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Year-round underground greenhouse: design, arrangement technology. Underground greenhouse - a new trend or forgotten technology Construction of an underground greenhouse

Among the huge variety of greenhouses, it is difficult to choose those that will allow you to get a good harvest even in winter. However, underground greenhouses, which are popular among the peoples of India, are being improved and are gaining popularity in Russian latitudes with a cold climate precisely because of their unique properties.

The essence of this design is that its main part is underground and the plants located there are provided with a favorable microclimate all year round. This greenhouse is also called a thermos greenhouse due to its ability to retain heat underground. The deeper the underground greenhouse is located, the more stable the temperature throughout the year.

An underground greenhouse is also attractive because it can be built with your own hands using available materials, using polycarbonate, glass or film as the material. If other models require thermal insulation material, then earth walls are sufficient here. Such a greenhouse is very economical from a financial point of view, and the benefits are enormous.

Advantages and disadvantages

The positive aspects of an underground greenhouse are the following:

Without connecting additional heating, the temperature in winter can reach more than 10 degrees Celsius;
The natural coolness that occurs underground in summer is favorable for the crops grown;
The conditions in the underground greenhouse allow you to grow both vegetable and berry crops;
Low-cost construction and the ability to save on heating and lighting;
Excellent light conductivity, in which the sun's rays are distributed evenly.

The negative aspects include:

The complexity of making a structure with your own hands;
The need for reliable ventilation;
Have skills in conducting communication systems.

Construction options

Depending on the depth at which the greenhouse will be built, you will get a recessed greenhouse or an underground one. Before you start building a structure with your own hands, you should evaluate the properties of the soil: how much it freezes in winter and what the groundwater level is. If the groundwater does not lie deep, then it is hardly possible to build an underground greenhouse, since it must be located much higher than their level. While when the soil freezes, the depth of the beds increases. Thus, the depth level fluctuates between groundwater and frozen soil.

If the greenhouse will be located completely underground, then it must have stairs and passages, as well as the ability to fully service the planted crops.

A recessed greenhouse is simplified by the absence of additional extensions, since caring for plants can only be done by raising the roof.

The choice of construction type is also influenced by the surface topography and the size of the area.

Based on this, you can make the greenhouse horizontal with equal height of the walls or inclined if the terrain is uneven. In the latter case, it is important that the slope is aimed at maximum penetration of sunlight; for this, the northern part of the structure should be slightly higher than the southern part (15-20 degrees).

If the territory allows, then a pit-type greenhouse is built; if the site is narrow, then a trench type of greenhouse is suitable - not wide, but long.

DIY underground greenhouse

To carry out construction work you will need the following materials and tools: cement, shovel and bayonet, container for mortar, trowel, plaster, polycarbonate or film, thermal blocks, nails and screws, thermal insulation film, polystyrene foam, hammer, paint, hammer drill, grinder, drill , level, spatula, scissors.

Despite the fact that a high-quality greenhouse requires considerable effort during construction, during its operation it will more than pay off.

At the initial stage, it is important to correctly draw up the project and drawing. When planning, consider the following points:

The location of the structure relative to the cardinal directions: place the greenhouse from the east to the west - this method will ensure maximum light penetration inside;
Consider the size and depth: focusing on soil freezing, the recommended depth is within 2 meters, the width no more than 5, otherwise heat retention will not be as effective;
A recessed greenhouse needs thermal insulation of the walls and foundation, the above-ground structure is insulated on the north side;
Where the structure is insulated, reflective coatings are applied;
Consider the arrangement of lighting and ventilation, as well as a high-quality drainage system.

After the design work, you can start digging a pit in the location chosen for the greenhouse; the standard shape for underground structures is rectangular. To obtain high-quality walls, the sides of the pit must be well leveled.

The second stage is preparing the base. The trench is laid out in blocks around the perimeter and filled with concrete or cement mortar.

For waterproofing, roofing material is used, laid between the soil and the walls.

