Probably, any of our compatriots had to see garden greenhouses and greenhouses. They are installed in dachas and gardens, so you can get a crop of climate-demanding crops, even in our country, known for its harsh climate. However, choosing a greenhouse is a rather complicated procedure. Therefore, it will be useful to learn more about them, so that later you do not have to regret the unsuccessful acquisition.
Why do we need a greenhouse?
There are no special questions here - thanks to the simplest garden greenhouse, you can significantly increase the period of plant growth and fruit ripening.
For many regions of our country, this is a very important factor. After all, Russia is famous for its harsh climate. At the beginning, middle, or even the end of May, night frosts may well occur in some parts of the country. In the afternoon, the temperature reaches thirty degrees above zero and even more, people walk in light clothes, plants stretch to the sun. But at night the cold wind brings in from the north, and the cheerful plants even in the evening rapidly wither and fall. Get the crop from them will not work.
And planting plants in early June, when the threat of frost has definitely passed, is simply pointless. They will not have time to grow and bear fruit now already before the first autumn frosts. Partially, the problem is solved by growing seedlings with their subsequent planting in open ground. But this is a rather troublesome job.
Fortunately, a good greenhouse in the garden can solve the problem. In the afternoon, it warms up by the sun's rays, collects heat. And at night it closes, so the cold wind and a sharp drop in temperature will not be able to harm the plants.
What is a greenhouse?
Not every summer resident knows what is the difference between a greenhouse and a greenhouse. Some are sure that these are different names for the same building. However, this is actually not the case.
The hotbed is an insulated building erected over the beds. During the day it heats up, accumulates heat, and at night it protects from frost. It can also be a reliable protection against the cold wind both day and night. Of course, the greenhouse is used only in the warm season, since it completely depends on sunlight and heat.
What is a greenhouse?
A completely different thing is a greenhouse. It is an improved version of the greenhouse, as it has its own heating system, and sometimes also lighting. In some cases, the greenhouse has the best thermal insulation properties, allowing to reduce heat loss and, consequently, reduce heating costs. Depending on the type, it can be heated both by electric heaters and water heating. Of course, the greenhouse makes it possible to grow plants both in the warm season and in the cold. However, in the summer it (with the exception of the coldest regions of the country) turns into an ordinary greenhouse, since heating and lighting are usually turned off.
Which option is better? It depends on the owner and his goals. The greenhouse is much cheaper and does not need special care. But the greenhouse is a more effective way to grow whimsical crops.
What are they
When deciding to purchase a greenhouse or garden greenhouse, the photos of which are presented in the article, it is very important to determine in advance the materials used. To date, various options can be used for construction. But three are most popular: glass, polyethylene and polycarbonate.
Which of these options is better? It is impossible to give a definite answer here: each of them has a number of important advantages that make it the most successful for certain users. Therefore, we will study them in more detail.
A bit about glass greenhouses
Of course, it is glass that is the best choice for a greenhouse. If only because it misses the maximum amount of sunlight. Consequently, plants will grow best. An important advantage is the fact that, with proper assembly, such a greenhouse easily and without harm to itself resists strong gusts of wind. It will not be torn down or torn, such as, for example, polyethylene.
Some users value glasshouses because of their environmental friendliness. Still, glass can be exposed to sunlight for a long time, without being damaged due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation and not emitting harmful substances. Analogs, alas, cannot boast of this. The action of the sun's rays leads to the fact that they are gradually destroyed and release harmful substances that are partially absorbed by plants. And this affects the quality of the fruit.
Finally, glass is chemically resistant. That is, when processing with any detergent, he will not do the slightest harm. This is especially true for greenhouses, which are planned to be used over the years.
Unfortunately, glass also has a number of important disadvantages. One of them is a great cost. Yes, not everyone can afford to buy a finished structure or even build a glass garden greenhouse with their own hands.
The next drawback is the heavy weight. Because of this, the disassembly and assembly process is seriously complicated. Therefore, in most cases, owners try to build stationary greenhouses out of glass, which do not have to be disassembled and assembled every year. The fragility of the material also discourages some. For example, because of the hail, the glass may very well shatter into fragments, which are almost impossible to collect. This means that there remains a risk of getting a wound during work. Because of this, it is desirable to use small cells - they are less likely to break, and replacing damaged glass with a new one will be much easier.
A few words about polycarbonate
Today, polycarbonate garden greenhouses are quite popular. Which is not surprising - this material has a number of important advantages.
For example, it has a relatively light weight and quite affordable cost. Already because of this, many summer residents prefer it. It is also quite durable - it will not break due to wind, like polyethylene, and can easily withstand the blows of large hailstones, unlike glass.
