammered at a distance of 1.2–1.4 m.
The greenhouse arch is formed from two pieces of mesh laid overlapping. From below it is attached with wire to the posts, and from above it is fastened together with the same wire or plastic ties.
To strengthen the structure, T-shaped supports made of wooden beams 50 × 50 mm are installed in the middle of the passage. If desired, they can also be driven into the ground.
A film is put on a dome assembled from a mesh, which is held in place by strings of twine or rope stretched over it.
The side walls are also made of film, which is folded up and attached to the dome with tape. In several places at the top and bottom, small windows are cut for ventilation of the greenhouse.
The door is made on a wooden frame or made from the same film, which is cut and attached to the side wall with magnets in the manner of door mosquito nets.

Peat tablets

There are several types of peat tablets on sale; they are made from pressed fine peat, which is packaged in a thin mesh fabric. Before sowing, the tablets are filled with water until they swell completely, and they increase in size. Then the seeds are placed in them. This capacity is not enough for a tomato to fully develop, so over time it will be necessary to transplant the seedlings from the tablet into a larger pot. This can be done without damaging the roots.

Manufacturers sometimes indicate that you can plant the whole tablet, with mesh fabric. However, from the experience of many gardeners, it is known that it often interferes with root growth. Therefore, when transplanting, it is better to remove or cut it. The disadvantages of peat tablets include their rather high cost and the need to strictly control soil moisture, just as in the case of peat pots.

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands from stretch film with a wooden frame

stroydachusam.ru

Assembly difficulty: average.
Foundation: not required.
Cost: low.

Another way to quickly build a greenhouse. A wooden beam is used as a frame, and stretch packaging film is used as a covering material. With a large number of layers, it transmits light a little worse than ordinary PVC film, but on hot days this is even a plus.

The film is sold in rolls, so the dimensions of the greenhouse are selected according to the cutting of the timber and taking into account your wishes.
For the base, steel corners 40 × 40 mm are used, in which holes for attaching the frame posts are pre-drilled. They can also be treated with bitumen or painted to extend their service life.
The corners are driven into the ground, and pieces of timber are screwed to them with self-tapping screws. A lower frame, in turn, is attached to the beam, on which the side walls and roof are assembled. All corners are reinforced with additional inclined sections of timber.
The door is assembled on a wooden frame in one of the side walls and installed on hinges.
Film wrapping is done in parts, in several layers and overlapping. First, the gables are installed, then the roof slopes, and only then the walls. You need to start wrapping them from the bottom so that running rainwater does not get inside the greenhouse.
After wrapping with glazing bead or river, the door and its outer contour of the door are trimmed, and then the film around the frame is cut through. In the same way you can make a window in the opposite wall.

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands from old window frames

teplica-piter.ru

Assembly difficulty: average.
Foundation: desirable.
Cost: minimal.
Variations: you can combine frames with film to make a roof, side walls or doors.

The main advantage of this design is its low cost. Old window frames can be found, if not free, then for a nominal price. In addition, glass transmits light much better than film and polycarbonate. The windows already have vents for ventilation, and if you select a balcony block, you will also have a ready-made door.

The size of the greenhouse depends on the size of the frames and the interior space you need. Aim for a width of about 2.5 m to give a passage of about 60 cm and two beds of 80–90 cm.
Windows and glass have considerable weight, so it is advisable to install them on a solid base. This can be a shallow strip foundation, a massive wooden beam or a metal profile.
A wooden frame or pillars are installed on the foundation at the corners, and frames are attached to them and to each other. The gaps between each block are covered with putty and clogged with strips of laminate backing or a thin wooden strip.
A door is made in the front wall. Its role can be played by one of the windows, a balcony door or a wooden frame covered with film. Ventilation is provided through window vents.
To reduce weight, it is better to make the roof from wooden beams and film. You can use the same window frames, but in this case you will have to reinforce the structure with supports in the middle of the passage so that it can withstand a lot of weight.

Preparing seedlings before planting in the ground

Seedlings in pots

About two weeks before transplanting plants into open ground, boxes with seedlings must be taken out to the balcony or street if the air temperature is not lower than 10 degrees. First, the seedling container is hardened for about half an hour. Then the time is gradually increased. A few days before planting, boxes of seedlings can be left outside for the whole day and night.

