Greenhouse cultivation of cucumbers in our region is quite common, because thanks to this method, in early spring you can enjoy your own vegetables. But how to create a suitable microclimate for them? Consider how to make a greenhouse for cucumbers with their own hands: photo examples, diagrams, as well as some options for ready-made designs that can be purchased.
What is better: make a greenhouse for cucumbers with your own hands or buy ready
Today, you can easily buy a ready-made greenhouse for cucumbers, which will be enough to install on the site and start using. Nevertheless, many owners prefer homemade designs. Consider what advantages this or that option has, and what is actually better.
Among the advantages of ready-made greenhouses can be noted the fact that the design is fully ready for use, which saves you from all the hassles associated with its construction: calculations, material acquisition and assembly. However, this solution also has a number of drawbacks associated with some limitations in the size and shape of the greenhouse.
If you want to buy a greenhouse for cucumbers, you will have to face such a phenomenon as standard sizes, which are not always suitable for a particular site. Moreover, there is also no possibility to influence their form. The disadvantages can also be attributed, and their considerable cost.
If you are engaged in the manufacture of their own, you can install the ideal design of the size and shape that you need. Such a greenhouse at any time can be dismantled and re-assembled if the need arises.
We should not forget about the difficulties that will have to face in the process of work. In order for the design to be solid and reliable, it is necessary to accurately make calculations and follow them in the process of construction. Despite the fact that the cost of a homemade greenhouse will be less than that of finished structures, taking into account the time and effort spent, costs can be almost the same.
Helpful advice! Before you buy all the necessary materials for the work, it is necessary to carry out the most accurate calculations. Otherwise, you run the risk of overspending and a shortage or excess of materials.
The strength and reliability of your greenhouse will depend on the quality of the selected arcs, so you should pay attention to this issue. Before giving preference to one or another option, it is recommended to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. There are four materials that are suitable for this purpose: steel, metal-plastic, plastic and aluminum.
It is worth paying attention to the difference in the price of these materials, since their cost is significantly different. The most expensive – aluminum arc, and besides, it is quite difficult to work with them. It is necessary to choose products of sufficient strength and thickness, as well as the same size. The advantages of using aluminum pipes include:
- high strength and long operational period;
- low weight;
- material resistance to corrosive processes;
- simplicity cladding covering material.
However, these costs and efforts are fully justified. The result will be a durable, lightweight construction that is easy to install both on a previously prepared foundation, or just into the ground.
It will be much easier to work if you give preference to metal arcs for a greenhouse in PVC winding. Having kept such characteristics as small weight and high durability, purchase will cost you much cheaper. In addition, having read the instructions on how to assemble a greenhouse of arcs and films, you can easily and quickly assemble the structure yourself.
Helpful advice! Deciding to purchase metal-plastic pipes for a greenhouse, it is best to give preference to products of larger diameter, since they have increased strength and corrosion resistance.
Plastic arcs for a greenhouse remain the simplest, cheapest and therefore popular option. It is easy to work with them, and the low price and long service life surpass all other materials. The only thing worth considering is that it is better to buy plastic arches for a greenhouse with a larger diameter and density. This will save time and effort, and the strength of the finished structure will be higher.
Home-made greenhouses for cucumbers can differ from each other in a huge number of characteristics, starting with what materials were used for its construction and ending with the size or shape. Of course, you can develop your own scheme, which will be most suitable for the proposed conditions, however, this requires a lot of effort, and no one excluded the risk of serious mistakes.
Consider some of the most popular options for greenhouses for cucumbers with their own hands, their advantages, especially the construction and operation.
The easiest way to make a greenhouse yourself is to use film and metal arcs for this purpose. Although this design will not be too strong, it is very convenient because it is easily repaired and, if necessary, dismantled. With the help of scrap materials, polyethylene, which covered the arc, is fixed, which allows the greenhouse to maintain integrity.
In order to equip a space for growing cucumbers, and to understand how to cover a greenhouse from arcs with a film, it is necessary to adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- choose a suitable place that gets enough sunlight. It is desirable that the site under the greenhouse was at some elevation to avoid the accumulation and stagnation of water in case of rain;
- mark the territory by orienting the greenhouse from east to west. The maximum size of a greenhouse for cucumbers of this design is 2 m wide and 3-4 m long;
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- using wooden boards, make a small frame (about 20 cm) around the future garden bed;
- Observing a step of about 50-60 cm, along the entire length of the board, make holes that will serve to fix the arcs;
Helpful advice! Any flexible metal elements, including wire, can be used as arcs.
- using a metal wire, connect the arcs in the upper points. This will give the frame additional rigidity;
- the film with which you plan to cover the greenhouse must be at least 120-200 µm in thickness, otherwise it will tear too often;
- on one of the long sides of the greenhouse, the film must be firmly fixed, and on the other, it is sufficient to press it down with something heavy (bricks, stones, boards);
- the short edges of the film can either be fixed using the same materials or tightened and fixed with pegs, as is done when setting up the tent.