After removing the formwork and constructing the underground walls, work is carried out on the construction of above-ground walls from thermoblocks or bricks. Their height can reach up to a meter.

It should be remembered that the structure must be well insulated. To do this, the surface of the walls is covered with a thermal insulating film with foil - this modern material reflects sunlight, thereby retaining heat.

The next stage of work is the construction of the roof. It is safer to use modern material - polycarbonate, it is durable, frost-resistant and transmits ultraviolet radiation. Polycarbonate sheets are inserted into the frame of the roof and above-ground part of the greenhouse. The roof must have vents or be raised to ventilate the greenhouse. All cracks and gaps should be sealed with foam.

Interior arrangement

After construction work, you should start working on the interior arrangement of the greenhouse. In addition to creating beds with fertile soil, you need to think about a system of lighting, watering, and additional heating. To obtain a rich harvest, you should not save money when purchasing material for communications.

To install lighting, a line is laid under the ceiling, constructed from reinforcement or boards onto which lighting structures can be attached. LED lamps are more suitable for plants.

If funds allow, additional heating can be built for year-round cultivation of crops. This could be a heated floor system or a solar collector, easily made with your own hands. The northern part of the structure is covered with a dark film, and light does not penetrate into the greenhouse. To ensure uniform heat from the collector, fans are installed in underground greenhouses, from which pipes are laid to the beds.

In order to irrigate in buried greenhouses, you should organize a high-quality drainage system with ditches.

To ensure that enough light penetrates into an underground greenhouse built with your own hands and the polycarbonate is not damaged, in winter it is necessary to regularly clear snow from the roof.

A correctly and efficiently constructed structure with your own hands will last a long time and will delight you with a good harvest throughout the year.

Home Construction A simple winter greenhouse without special heating

A simple winter greenhouse without special heating

For many years I tested different greenhouses and came to the conclusion that they all have one, but significant drawback - they require a large amount of fuel to heat them.

Winter greenhouse I have been using it without special heating for several years now. I grow many types of crops and even subtropical and tropical plants in it.

We had to figure out how to get rid of these costs. I dug through a mountain of literature, including old gardening textbooks, and came across an interesting fact. It turns out that in ancient times, greenhouses were made partially recessed into the ground. This provided significant fuel savings.

Taking into account the principle“deepening”, built his own greenhouse, which does not need to be heated (see picture). The heat comes from the earth and partly from the sun's rays. True, there is an indispensable condition: the depth must correspond to at least twice the value of the soil freezing index in the given area. Otherwise, you will not achieve the desired thermal conditions.

Dug up“pit” along its length from north to south, all the soil was poured onto the western side. Actually, the length of the greenhouse can be any (mine is 10 meters). The side walls were well whitewashed with lime - this both disinfects and improves the light regime.

The ceiling was made from bars and poles at a distance of 40 to 60 centimeters. The thickness of the bars and the distance between them were determined so that they would support the snow load. I chose a thicker film for the top floor and secured it with strips nailed to the bars. On the inside I attached another layer of film.

When severe frosts begin, around the end of December I put on the third film layer. I hook it at the top to the bars, and fix the lower ends below the freezing level of the soil.

In these conditions the unfrozen soil of the lower and side layers gives off its heat to the greenhouse. I don’t remove snow in severe frosts, I only clear it in some places and make “windows.” In early spring I remove the “fur coat” completely.

This is how my greenhouse is set up simply, in which I do not use an ounce of fuel. Even in the most severe frosts, when it’s minus 32 outside, in the “winter house” under three layers of film the temperature does not drop below 0 degrees.

This is how I grow orange, tangerine, mimosa, roses, pomegranate, persimmon, tea, medlar, lavender and much more. In spring and autumn, onions, parsley, and seedlings of garden crops grow well there. True, some “delicate” and tender plants need to be given a little more attention, creating a favorable lighting and air humidity regime for them. But these are, as they say, trifles.

