Do-it-yourself Greenhouses From Improvised Materials (101 Photos): How To Make From Plastic Bottles, Options For Homemade Greenhouses

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 13:15

With the onset of spring, every gardener wants to quickly get a harvest in the form of a fresh bunch of dill, radishes and a fragrant cucumber. The weather is unpredictable now, so lovers of vegetables and berries are trying to solve the problem on their own. Greenhouses are ideal for small gardens. The question arises - from what to make a heat-saving structure? The materials at hand that can be found in any household are used.

Features and types

The greenhouse is placed on the garden bed. Sometimes a base is made for it. Metal flexible rods are located above its surface. A plastic film is stretched over them. This is what the most common design looks like.

A simple greenhouse allows you to keep the harvest at temperatures down to minus two degrees.

Sunlight plays an important role, from which plants receive the necessary heat . And what if it is not enough? The rise in temperature in the greenhouse is carried out by using biofuel. It is very important that it is not rotted manure. It is buried in the soil to a depth of 20 cm, and is covered with soil from above. When overheated, the slurry gives off heat. This type of greenhouse is small in height and is usually used for growing seedlings. During its construction, a metal frame and film are also used.

The next version of the greenhouse can be called a mini-greenhouse. A wooden frame is used as a base. The frame here can be made of wood or metal. Glass, spunbond, polycarbonate, film surface are used as a covering material. Its height is over a meter and is used for ripening vegetables.

Greenhouses are divided into the following types according to their forms: arched, gable, shed, recessed.

All options perform one function - to grow the first crop as quickly as possible, to keep the seedlings from low temperatures and spring precipitation.

Pros and cons

A greenhouse can be made with your own hands from scrap materials. This allows you to save money and create small, stable structures anywhere. Compared to greenhouses, this is one of the main advantages. Greenhouses are easy to clean, which is very important with the onset of the hot summer period. Cheap materials, in the case of their damage, are easily replaced with others.

The main disadvantage remains in its size limitation. The number of seedlings is determined by the size of the beds. In height, the greenhouse can reach a height of 1, 2-1, 5 meters, which creates inconvenience for the gardener when caring for the plants.

This is a seasonal design and is used only in early spring and autumn, when the air warms up during the day and until the first frost. At temperatures below zero, their use is impractical.

The difference between a greenhouse and a greenhouse

The greenhouse is easily assembled in a matter of hours using improvised means.

During the construction of the greenhouse, a layout is developed taking into account the tasks that are assigned to it . It is a permanent structure with fixed walls and a roof and is often heated.

Compared to them, greenhouses look small. Greenhouses are used only at certain times of the year. Only one person can work in a greenhouse. But in the greenhouse, a couple of people can come to the aid of the gardener.

And if the greenhouse is for agricultural needs, then equipment is also placed in it.

Choice of materials

In any household there is always something that will create the basis for a future greenhouse. For example, pallets. Building a greenhouse out of them is quite simple. It is necessary to select the required amount, disassemble them into separate boards and assemble the frame with the roof.

Inside, the frame is reinforced with a netting or a regular assembly net . For cladding, a dense film is used. The advantage of such a material is a long service life, cheap materials, and good sunlight penetration. There are also dangers in the form of mold and bark beetles. Polyethylene loses its strength when exposed to weathering. Wooden material must be constantly looked after: soaked from parasites and often tinted.

Window frames are another budget option . But for such a greenhouse, you will need to build an additional foundation. Here, too, it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the wooden base. At the same time, window frames can serve for a very long time. The design will be durable, perfectly transmitting light and keep warm well. The biggest disadvantage of such a greenhouse is fragile glass.

The cheapest and most popular material is plastic bottles . With them, you can beat different shapes of greenhouses - square, semicircular. They transmit light well. They prevent the penetration of cold and wind. Plants can be grown in such a greenhouse from early spring to late autumn. Plastic is a fragile material, therefore, when building greenhouses from this material, it is not recommended to use construction threads.