Like the installation, the process of operating such a simple greenhouse for cucumbers with their own hands does not present any difficulties for the owners. All that needs to be done is to unscrew one of the edges of the film in order to air, water and care for the plants.
The greenhouse-butterfly enjoys fame among summer residents, thanks to its simple and convenient design, which allows you to efficiently use all the available space, and at the same time have an approach to all beds. Such designs are more durable and durable than the previous version, and the level of protection that they provide to cucumbers is much higher.
“Butterfly” is able to withstand a rather severe weather. This applies to heavy rains, hail and even snow, the level of which does not exceed 10 cm. But even in hot weather, this greenhouse is very convenient, as it is well ventilated.
Externally, this design resembles a house with a gable roof, each part of which can be opened. This system allows the owner to gain access to any part of the greenhouse, or simply to ventilate. Quite often you can find greenhouse butterflies for sale, but they can also be built independently.
If you buy a ready-made greenhouse of this design, then it will be made of metal and polycarbonate (sometimes glass). But for independent work more suitable wooden frame and polyethylene or glass.
Note! One of the most difficult components of the greenhouse butterfly is the locking mechanism. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully consider and plan all phases of work.
Step by step we will consider how to make a greenhouse for cucumbers “Butterfly”:
- carefully clear the area for construction of grass and foreign objects;
- to create a frame, use high-quality boards (best suited from coniferous trees);
- You can install a greenhouse directly on the ground, but it will be better to prepare a base for it from a timber in order to avoid rotting the base in the future. To do this, remove the top layer of soil and make a drainage layer of about 10-15 cm, using small gravel;
- insert glass into the prepared frames (it is permissible to use ordinary window) and fix them securely;
- fasten all the design elements.
In order to protect the wood and avoid the processes of decay, be sure to treat all wooden elements with a special compound. This will significantly extend the life of your greenhouse.
Not so long ago, a new type of greenhouses appeared, for the manufacture of which they use a material such as polycarbonate. This synthetic material is widely used in agriculture, and is often used for a variety of purposes, including the creation of greenhouses.
The advantages of this material include low weight, as well as resistance to mechanical loads. The transparency of polycarbonate is about 80-85%, which allows plants to get the necessary amount of sunlight. At the same time, it is resistant to precipitation and slowly cools, keeping heat inside the greenhouse longer.
Buying a greenhouse for polycarbonate cucumbers is not difficult, however, since working with this material is quite simple, many people prefer to do everything with their own hands. In order that the result does not disappoint, you must adhere to some recommendations for working with this material:
- the thickness of the sheets used for the construction of the greenhouse must be at least 4 mm and not more than 6 mm;
- Since plants need not only sunlight, but fresh air, think carefully about the ventilation system and how watering will be carried out;
- A sharp knife is perfect for adjusting polycarbonate to the desired size, but it is important not to damage its surface during work, as it is very easy to leave scratches;
- in order to avoid unnecessary material costs, carefully calculate everything in advance and try to act in accordance with these calculations.
Special care and care for the greenhouse of polycarbonate. It is not recommended to use cleaning products to clean it. This will negatively affect his appearance: he will grow dim and lose his attractiveness. To remove contamination, it is enough to wipe it with a damp cloth.
In order to make a greenhouse for cucumbers, you will need the following materials:
- wooden bars or metal profile for the frame of the greenhouse;
- polycarbonate sheets;
- film or ruberoid;
- screws and screwdriver.
How much material you need, you need to count individually, since it depends on the size of the structure.
Note! Protective coating is required not only for the wooden elements of the greenhouse, but also for the metal. Processing of metal parts is required to avoid corrosion.
Preparation for the installation of such a greenhouse must begin with laying the foundation. To do this, you need to dig a trench whose depth will be 0.5 m and a width of 2 m. The length of the trench will depend on how large the greenhouse you plan to install. A layer of a mixture of sand and gravel is poured into the pit, and on top of it is covered with a 30 cm layer of soil. After that, you can proceed to the laying of a waterproofing layer, for which you will need a film or roofing material.
We adjust the wooden base to the size of the prepared foundation, which we install and fasten securely. After that, from boards or bars we make racks with a sloping top. Observing a step of 1 m, we attach it to the base of the frame stand, after which we attach polycarbonate sheets to them. Since this is a rather fragile material that can easily crack, it is recommended to use metal washers under the screws.
The greenhouse-hut is ideal for growing crops such as cucumbers, because they can grow to a height of 1.5 meters. Conventional arcs for this design are not suitable, since it will not be sustainable, but the available materials and covering materials are well suited for this purpose. Of course, you can weld a frame of heavy metal pipes, but it will cost a lot.
You should start with the assembly of the box, which will serve as the basis of the greenhouse. After that, you can proceed to fasten the upper part. It is best to use for this wooden beam, whose length is 1.7 m, and the cross section is 50×50 mm. On one side, it attaches to the base, just as it does with arcs.