N. Tymush, Vinnytsia region

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Step-by-step installation work and features of self-construction of an underground greenhouse

The underground greenhouse is known to few. The underground greenhouse is known to few. Modern gardeners annually find new methods and technologies that are different from traditional ones. Summer residents who live in cold climates try to use the most unusual approaches to extend the agricultural season and reduce the cost of building materials and heating.

Features of the structure

Recessed greenhouses are among the best and most rational options in the field of permanent greenhouse structures and are rightfully considered very promising. Such a dugout greenhouse perfectly corresponds to the idea of thermal conservation, which, thanks to optimal depth indicators, is stable throughout the year.

The use of such a thermal factor when constructing a greenhouse in the ground helps to obtain huge savings on heating costs during the cold season. In addition, structures of this type compare favorably with structures of similar purposes in that they are easy to construct with your own hands, easy to maintain, and have a stable microclimate, which is most significant for the growth and fruiting of agricultural crops.

Most popular options

The most popular alternative to expensive and energy-intensive glass greenhouses is the Walipini underground greenhouse, which came to us from the Indians inhabiting the cold mountainous regions of South America. The Walipini greenhouse structure allows the use of natural resources to provide stable heat and high-quality lighting all year round.

The Walipini greenhouse structure allows the use of natural resources to provide stable heat and quality lighting all year round

The simplest type of greenhouse located in the ground is a rectangular depression in which plastic or film is used as a covering. The insulated air space created under such a coating contributes to the formation of an ideal microclimate. Such buried greenhouses are quite easy to make with your own hands, and the sun's rays, penetrating deep into the greenhouse, have a beneficial effect on garden crops. Greenhouses buried in the ground consume much less energy compared to above-ground greenhouse structures. The most effective models are considered to be underground greenhouses with a length of six meters, equipped with plastic film and PVC pipes.

Main advantages

Greenhouses buried to a sufficient depth have some advantages, which makes them in demand not only among experienced summer residents, but also among beginners:

in winter, temperatures can be more than ten degrees, provided there is no additional heating of the greenhouse space;
on hot summer days, most plants need coolness, which occurs freely in this type of greenhouse underground;
It’s absolutely easy to do the construction yourself, and classic diagrams and drawings for construction are more than accessible;
trench greenhouses are ideal for year-round cultivation of not only vegetables, but also many berry crops;
low construction costs are due to the ability to use affordable and budget-friendly construction and finishing materials.

An insulated air space created under a covering of film or transparent plastic contributes to the formation of an ideal microclimate. The sun's rays, penetrating deep into the greenhouse, have a beneficial effect on garden crops

It should be borne in mind that underground greenhouses built by yourself require proper arrangement of waterproofing and drainage systems, as well as ventilation.

Thermos greenhouse: recessed design (video)

Required materials and tools

For arranging a full-fledged greenhouse structure. which is a recessed structure, you should use a standard set of building materials and tools for performing this type of work:

ready-made cement mixture or cement;
when replacing the cement mixture with cement, sand should be used;
shovels and bayonet shovels;
a container or any convenient container for diluting the working solution;
construction trowel;
plaster mixture;
sheet foam;
standard thermoblocks;
sheet polycarbonate or high-quality polyethylene film;
film for thermal insulation work and construction tape;
protective impregnating composition for wooden lumber;
galvanized nails and screws;
hammer and pliers;
paint for painting wooden frames.

It should be borne in mind that underground greenhouses built by yourself require proper arrangement of waterproofing and drainage systems, as well as ventilation.

Installation stages

When making a recessed greenhouse structure with your own hands, you should carefully take all measurements and carry out all work in accordance with the planned plan and completed drawings. The standard structure is built in several successive stages.