The bottles can be used in two versions. In the form of columns with a cropped bottom or sheets glued from the middle of the product. Both options are good. In the first case, the bottles keep warm well even in light frosts. But when collecting a greenhouse, it is necessary to monitor the packing density. In the second case, the structure will be more airtight, but you will have to tinker with the material when cutting and gluing them. For one greenhouse alone, you will have to collect more than 600 pieces. Its dimensions will be 3 meters by 4 meters in length and width, height is 2.4 meters. You will need transparent and colored bottles. In any case, large plastic bottles are preferred. The fastest way to make a canvas of the required size is from two-liter ones. Colored plastic is recommended to be used on the north side of the building.

Often a mini greenhouse is made from a five-liter bottle . The lower part is cut off from the container, and the upper part is used as a greenhouse. She covers the seedling. This method is often used for growing watermelons.

A metal mesh or a chain-link mesh is another simple option for building a greenhouse. As a basis, boards or supports are used, on which the material is stretched. Polyethylene is located on top. This is one of the fastest building methods. Consideration must be given to how the foundations will be anchored in the ground. The design is very light and breaks easily in strong wind or rain. Such a greenhouse quickly loses its appearance due to the loss of the appearance of the film and rust on the mesh.

A non-woven membrane can be used as a covering . The fabric protects plants well from low temperatures, is easily repaired, and breathes well. But he is afraid of the claws of animals. Therefore, when using this material, you will have to additionally sheathe the greenhouse with a fine-mesh mesh.

Each material requires a suitable method of sealing the joints. The film can be additionally sealed with tape. The non-woven membrane is fixed over its entire length with an overlap. And polycarbonate will need a foamed adhesive tape.

The neck of a plastic bottle can be used to enhance the fixation of the materials. In small greenhouses, a cucumber net works very well. Clips for PVC pipes proved to be excellent. Also, a clothesline, a wooden plank, a fishing net made of synthetic threads can act as clamps.

To calculate the amount of materials, especially for complex polycarbonate greenhouses, you can use special services. They are publicly available on the Internet. It is enough just to type: drawing of greenhouses and calculation of materials.

Experienced gardeners are advised to have several greenhouses on their plots . Each culture has its own requirements - someone loves wetter, someone on the contrary, water is destructive. You should not try in one greenhouse by expanding to try to plant all the plants. Various types of covering materials in structure and properties will allow you to select and create favorable conditions for seedlings.

Creation rules and preparation

Before proceeding with the construction of a greenhouse, it is worth determining its location and determining the parameters. The structure should face south, end face north. Thanks to this, the side part will receive heat from the east, and in the evening from the west. This way, the plants will receive even warmth throughout the day.

The microclimate in the greenhouse also depends on the wind rose . The currents of cold air will blow out the degrees of heat so much needed for the plants. Drafts easily reduce the temperature by 5 C. Therefore, when installing a greenhouse, you should try to locate it near buildings where there is less blowing. Or think over some kind of protective screen. It could even be planting bushes. Most often, gardeners do it easier - they cover the blown sides with cragis or ordinary boards.

The height of the greenhouse is usually about a meter, the width is slightly more than a meter. It is not recommended to make a structure that is too long.

The most optimal length is no more than 4 meters.

You need to know the features of your site. This is especially true for groundwater. In high water, plants can rot their roots. For some cultures, the abundance of water is destructive. You also need to know the type of soil. Sandy soil is ideal. If clay is suddenly discovered, then a number of preliminary work will have to be carried out. To begin with, you will need to dig a small pit, place gravel evenly, then a layer of sand and therefore put a fertile layer.

The future site must be cleared of stones and debris. Measure its boundaries to calculate the amount of material required. To properly build a homemade greenhouse, you need a drawing. If it will be made of windows or boards, then it is necessary to provide ventilation and not forget about access to ensure work with plants.

Preparatory work depends on the material of the frame . The simplest is metal arcs. They can be immediately stuck into the ground every half a meter. But their installation is also permissible through the meter. When using window frames, it is necessary to treat the material with a parasite agent. Then you can start marking the film. If you suddenly need to glue two pieces together, then the fastest way to do this is with an iron. The material lies on the rubber and is covered with tracing paper.

After passing through the iron, a strong seam will appear on the film.

When preparing a greenhouse with biofuel, you need to prepare two indentations on both sides along the entire length. The first layer is straw, manure on top. Stick in the arcs and cover with a film, which will need to be dug in and fix the edges with stones. Then it remains to wait for the soil to warm up and start planting seedlings.