It is important that after fixing, the timber should be inclined towards the bed. The two ends of the elements located opposite each other are also fastened, which gives them the shape of a hut.
To give the structure greater strength, between the vertical supports of the hut install cross bars, which, moreover, will serve as the basis for fixing the film. At the very top, in places where the bars meet, a solid board is attached.
The finished frame can only be covered with a film. In order to gust the wind did not break it, you can nail the polyethylene to the transverse planks, using thin planochka for this.
Helpful advice! To make it convenient for plants to trail, inside such a tent you can stretch an ordinary garden net.
Regardless of whether you made a mini-greenhouse for cucumbers with your own hands or built a full-fledged greenhouse, it is very important to rationally use the space available inside. As a rule, the size of the arcs for the greenhouse or other elements that make up the frame, are selected taking into account the fact that in the future you will need to take care of the plants.
Here are a few recommendations that will help to properly organize the space inside the greenhouse for cucumbers:
- for small-sized constructions, the ideal scheme for planting cucumbers in a greenhouse will be the division of space into two equal parts, where the sides will have beds and a path in the middle;
- for the beds to have clearly defined boundaries, think over the fence for them. It may be small, but it must clearly outline the landing sites and aisles;
- Be sure to process with a special protective agent all the materials that are used to design the space inside the greenhouse. This will prevent rotting due to increased humidity;
- attention is also demanded by the soil that is in the greenhouse, and in which you will plant the cucumbers. Its humidity should not be excessively high, especially during the cold season;
- High humidity in a greenhouse is a prerequisite for good plant growth, so all materials that you plan to use for the decoration of paths and fences must be resistant to moisture and temperature.
Accurately adhering to the recommendations on how to make a cucumber greenhouse itself can be avoided in the future many problems associated with the elimination of deficiencies. Thereby saving time and effort to eliminate errors.
In order to make a mini-greenhouse for cucumbers, you can use a variety of available materials. Including those that in ordinary life we used to throw out thoughtlessly. Consider a few simple options.
Empty plastic bottles are considered garbage, however, they can be useful in the household. Including when it is necessary to arrange a place for planting cucumbers. Of course, to provide structural stiffness, other materials, such as a wooden frame, will be required. However, this design will be made of those materials that are likely to be found at any cottage.
Helpful advice! For homemade greenhouses, it is better to make a gable roof from scrap materials, since the wooden base will not bend, and water may accumulate on the flat roof.
Having built a primitive wooden frame, it must be sheathed. For this you need plastic bottles. They may be of the same or different colors, but it is important that a sufficient amount of sunlight penetrates into the greenhouse, so that it is better to refuse too dark.
The bottom and neck of each bottle must be cut off. After that, the remaining part is cut along and expanded in such a way that a flat plastic rectangle is obtained. Then it is necessary to sew the obtained elements together using wire. Having collected a fragment of the required size, it is easy to attach it to the frame using a construction stapler.
Given that the wire will not be sealed, for the roof it is necessary to use an additional layer of polyethylene. So with minimal funds, you can make a greenhouse for cucumbers from boards and plastic bottles.
Another option to save money and make a greenhouse from scrap materials on your own is to use old window frames for this purpose. If there are enough of them, you can make a completely transparent design with an opening top. If frames are not enough, you can build a structure near the building, using its wall as one of the sides. It is important to ensure that the upper frame is located on an incline, otherwise rainwater will constantly accumulate on the roof.
Even if you only have one window frame, you can still equip a small greenhouse. For this purpose a perfect box of the old refrigerator, which can often be found in the cottages.
After reviewing the features of site selection, as well as general recommendations on how to make a greenhouse for cucumbers, you can proceed to the assembly. First of all, treat all the wooden parts of the frames with special protective impregnation and paint. It is important that the level of inclination of the finished box is not less than 30 ?.
For this, the back wall must be installed higher than the front one.
If you approach the construction of the construction with due attention, it is quite possible to organically fit into the overall design of the site, made with your own hands a greenhouse for cucumbers. Photographs of examples of such greenhouses can be found on the Internet on thematic forums and blogs.
In order to grow cucumbers, it is not necessary to purchase ready-made arcs for a greenhouse. 4 meters of flexible material can be found among the scrap materials. In order to make a solid construction of the vine, you need an old garden hose and a vine, which can be found in almost any water body. The main thing is to choose rods of sufficient length and a thickness of at least 10 mm.
Collected vines need to be cleared of knots and bark. After that, the existing garden hose should be cut into pieces, each of which will be about 20 cm. Rods are inserted on each side. It is important that the vine entered into it as tightly as possible. The result should be one full arc, consisting of a piece of hose and two twigs of the rod.
Using the principle of building a conventional arched greenhouse, the required number of arcs is installed on the prepared frame and covered with polyethylene, tightly pulling it, and fixing it where necessary.