Watering the plants is stopped a week before planting in open ground. If the tomato leaves begin to wilt a little, the soil can be moistened, but only a little.

By the time of planting, healthy seedlings should have a well-developed root system, reach a height of 25-30 cm, and have from 6 to 9 dark green leaves on a straight stem.

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands from film and polypropylene pipes

maja-dacha.ru

Assembly difficulty: average.
Foundation: not required.
Cost: low.
Variations: the film can be replaced with agrofibre or polycarbonate

A greenhouse made of polypropylene pipes attracts with its simplicity, reliability and low price. The materials are sold at any hardware store, and assembly does not require any special skills or tools. You can even do without a soldering iron if you connect the pipes not with fittings, but with through bolts.

As always, sizes are selected based on needs and available materials. Polypropylene pipe is usually sold in 4 m sections, and it is easy to cut and splice using couplings.
The first step is to calculate the length of the pipe and the number of fittings required. It’s better to take it with a reserve so that you don’t have to run to the store later.
The main parts are soldered from pipes, tees and crosspieces - arches with crossbars and longitudinal inserts.
Next, the greenhouse is assembled from the prepared parts. If a soldering iron is not at hand, you can use bolts with nuts and washers to connect, which are inserted into pipes drilled through.
The film is secured to the edges of the frame using purchased pipe clamps or homemade clips made from slightly larger diameter pipes cut along sections.

Buying seedlings

Tomato seedlings

If there is no desire or opportunity to grow seedlings, you can buy them. Good planting material can be easily found both in garden centers, from grandmothers at the market or from familiar gardeners.

When purchasing containers with seedlings, you should be guided by the following points:

Plant stems should be erect and strong.
The leaves are dark green, without spots or signs of pests.
Taking flowering seedlings is risky. Planting in a new location can stress the plant, resulting in it not bearing fruit.

How to make a greenhouse with your own hands from film with a wooden frame

legkovmeste.ru

Assembly difficulty: average.
Foundation: not required.
Cost: low.
Variations: the film can be replaced with agrofibre or polycarbonate.

A classic version of a greenhouse, used for decades and not losing popularity. Wooden beams are easy to process, have low weight and sufficient strength, and also retain heat well. The structure does not require a capital foundation - you can get by with a frame made of timber of a larger cross-section or use steel corners as a base.

The standard cutting of timber is 6 m, so they start from this figure. Most often, greenhouses are made 3 × 6 m, but if desired, the dimensions can be either reduced or increased. The finished project with material calculations is available at this link.
The assembly of the frame is the same as for a greenhouse made of stretch film. Steel corners are driven into the ground at intervals of about 1 m at the points where the posts are attached. In each of them, two holes are drilled for self-tapping screws or one for M8 or M10 bolts.
Vertical posts are fixed to the corners along the entire perimeter, which are tied with an upper contour made of timber. To add rigidity in the corners, one jib is added on each side
Triangular roof trusses are installed and secured opposite the racks. The slope angle is selected depending on the snow load. So, if there is a lot of snow in your region, the angle of inclination should be greater (the roof is higher and sharper).
The door and window for ventilation are assembled on wooden frames and installed in the front and rear walls, respectively.
At the end, the frame is covered with film, which is attached to the beam using a lath stuffed on top. All sharp parts on the wood are rounded off or covered with a soft material so that the film does not tear during operation.

Seedling care

Tomato seedlings

Water the tomato seedlings with a thin stream. Plants cannot be overwatered. Excess moisture will cause blackleg to appear.
Seedling containers are placed in places with good lighting. With a lack of light, plants will not develop well
The laying of the first inflorescences occurs in late March - early April. If no flower buds are observed at this time, you need to cut off the stem above the second true leaf so that a couple of new shoots appear

How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse with a metal frame with your own hands

Assembly difficulty: high.
Foundation: required.
Cost: high.
Variations: the foundation can be made of wooden beams or use steel reinforcement, angle or pipes driven into the ground.

The most popular and modern version of the greenhouse. This design is much more expensive than others and is difficult to manufacture, but it will last for decades. Polycarbonate can withstand the open sun for 10–12 years, and the frame made of a profile steel pipe is almost eternal.