For cucumbers, which summer residents are looking forward to, you can make a small greenhouse yourself. It is necessary to make a gravel drainage layer. Then cover with biomass from manure and a layer of soil. Then arcs are stuck into the ground, the upper part and the side are fixed with wire. When the cucumbers begin to grow, the film can be removed as the seedlings grow. Then the frame remains for weaving the plant.

For quick emergence of seedlings, it is recommended to use organic matter as a heat source. But in order to warm the soil, it is necessary to sprinkle the snow with ash in early spring. It is also recommended to use peat. The black color intensely attracts the sun color and quickly warms up the earth. After the snow melts, ash or peat will remain in the garden as fertilizer for plants.

Do not forget that some types of seedlings die at a temperature of + 5. It can be cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers. For such delicate plants, it is worth preparing a mobile greenhouse that can be brought into the heat. It is made from a regular box, to which you can attach carry handles. It is covered with foil or glass. Then, later, when the seedlings get stronger, they will feel great in street greenhouses.

A not tall stationary greenhouse is suitable for cabbage, carrots, dill, etc . The sun will be enough for them. Heated greenhouses will be a great home for tomatoes, eggplants, peppers.

Crops that like to grow tall, such as cucumbers, will require a tall greenhouse.

Manufacturing: options

A greenhouse in the form of an arch is often called a tunnel greenhouse because of its similarity to a long tunnel. Its shape is based on arcs stuck into the ground. This is one of the easiest DIY techniques. If it is necessary to strengthen the structure, then plastic pipes or a steel bar are used as the base, which are inserted into the watering hose. At the very beginning of work, you need to think about how to provide access to plants. To do this, lift the side film and fix it at the top. So that the material is tightly stretched at the bottom, the slats are nailed.

If it is necessary to ventilate the space, then the film is wound on this wooden base and the assembled rolls are attached to the upper part of the arc.

To make an arched greenhouse from wooden boards, you need a box. Its sides will allow you to make a warm bed using biomass; arcs can be fixed to the box. To protect against rodents, future planting is protected with a metal mesh. Sections of tubes are attached to the sides of the box, into which metal arcs will be inserted.

An arch made of a plastic pipe does not need to be fastened . Pieces of reinforcement, driven in from the side of the long sides of the box, will hold it. The pipe is cut into pieces of the required size and inserted into the workpieces. Arcs with a height of 1 meter need to be reinforced with a jumper. It can be exactly the same pipe. The finished structure is covered with material and nailed along the edges with slats. You can start planting work.

To insulate the arched greenhouse, plastic bottles are used, into which water is poured . These should be green or brown containers with a volume of two liters. The dark color of the bottle will allow the water to warm up more during the day, so that at night the heat is evenly transferred to the soil and seedlings.

Water bottles are placed tightly around the perimeter of the garden bed, digging them into the ground for stability. Then they are tightened together with the box with a dense rope.

Black polyethylene is spread at the bottom of the bed, which will protect the plants from the cold soil. Fertile soil is filled up and covering material is fixed on top. For protection from frost, non-woven tightly is best suited.

To make a greenhouse from plastic bottles, a frame made of wooden slats is required. A gable roof is recommended as it does not retain water in case of rain. It is best to pick up clear bottles. After cutting out the neck of the bottle and the bottom, a rectangular fragment should remain, which will become the basis of the future wall. All rectangles must be sewn to the desired size. The plastic is attached to the frame with construction brackets. It is best to insure the roof with polyethylene to prevent moisture from leaking.

Window frames are considered the best material for making a greenhouse. Solid bases allow you to assemble the structure in a very short time. It can be a completely transparent box with a top opening. The most important thing is to observe the slope of the cover for the drainage of rainwater - at least 30 degrees. After preparing the place for the greenhouse, the box is assembled. The wood must be treated against rotting and insect parasites.

A separate greenhouse is made for cucumbers, taking into account their height . It is recommended to make it in an unusual shape - in the form of a hut. A timber of 1.7 meters in size with a section of 50x50 mm is attached to the box at one end. Each piece is attached at a slope so that the bars eventually converge on both sides at an acute angle above the middle of the box. Supports are fastened with transverse boards. The frame is covered with a film and fixed. You can strengthen its position with thin strips. In the hut itself, a garden net is stretched for the growth and weaving of cucumbers.