Selecting a location for the building and marking dimensions according to the drawings and plan. The optimal depth parameters for the underground part are two meters, and the above-ground part can reach one meter. The width in a standard design cannot exceed five meters.
Digging a trench or pit in accordance with the markings made, followed by pouring the foundation base. For this purpose, the perimeter of the dug trench should be laid out in blocks, followed by filling with concrete or cement mixture.
Removing formwork and then constructing the walls of a greenhouse structure with your own hands from a material with positive thermal insulation characteristics. The best option is to use hollow thermoblocks based on polystyrene foam. All wall masonry should be reinforced with metal.
The process of wall insulation, in which block joints must be thoroughly coated with a high-quality waterproofing solution, and all cavities must be filled with special polyurethane foam.
To achieve maximum insulation effect, a foil thermal insulation film is attached to the inner wall side.

For the purpose of year-round heating, it is advisable to consider the installation of heated floors under the screed, and also pay attention to the installation of artificial lighting in the greenhouse structure. At the final stage, the roof frame is built under the covering material.

Selecting a location for the building and marking dimensions according to the drawings and plan. The optimal depth parameters for the underground part are two meters, and the above-ground part can reach one meter. The width in a standard design cannot exceed five meters

If the construction of an underground greenhouse is carried out correctly, then the constructed structure must have the following parameters and qualities:

the presence of a bucket-shaped shape like \__/;
slight elevation of the northern wall above the southern one;
slope indicators - no more than forty degrees;
durable and thermally insulated walls;
the presence of high-quality drainage ditches;
reliable roof covering.

Greenhouse without heating (video)

If all the above requirements are met, a durable, DIY greenhouse design will work like a thermos and delight the owners with a consistently high harvest all year round.

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More information

The insulating properties of earth have long been used in agriculture for various purposes. An example is the silage technique, which allows you to create conditions in trenches and pits for preserving plant food resources. Gardeners set slightly different tasks for deep pits. They propose, instead of traditional greenhouse structures, to organize artificial conditions for growing directly in a soil niche. In other words, an underground greenhouse is formed, which has a protective frame on top made of the same materials as conventional structures.

General construction technology

The need to install underground greenhouses is due to the desire of farmers to provide optimal conditions for plant development. This technology is characterized by its simplicity and financial accessibility - in a large farm there may not be a need to purchase materials at all, since the frame can be built from ordinary boards, and film can be used as a covering. The output should be a thermos greenhouse, the design of which is aimed at ensuring an optimal microclimate. For this reason, such structures are used in cold regions, where the construction of a classic greenhouse requires the use of reinforced thermal insulation materials. In this case, they are replaced by walls made of earth.

Despite the deep base, the upper part will still be performed according to the general rules for installing greenhouses. The owner will also be faced with the question of choosing the optimal shelter option. Which greenhouse is better - polycarbonate, film or glass? The first method works better in full-fledged structures of a traditional type; film, as already noted, is the most affordable option, and glass can become an intermediate version, suitable for objects with increased requirements for thermal insulation.

Preparing the base for the greenhouse

Depending on the scale of the plan, the dimensions of the recess are determined. The standard parameters of such structures are 1.5 x 2.5 m. In this case, the depth can reach 1 m. It is also important to take into account the location of the object on the site. The greenhouse should be located on the south side, and the excavated soil should be left in the northern part of the structure. In the corners, pits are formed for future load-bearing posts. Depending on the size of the underground, the method of organizing the base for the frame and, accordingly, the parameters of the pits are determined. After arranging the niches for the pillars, they should be lightly covered with crushed stone or gravel, and then filled with water. Load-bearing elements are installed like a conventional foundation, that is, using cement mortar. When the mixture completes polymerization, you can begin building the frame.

Installation of frame base

Along the perimeter of the recess, in order to strengthen the structure, a foundation can also be poured or blocks can be laid. In both cases, these elements will serve as the basis for the further construction of walls and roof. Depending on the scale and microclimate requirements, an underground greenhouse can be made of different materials. The most affordable option is to use boards, which are fastened using self-tapping screws. That is, a double skeleton of the frame is formed, on which the sheathing materials will later lie.

The second option involves a more serious approach to the arrangement of the structure - laying thermal blocks. From the point of view of thermal insulation function, this is the best solution. Properly constructed walls made of this material can even eliminate the need for additional insulation. With the help of blocks, a thermos greenhouse is formed, the design of which itself acts as a regulator of microclimate parameters favorable for vegetation.