1. The standard size of polycarbonate is 2,100 × 6,000 mm, so it is convenient to cut it into four or two parts with dimensions of 2.1 × 1.5 m or 2.1 × 3 m, respectively. Such pieces will be optimal for a greenhouse measuring 3 × 6 meters.

2. For reliable fastening and distribution of wind loads, a foundation is made under the greenhouse. This can be a shallow strip foundation, a frame made of antiseptic-treated wooden beams, or steel corners driven into the ground.

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3. The design of the greenhouse consists of an arch, which is formed using arcs from a profiled steel pipe 20 × 20 mm, located at a distance of one meter from each other.

4. The arcs are fastened together by longitudinal sections from the same pipe, which are connected by welding.

5. A door is installed at the front end: a frame measuring 1.85 × 1 m is welded from a pipe, which is attached to the frame on hinges. A window for ventilation measuring 1 × 1 m is made according to the same principle and is located at the rear end.

6. Covering with polycarbonate begins from the ends. The sheet is cut in half, attached to the profile using special self-tapping screws with thermal washers, and then trimmed along the contour of the arc with a sharp knife. After this, the side wall sheets are installed.

Growing seedlings

Tomatoes in glasses

To grow your own seedlings, in addition to seeds, you need to acquire seedling containers and soil. To sow seeds, you can use either special peat containers (pots), cassettes, or the simplest plastic cups with drainage holes at the bottom. The soil is suitable for universal sowing or a mixture of sand and peat 1:1.

The seedling container is tightly filled with soil, which is slightly moistened on top. The seeds are planted shallowly and sown not densely, otherwise the seedlings will be weak with thin stems. Immediately after sowing, the containers are covered with film to ensure optimal soil moisture and placed in a warm place where the temperature is kept at 20-23 degrees. After the first shoots appear, the film is removed.

How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse with a galvanized profile frame with your own hands

techkomplect.ru

Assembly difficulty: average.
Foundation: not required.
Cost: low.

A simpler and more affordable option for a polycarbonate greenhouse. It does not use expensive metal pipe that needs to be welded. And galvanized profiles for plasterboard systems are used as frame material. They are easily cut with metal scissors and fastened with ordinary self-tapping screws.

When choosing sizes, as usual, we start from the parameters of polycarbonate sheets. Since the profiles lose rigidity when bent, it is better to choose a gable greenhouse rather than an arched one.
By analogy with arches made of a metal pipe, a frame made of galvanized profile is assembled from ribs in the form of a house.
The assembled modules are installed on a frame made of wooden beams and tied together with sections of profiles. Doors and a window for ventilation are made in the front and rear walls.
At the end, the frame is sheathed with polycarbonate sheets, which are secured using special self-tapping screws with plastic thermal washers.

Egg cartons

Cardboard and plastic egg boxes are useful for germinating tomato seeds. These are small containers; it is impossible to pour enough soil into them for large seedlings. At first, before picking, the seedlings will feel normal there. In cardboard boxes, you need to regularly water the crops and seedlings, and in plastic boxes, be sure to make holes for water drainage. Both types will require a pallet.

What to grow tomato seedlings in - in ready-made beautiful factory containers or in homemade containers - is not so important. The main thing is to provide the plants with care, which will allow you to enjoy delicious ripe fruits by the end of the season.

How to make a glass greenhouse with a metal frame with your own hands

juliana.ru

Assembly difficulty: high.
Foundation: required.
Cost: high.
Variations: to make the structure lighter, you can make the top from polycarbonate or film.

The most correct, but rather labor-intensive and expensive option for a greenhouse. The main advantage of glass is its excellent light transmittance and durability. However, due to the heavy weight of the structure, a strong metal frame and foundation are required. In addition to arranging a strip foundation, the difficulty also lies in the need to use welding.