You can build a greenhouse using ordinary branches and store packaging film. It is better to select trees that are thick, at least 5-6 cm in section, so that they cope with the task of strength. The film itself is good for air permeability, it must be wound in several layers. To do this, you will need to prepare a manual holder to simplify the task of working with the material. Two large rolls are enough. The film will protect plantings well in case of light frosts. For the manufacture of the structure, you will need 6 pillars with a height of 2.5 meters, 3 by 3 meters and 2 by 6 meters.

The bottom of the greenhouse must be protected from animals by boards.

The branches need to be processed by removing the bark, processed until smooth or wrapped with tape. This is important because the film may tear due to the roughness during wrapping.

The frame is built according to the scheme . Wrapping the film around it does not need to leave space for the door and window. This is done later. The most optimal winding option is at least three times. The roof is covered with a thicker film. The joints are closed with tape. Along the contour of the future greenhouse, additional fixation in the form of a bar will be required. The film is attached to the frame with construction staples. It is recommended to use rubber tubes as a spacer. Then the door and window are cut out. Their shape will be held by the remaining branches. The cut and the threshold must be additionally processed by strengthening the film. The door can be insulated with foam tape.

Another not difficult option can be made from a vine and a garden hose. You can use vine branches to make arcs. They should be about 10 mm thick. The length of the rods comes from the width of the covering material. For example, if the width is 3 meters, then the vine should be exactly half the size. Prepared branches are cleaned of bark. The hose is cut into pieces of 20 cm. The vine is inserted into the workpiece from both sides and thus a single greenhouse arch is obtained. After all the details are assembled, the arched frame is assembled. After tensioning the covering material, you can engage in the next stage of gardening work.

You can return to the forgotten method - making greenhouses from bags of earth . It is considered the most environmentally friendly. Plastic bags are filled with wet soil and stacked on top of each other. A kind of recessed structure is being built, in which the wall becomes thinner closer to the top. Crushed stone bags are used as a foundation. The walls need to be plastered, a door and windows are made. The roof must be transparent, polycarbonate is recommended. Such a greenhouse will last for several years. But it will require a lot of labor during its construction.

Another eco-friendly option for a straw block greenhouse . Straw keeps warm well. The blocks are stacked on top of each other and fastened with reinforcement rods. The transparent ceiling will provide the necessary light for the plants. A greenhouse can serve for many years, but for this it is necessary to make a foundation. This can be a wooden harness made of beams.

A greenhouse on a wooden frame looks quite interesting. This is already a whole structure made of glass or polycarbonate with a pitched roof. Most often located next to the wall of the house. To make a wall-mounted greenhouse, you will need a bar for a box, a bar for a frame, materials, working tools, tape, tape measure.

To begin with, the location is determined, the soil is prepared, the size is calculated, a drawing is made.

The work begins with the assembly of the frame . A frame is made, which will become an additional box - the base. The bar is fastened with self-tapping screws. Then the corner posts are placed. They should be the same size as the greenhouse. Usually the upper slope reaches one meter, the lower one is two times less. Then comes the installation of the upper frame. For fastening the covering material, intermediate posts are installed.

It is imperative that the entire tree is covered with a protective agent against parasites.

Another important step is making a concrete or brick foundation . But a wooden box is also allowed. It is mounted in the same way as for an arched greenhouse. It needs to be treated with wood stain, varnish - this way it will last much longer.

The base is located on the garden bed and a frame is installed on it, which is attached with screws and corners.

The polycarbonate walls must be cut to size. The ends are closed with tape and attached to the frame with self-tapping screws.

Attaching the covering material is another next step towards the result. Reinforced foil is recommended. It will be attached to the upper slope with a bar. The cover is measured with a margin on both sides for each side, front and back. This is done so that there is access at any time to the contents of the greenhouse. Between two thin beams, the lower part is fixed, which will now be conveniently wrapped when opened into a roll.

There are many videos on the Internet with a detailed assembly of any kind of greenhouse. After a master class of a specialist, anyone will be able to collect something like that.