Do-it-yourself greenhouse for seedlings: how to build it correctly

To grow good seedlings, every gardener has a home greenhouse. In this design, the internal microclimate can be controlled to provide optimal conditions for seedlings. You can purchase a ready-made greenhouse or make it yourself, spending a minimum of money.

Content:

• Greenhouse for seedlings: what is it for?
• Choosing a location and material for a greenhouse
• Materials and tools for work
• Step-by-step instructions for constructing a greenhouse for seedlings
• Frame tunnel greenhouse made of metal pipes: stages of work

Greenhouse for seedlings: what is it for?

A greenhouse for seedlings is an indispensable design for a gardener in any climatic conditions. An important condition for such a design is the creation of optimal conditions for growing seedlings. This is a simple and inexpensive design that allows you to grow almost all types of vegetables. For this purpose, all conditions are created for the plants to grow and develop well.

Growing seedlings in a greenhouse allows you to get full and early harvests of cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. This is possible thanks to planting seedlings in the spring, when there are still frosts, but the sun is out.

The main advantages of this design:

• Low cost
• Versatility
• Mobility

There are some varieties greenhousewhich are used in gardening for growing seedlings:

1. Frameless design.It involves covering a film on top of the seed with fixation along the edges of boards, bricks, etc.
2. Tunnel greenhouse. The design resembles a tunnel in appearance. Metal and plastic arcs act as a frame.
3. Portable design. It is arranged in the form of a box of wooden boards, over which a film is stretched. Usually the opposite walls of the frame are made of different heights. The last two options are more practical and common, and do not require high costs.

Choosing a location and material for a greenhouse

The location for the greenhouse should be quiet and level. In this case, the area should be well lit. It is not recommended to place the greenhouse on slopes, in lowlands and hills. Before starting construction work, you should decide on the dimensions of the future structure, as well as select the right material. The size of the greenhouse will depend on the number and type of seedlings grown.

The long part should be positioned from east to west, with either side facing south. Any materials can be used for construction. The optimal material for covering a greenhouse is polyethylene film.

It should be of medium strength and allow sunlight to pass through well. In rare cases it is used polycarbonate. The frame can be made of polypropylene pipes, metal fittings, and wooden beams. You can also take an old window frame and insert glass into it. The design can be made in any shape: in the form of an arc, a “house”, a triangle.

Materials and tools for work

To set up a greenhouse, the main purpose of which is to grow seedlings, you will need the following materials:

• Wooden beams
• Metal pipes
• Boards
• Polyethylene film
• Window frame
• Horizontal slats
• Bricks
• Bitumen mastic

From a set of carpentry and plumbing tools you need to prepare:

• Hammer
• Pilou
• Construction stapler
• Shovel
• Hacksaw
• Nails, screws

Before you start building a greenhouse, you need to decide on the type of structure and sketch out the project. The optimal greenhouse size for growing seedlings: width 1.3-1.5 meters, height – 0.8-1 meter, length – 2-2.5 meters.

Step-by-step instructions for constructing a greenhouse for seedlings

The simplest version of a greenhouse is a stationary one, resembling a box with an opening window. Such a structure can be built using brickwork or wooden elements. The main stages of the device are site preparation, installation of the frame and arches.

1. Preparing the site. In the selected area, dig a hole about 40 cm deep. Compact the bottom, lay out a thin layer of compost and cover with a 15 cm layer of soil.
2. Brick laying process. Next, mix the mortar and lay brickwork around the perimeter of the base. It should be noted that the upper part must be made with a slope of 45 degrees.
3. Window frame installation. Once the brickwork is complete, install the old window frame and finally install the window supports.

You can choose another installation method - on a wooden frame. It is a rectangular box made of boards or beams. This design is buried in the ground. The front wall is made lower than the back, while the side parts need to be adjusted to an angle of 45 degrees. This greenhouse arrangement provides access to the sun's rays to the plants.

Frame tunnel greenhouse made of metal pipes: stages of work

This design is the simplest and easiest to install.The frame can be made from metal or plastic pipes, an old hose, wire and other similar materials. The length of the rods should be chosen taking into account the width of the structure. Instructions for the construction of a tunnel greenhouse:

1. Installation of arcs. Install metal arcs around the perimeter of the marked area for the greenhouse. In this case, it is necessary to maintain a distance between them of at least 50 cm. To make the structure more stable, the arcs can be secured to a wooden base rather than stuck into the ground.
2. Installation of longitudinal slats. At the next stage, to increase the rigidity of the structure, you need to install slats. Thanks to them, it is possible to avoid displacement of the arches. You can additionally install vertical supports under the arches on both sides.
3. Covering with film. Having measured the required size of the film, the structure is covered and secured with a construction stapler. You can also attach wooden beams to the edges of the film, but the film needs to be cut off a little more. Next, throw the film over the structure. This method is more convenient, since you don’t have to use stones to press the film to the ground. In addition, it is much easier to ventilate the greenhouse.

To construct the frame, you can take ready-made gratings or use wooden blocks. It will not be difficult to build such a structure and, unlike a frame made of pipes, it will be more stable. You can connect the gratings together with self-tapping screws, nails, or use wide tape.

In the future, you can think about a way to heat the seedlings. This could be natural sunlight, the use of biofuel or an additional electric heater. Build a greenhouse for seedlings It’s not difficult at all on your own.Even a novice builder and gardener can build any of the above structures.

Video on how to make a greenhouse for seedlings: