How to make a greenhouse for cucumbers with your own hands?
There are several ways to make a greenhouse for cucumbers with your own hands. But you also need to follow some recommendations of what is better to make a greenhouse for cucumbers, is it possible for a greenhouse for cucumbers without manure and how is the planting of cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse. Do-it-yourself pictures of greenhouses for cucumbers and rules for building a greenhouse for cucumbers will help with this. Most of the methods are advisory in nature and can be adjusted depending on the situation.
Variations of greenhouses for cucumber crops
Gardening takes up a significant amount of time. The vegetable garden requires complete dedication. But this is a small price for self-assembled eco-friendly products. Devices that are sold in garden shops, agronomic centers and specialized Internet portals help reduce the time for growing crops, including cucumbers. Among these devices are greenhouses. But you can make a greenhouse for cucumbers with your own hands.
They are created from scrap materials, such as:
- Glass.
- Polyethylene.
- PVC film.
- SUF.
In addition to the base material for the greenhouse, a frame is required, which can also be absolutely anything, for example:
- Plastic.
- Metal.
- Wooden.
If you are planning just a greenhouse, and not a full-fledged greenhouse, its construction will take quite a bit of time.
It can be formed as a single-use structure, or a version can be developed that will last for several years. Moreover, it can be made collapsible in order to rotate the used land resources. This is done so that the soil is not depleted under the influence of the same plant species for several years in a row.
It is recommended to rotate 3-4 times every 5 years. Otherwise, additional fertilization will be required to eliminate possible problems with the soil in which new plants are planted.
In order to enjoy crispy vegetables on summer days, you need to take care of the presence of a greenhouse in advance - in autumn or early spring. If the greenhouse is planned to be used in the first spring days, you should take care of the presence of heating elements. Using them will warm the soil and space in the greenhouse during the cooler months. This will give the plants a good start. In this case, large greenhouses can be supplied with pipes and connected to the central heating of the house.
Small greenhouses can be heated with portable oil heaters. They are light enough to take up little space in the greenhouse. However, if there is not enough space for a greenhouse on a personal plot, the option with heating is excluded. In this case, you can install a mini greenhouse, the upper covering part of which is removed during the growth of a full-fledged adult plant.
The main requirements for a greenhouse are the transparency of the covering materials and the tightness of the structure. This is necessary in order for the plant to receive maximum heat and light during the growing season.
Building rules and recommendations
The rules for building a greenhouse for cucumbers are quite simple. There is no rigid framework, crossing which there will be insurmountable difficulties in obtaining a crop. You can even build it from old window frames, a couple of boards and small pieces of reinforcement. No foundation is required and walls are not limited. They can be replaced by a hinged canopy.If the greenhouse is large enough, with walls, a dome or a roof, an entrance door should be provided.
The frame of the walls and roof or dome is formed from strong supports that will not fall or break under the influence of wind force. If desired, you can weld it from the fittings. Now frames made of plastic or metal-plastic pipes have become popular. They are lightweight and durable enough for use in portable greenhouses. Therefore, this is just a personal preference of what is the best way to make a greenhouse.
The plastic frame is attached to a ground base and / or to posts that hold the structure upright. The primer base is formed from wooden boards and is the most durable and stable place in the greenhouse to external influences. A frame made of wooden slats, plastic pipes or fittings is attached to it. If the frame is formed in the form of a hinged dome, then its weight should be optimal so that it can be lifted for free access to the soil and plants.
At the end of the installation of the frame, it is covered with a film or SUF. Further, the covering sheet is reinforced on the frame and base using wooden slats and screws. The screws can be replaced with nails, but the screws are easier to install. Using a screwdriver will speed up the hiding process at times. The use of slats will prevent the possible rupture of the covering material.
Greenhouses made of polycarbonate plates are now gaining popularity. Transparent boards are more durable and do not require replacement, unlike films. In addition, they are easier to clean. They are simply washed without the use of chemical solutions. They do not require rails for their installation, they are attached directly to the frame. If the formed polycarbonate greenhouse is small with a hinged dome, it is recommended to install door closers. Their use will facilitate the lifting of the dome.
Upon completion of the installation work, the soil is prepared. Due to the shallow root system of cucumbers, additional insulation can be made. A layer of foam is installed on the ground along the entire length of the bed, which is covered with a film and filled with prepared soil on top.
Growing cucumbers indoors
Cucumbers are quite demanding plants. They grow well in warmth and constant humidity. A properly designed greenhouse is airtight and warm to allow them to grow and produce a stable harvest. They keep them warm at night, which allows the plants to escape stress and keep growing.
Thanks to the correct selection of seed material, a continuous harvest can be achieved indoors. Planting of cucumbers in a greenhouse, namely the earliest varieties, is carried out at the beginning of March and in May-end of April the first harvest will be obtained (a minimum period of 45 days from germination to technical ripeness). Seeds are sown in prepared soil, but you can also use seedlings... This will shorten the waiting time for the harvest. After the end of the life cycle, early plants are removed with the root system, and seedlings of late varieties are planted in the ground.
Cucumbers require fertile soil and organic fertilizers. It is difficult to imagine a greenhouse for cucumbers without manure. But you can recreate the necessary conditions without using it. The soil should be rich in potassium and nitrogen. In this case, you can buy ready-made soil, or fertilize it. Organo-chemical fertilizers in powder or liquid form are widely used.
Seedlings are prepared in advance, the seeds are sown in plastic cups, which are planted in a greenhouse after germination. Moreover, if manure (humus) is not used, instead of plastic cups, you can use peat... At the same time, when planting in the ground, the plants are not injured, since the peat cup decomposes in the soil and then becomes an additional fertilizer.
Planting of seedlings of cucumbers in a greenhouse is carried out after the appearance of the first leaves in plants.Take extra care when replanting seedlings from plastic cups. The stem of a young plant at the base is quite fragile and easy to break. The disembarkation is carried out together with the soil from the cup.
Since cucumbers like constant moisture, you can provide in the greenhouse drip irrigation, which is installed along the entire length of the bed.
When the plants grow up, they will need to be tied up. For this, a support should be provided in the greenhouse. It can be attached to the roof or to the trellis stretched between the walls under the ceiling. Instead of a tourniquet or rope, you can use a plastic trellis net. They are quite economical and reusable.
To consider in more detail the structure and appearance of this device, you can take a photo of greenhouses for cucumbers made by hand-made farmers or ordinary gardeners.