Covering device

In the case of using film material, it is enough to prepare segments that will act as the covering base of the structure. The joints are usually secured with special loops or, even better, initially sewn together with a construction iron. If you plan to go underground, you should purchase special profiles in which individual sheets will be fixed. In terms of insulation efficiency, this option, in combination with thermoblocks, will allow you to create the most favorable design in terms of climatic parameters.

Polycarbonate is considered the optimal solution for typical farming projects. It is similar in characteristics to glass, but in terms of strength it can compete even with an aluminum profile. However, the question of which greenhouse is better - glass or polycarbonate - is not so obvious. Firstly, carbonate is more expensive than glass. Secondly, in underground greenhouses its strength characteristics are not so important, so glass may well be an alternative.

Engineering arrangement

Additional improvement with insulating materials is usually used in cases where a combination of plank walls and film covering is used. The buried greenhouse is thermally insulated using polyurethane foam and film insulation. Synthetic materials are not recommended.

In addition, it is also necessary to equip a lighting system. Ordinary lamps should not be used. For greenhouses, manufacturers produce special LED lamps that provide the most favorable color range for plants. In cold regions, it would be useful to provide a heated floor system. With its help, they are suitable for heat-loving plants.

Advantages of underground structures

The general principle of arranging a greenhouse involves the use of an essentially free resource in the form of land. The walls of soil layers act as a natural microclimate regulator and a protective barrier against external influences. Therefore, in winter you don’t have to worry about additional protection of the structure from wind, precipitation and frost. Particularly valuable in this regard are those that combine the advantages of in-depth design of the structure and the auxiliary heating function, which makes it possible to operate the agricultural facility year-round. Of course, the list of crops suitable for planting in the created conditions is also expanding.

Conclusion

However, the construction of such structures does not completely relieve the owner of the hassle of developing at least a general schematic design solution. It is worth calculating in advance the exact set of materials from which the underground greenhouse will be constructed in the upper part. The fact is that the configuration of the main frame will be determined by the foundation, so it will not be possible to make adjustments during the work. The most critical stage is creating a shelter. It can be done using film or glass. Many also use high-tech polycarbonate, which is durable and has high light transmittance.

As you know, soil has the ability to maintain a constant temperature, for example, when the air temperature is about zero degrees, the soil temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius. Often this natural phenomenon is used in the construction of greenhouses, which are called earthen or in-ground. Next, we will look at what features earthen greenhouses have and how they are built.

Features of earthen greenhouses

Device

To take advantage of the heat of the soil, it must still be buried below ground level. Of course, the soil temperature will not be enough to, for example, grow peppers or tomatoes in winter, however, heating it with artificial devices will be much easier.

Most in-ground greenhouses are equipped with racks or shelves on which crops are grown until they can receive the necessary amount of solar heat and light in the open ground. At the same time, boxes for seedlings, potting soil and tools can be stored under these shelves.

The underground parts of the walls of such greenhouses can go deep into 1.5m, and aboveground - up to 1 meter in height, however, most often the walls are buried at 0.9-1.2m, this allows the tops of the racks to reach the bottom of the covering.

Peculiarities

Compared to other types of greenhouses, construction will be quite expensive, since you will have to dig a pit and build a concrete foundation for the walls that can withstand soil pressure. However, if the foundation is insulated, then heating costs will be significantly reduced in the future. You should also keep in mind that a greenhouse buried in the ground requires steps at the entrance, and this is also a certain cost.

In-ground greenhouses require good drainage, so before you begin construction, you need to make sure that the design you choose can accommodate drainage without much effort. If electricity is installed in the greenhouse, then a sump pump can be a solution to the problem, however, natural drainage will require much less cost.

If the site where you are going to build a greenhouse has a slope from north to south, then you can make a semi-submersible structure. In this case, the back wall of the greenhouse should be located at ground level and consist of cast-in-place concrete or concrete blocks.