When it comes to choosing sizes, a glass greenhouse is no exception - everything is strictly individual and taking into account the available materials.
The impressive weight of glass and metal frame requires a full foundation. Usually a trench 30 cm deep and 20 cm wide is dug around the perimeter, wooden formwork 20 cm high is installed on top and the whole thing is filled with concrete. Also, before pouring, anchor bolts are inserted into the formwork to secure the frame.
A metal channel or corner is attached to the resulting base using anchors. Then racks 1.6–1.8 m high are welded to this frame from two folded corners 45 × 45 mm. At the top they are fastened with longitudinal sections of the corner.
Next, rafters from the same double corners are placed on the resulting box. At the bottom they are welded to the posts, and at the top - to another corner, which acts as a ridge beam.
A door is inserted into one of the walls, and a window is installed in the lid or wall for ventilation.
The glass is installed in the frames obtained by using double corners and secured with homemade gluers - thin aluminum or steel plates bent in the shape of the letter Z. The gluer is attached to the corner with one hook, and to the glass with the second.

If frost occurs

If there is a threat of night frosts, the tomato greenhouse needs additional heating. To keep warm during cold nights, you can use the following methods:

Biofuel. It includes plant and animal products that produce heat under certain conditions. A warm bed is laid in a greenhouse using manure, leaves, and straw. All components are mixed and placed on a bed under a layer of soil. The mixture is buried to a depth of 50 cm, a layer of earth 30-35 cm high is poured on top. Heat is released in such a bed for 60-70 days.

Water heating. Along the perimeter of the greenhouse you can place plastic bottles filled with water.
The water heats up during the day and releases heat at night. Once you cover the greenhouse with film at night, the heat from the water will maintain the temperature until the morning, and your tomatoes will not freeze.
Warming watering. If there is a threat of a cold snap at night, you can use a warming watering technique.
The soil in the greenhouse, heated during the day, is watered in the evening and immediately covered with film. The heat released during watering will preserve the plants, since the temperature inside the greenhouse will remain until the morning.

Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse is a process that requires compliance with certain rules. Only strict adherence to them will allow you to get a rich harvest on your site.

How to make a dome greenhouse with your own hands from film with a wooden frame

pinterest.com

Assembly difficulty: high.
Foundation: desirable.
Cost: high.
Variations: the film can be replaced with polycarbonate or glass, and the frame can be made of profiles or pipes.

A domed or geodesic greenhouse attracts primarily with its unusual appearance: it consists entirely of many triangles and hexagons. Other advantages include high structural strength and best light transmittance. The geodesic dome has only one drawback: it is difficult to manufacture.

The dimensions of such a greenhouse are selected individually, based on the required area. Since the frame design is quite complex, calculations are the most time-consuming part of the project.
In order not to get confused and take into account all the nuances, it is convenient to carry out the calculation using a special calculator. In it you can set the dimensions, select the “thickness” of the frame and get a list of all the necessary parts for assembly with dimensions, as well as their approximate cost.
Regardless of its dimensions, a domed greenhouse is highly durable and is not afraid of winds, so there is no need to make a foundation for it. However, since the construction of a structure is very labor-intensive, it is rational to extend its service life and equip a lightweight strip foundation for attaching the frame.
The ribs of the structure consist of triangles, which, in turn, are assembled from a wooden batten according to a template. First you need to prepare the required number of such triangles.
The greenhouse is assembled like a magnetic construction set from childhood. Starting from the bottom, rows of triangles are assembled one after another, which are fastened together using self-tapping screws and form a dome. If everything is calculated correctly, it will close at the top and will be perfectly shaped.
One of the triangles in the roof is made folding or removable to provide ventilation. The door is either installed in a polygon shape, or made in a traditional shape with a mortise frame.
The film covers the finished dome or is stretched over each triangle at the assembly stage. In the first case, it will be easier to replace the film when it breaks. The second one gives a more aesthetic appearance. Which one to choose - decide for yourself.

PVC or polystyrene containers

Plastic containers can usually be purchased as a set, which includes a tray and individual or connected pots. They must have holes for water drainage. You can find sets with a lid, real miniature greenhouses. They are very convenient; you do not have to cover the crops with film or glass until shoots emerge.

Containers make it easy to transport seedlings to the dacha; plants with a clump can be quickly removed from separate containers and injuries to the root system can be minimized. Cassettes are less convenient; it is more difficult to remove plants from them, because You cannot turn each container over individually. Ready-made containers are very practical, but if you grow a lot of seedlings, then purchasing them can be quite hard on your wallet. Costs can only be offset by repeated use of these devices.