Some experts highly appreciate it for the ability to quickly warm up and let heat pass into the greenhouse. But here it is worth being careful. In the cold season, this is a plus. But in the summer - minus. You need to regularly ventilate the greenhouse so that it is not too hot inside. If the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Celsius, many plants can die.
But there are polycarbonate garden greenhouses and disadvantages. One of them is low chemical resistance. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, it gradually dries up, and its strength decreases - the material becomes brittle. In addition, if chemicals are sprayed onto polycarbonate when spraying plants, very unpleasant consequences can occur.
Consider a film greenhouse
Another pretty popular option. The main advantage of polyethylene is low cost and lightness. The installation process is very simple - you just need to install the frame and cover it with a film that heats up well and slowly gives off heat on a cold night. It is very easy to clean for the winter - the film is removed and rolled into a roll, and the frame is disassembled and stored in a suitable place.
The main disadvantage is the short service life. Usually one roll cannot be used for more than two years. It is stretched, easily torn and pierced. In addition, due to its low weight, it can well be carried away by strong gusts of wind along with the frame. Therefore, you need to take care of a good fixation.
Choose the right shape
Before you build a garden greenhouse - collapsible or stationary - you need to decide on a suitable shape. Most often in summer cottages and gardens you can see three options for greenhouses.
Rectangular with a gable roof is an attractive and very practical option. It is easily warmed up by sunshine from all directions. However, the design is quite complicated to manufacture and has a high cost, which scares away potential owners.
An interesting option is a wall greenhouse. It is usually built on the south side of the house and rests on one side of its wall. This saves material and construction time. In addition, the greenhouse is reliably protected from the cold north wind. If the site is quite small, then there is an additional important plus - space is saved. The disadvantage is that high humidity negatively affects the building material of the wall. In addition, snow that came off the roof in winter can well break the frame of a greenhouse if it was not removed on time.
Finally, an arched shape. Usually built from polycarbonate or polyethylene. The absence of sharp corners saves material. And in general, it is quite simple to assemble - a lightweight frame is sheathed or covered with the selected material, and you can start planting plants.
Stationary or collapsible?
Another difficult choice that confronts a summer resident. And again, both options have certain advantages that may be important to one owner and unnecessary to another.
To begin with, a collapsible greenhouse requires more care. Which is understandable - with the advent of spring you need to spend the whole day, or even a few, to build the structure. Moreover, work often has to be on frozen ground, and this further complicates the process. In autumn, the same work will have to be repeated in reverse order. But you can be sure that in winter nothing will happen to the structure - it will be stored in a suitable, safe place.
But stationary is easier to maintain and saves a lot of time. At the beginning of the season, check its reliability and strength, if necessary, replace damaged parts - and that’s all! In addition, the greenhouse is actively gaining heat for the day and slowly gives it up at night. Therefore, the earth under it warms up faster than around. But leaving a stationary greenhouse on a site in the winter, especially if the owners are leaving the cottage, is not the best solution. He may well become a victim of both the elements and just hooligans.
Choosing a place to install
In general, there are not so many requirements for the place where the greenhouse will stand. First of all, you need to ensure that it is protected from the wind - especially the cold north. Even if there are no gaps in the design, due to strong blowing, the temperature inside decreases significantly. During the construction of stationary greenhouses, some owners even specially plant it from the north with bushes or low trees, protecting it from the wind.
Also, it should be as well lit. Therefore, during installation, the greenhouse is oriented to the cardinal points - from east to west, so that the lighting area is maximum.
Of course, here you need to take into account the features of the site, but in general, compliance with these two rules is highly desirable.
How to care for a greenhouse
Now it will be useful to tell how to care for a greenhouse or a greenhouse in a garden plot.
Finishing the season, you need to process all parts, especially wood, with a potassium permanganate solution. Thanks to this, all infections die that can cause a lot of problems next year. Some owners prefer to fumigate the greenhouse from the inside with a sulfuric saber - also a very good, effective and yet easy method. The main thing - after fumigation, it is good to ventilate the room so that the smoke is not absorbed into the soil.
It is advisable to regularly process the wooden parts of the frame - varnish or paint. Otherwise, high humidity in the greenhouse can lead to the appearance of fungus and even rot, which will reduce the strength of the supporting structure.
Conclusion
We hope that every summer resident and gardener who seriously thinks about buying or building a greenhouse independently, has received enough food for thought. Now he will probably be able to decide which material, shape and location of the greenhouse are the best choice for him.