The front wall should be completely glass, in this way the natural landscape will be used to protect and insulate the plants. Working in buried greenhouses is quite convenient, since you can stand at full height.

Construction of an in-depth greenhouse

Choosing a place to build a greenhouse

When choosing a location, there are three main points to consider:

Wind direction. If gusty cold winds prevail in your area, then you need to take care of additional protection. This also means additional costs, but in return you will save on heating. A fence can serve as additional protection.
Light. It is extremely important that the greenhouse receives the maximum amount of light throughout the daylight hours. This will ensure efficient crop growth.
Accessibility to construction. If the greenhouse is being built for long and constant use, then convenient access to it is simply necessary.

Note! The additional fence should not be too close to the greenhouse. If the height of the ridge is, for example, 2.5 m, then the distance between the greenhouse and the fence should be at least 8 m. This is due to the fact that the wind flow that encounters an obstacle goes up and can cool the structure.

Construction of a gable earthen greenhouse

As an example, let’s consider the building, since it is the most versatile and suitable even for the harshest climate. In such a greenhouse you can grow not only garden crops, but also garden crops.

Of course, this example does not apply to economy class, but in essence it is a very economical and convenient structure that can serve you for many years.

This greenhouse includes two rooms:

Work area;
Greenhouse;
Tambour.

In the vestibule you can place a heating boiler and a control unit, which is responsible for watering, ventilation and lighting. The vestibule room must be at least one and a half meters long. It is advisable to cover its roof with a non-transparent material.

In the photo - a brick gable earthen greenhouse, built with your own hands

In addition to the control unit, it is necessary to provide a place in which equipment, earth mixtures and other necessary materials and items will be stored. The walls, as mentioned above, will be built of brick, and mineral wool can be used as a heat insulator.

Note! Soil sampling in a pit for a greenhouse should be done no higher than the freezing level of the soil. As a rule, it is 80-90 cm deep. This also applies to pouring the foundation.

The instructions are as follows:

First of all, a pit of a certain size is dug and a strip foundation is made, which is poured 80 cm deep.
Then the walls are built in one brick, respectively, the thickness is 25 cm. The windows are mounted 60 cm above the level. For good natural light, the width between windows should be 2-3 bricks, i.e. up to 75 cm.
Next, the roof is erected. This project provides for a gable roof, which ensures natural and free flow of water. Its angle of inclination should be about 25 degrees.

The strapping bars are installed from below on the roofing felt. The strapping and ridge beams should be secured using rafters. For the roof, double glass with a minimum thickness of 3 mm is used; you can also use polycarbonate, the price of which is lower than glass.

Advice! To protect the walls, it is advisable to use a galvanized canopy, which is installed at a distance of 8-10 cm from the plane of the wall.

Greenhouses in the ground of this type can last at least fifteen years.

Advice! Greenhouse frames must be equipped with transoms. An alternative is supply ventilation valves.

Construction of a lean-to earthen greenhouse

If the construction of the above-described structure is too expensive for you, then you can build a more budget-friendly version of the greenhouse. Its frame will be made of three rows of wooden posts.

The design is as follows:

First of all, a pit is dug.
Then the racks are installed. The length of the pillars located near the northern wall should be 150 cm, the length of the middle row posts should be 170 cm, and the height near the southern wall should be 90 cm.
The outer rows must be sheathed with slabs along the entire length of the racks. The racks of the middle row are sheathed with slabs only to the height of the ridge. Thus, a notch with a depth of 90 cm is made. This notch should be filled with biofuel to a depth of 70 cm, and a 10-15 cm layer of earth should be poured on top.
The walls on the north and south sides should be covered with earth. The slope, which is directed to the south, must be covered with greenhouse frames.

Advice! To prevent heat loss through the roof, it is worth throwing mats over the glass at night - reeds, straw, made of film or paper.

If good biofuel is used, then such a greenhouse can be used starting in March, for example, growing lettuce, onions, Chinese cabbage, etc.

Conclusion

The main advantage of in-depth greenhouses is the use of soil as a natural insulation material. This allows you to significantly save on heating the greenhouse. As a result, such greenhouses are very popular among both amateur gardeners and professionals.

For more information on this topic, watch the video in this article.

The thermos greenhouse performs its functions perfectly even at the lowest temperatures, so it can be used in some of the northern regions of the country. This feature was known back in Tsarist Russia; even then, southern crops were grown underground.

Today, do-it-yourself winter thermos greenhouses are built by homeowners who have decided to turn to the experience of their predecessors. Let's look at what kind of greenhouses these are, on what principle they work and are built.

Earth greenhouse thermos

Underground greenhouses are suitable for growing not only annual crops. Perennials, including low-growing hybrid trees, thrive here.

Greenhouse thermos: what is it, what principle does it work on?

Conventional greenhouses are characterized by daily temperature changes: higher during the day, lower at night, and lowest in the early morning. This does not happen in a recessed greenhouse, since the earthen walls work like a thermos - hence, in fact, the name of buildings of this type. This effect provides significant savings in resources used to heat the space. Less heat loss means less heating required.

It may seem that because of the walls that go into the ground, the thermos greenhouse does not receive enough sunlight. This is wrong. Although its roof is not completely flat, 99% of the sun’s rays penetrate through it, which is quite enough for the normal development of plants. Moreover, the roof area is not so large that heat loss through it would be significant.

Winter greenhouse thermos, photo of the above-ground part

Earthen greenhouse thermoses come in two types:

Underground. The walls are completely recessed underground, often to a depth of 2 m. They have a large area and can even be used for year-round maintenance of perennial heat-loving plants. The maximum depth depends on the level of groundwater.
Recessed. The pit has a depth of 40-60 cm, the walls rise above the ground to a height of 50-110 cm. This is the simplest option, but the heat-saving properties of the building will be low.

Note: The slopes of the roof of the greenhouse, deepened into the ground, are very gentle. This can create problems in winter when there is a lot of snow. You should carefully monitor the surface of the roof and clean it in time to prevent deformation and collapse of the frame. On the other hand, the low landing of the building in the ground makes it invulnerable to wind loads.

Greenhouse thermos, drawing of a recessed structure

Construction of a thermos greenhouse: digging a pit

The depth of the pit of an earthen greenhouse directly determines its energy efficiency: the deeper, the better. It’s difficult to say exact numbers now, since the depth of ground freezing varies throughout the country. However, if we talk about the middle zone, then the optimal depth of the thermos is 2-2.5 m. At this level, there are practically no seasonal temperature fluctuations. The minimum level at which the walls of a trench greenhouse maintain a positive temperature (+4 - +10 degrees) is 1 m. This must be taken into account when drawing up the project.

Now the length and width of the greenhouse pit, buried in the ground. An earthen greenhouse can be any length - everything is limited by the amount of free space on the site. It is not recommended to make the width more than 5 meters. This is due to the fact that too large a roof area leads to significant heat loss through the roofing material. Heating costs may increase so much that the very point of organizing a greenhouse underground will disappear.

Note: The thermos greenhouse should be oriented from west to east. This way the plants will be provided with the maximum amount of sunlight and heat.

Construction of a winter thermos greenhouse with your own hands, ready-made foundation pit

Construction of walls and roof of an earthen greenhouse

The walls cannot be left earthen; they must be covered with brickwork or a reinforced concrete belt made around the entire perimeter. This work has two goals:

Preventing the collapse of earthen walls.
Organizing a reliable support for the roof, which is usually assembled from corrugated pipe, weighs a lot.

The roof frame, as mentioned above, is often assembled from pipes. You can use timber, but in this case you will have to install additional support pillars in the center of the thermos. The roof design can be gable or arched - it all depends on personal preference. For a gable roof, we must make reinforcing braces; the arched arches must be double. So the frame of a winter greenhouse in the ground will be able to withstand significant snow loads.

Assembling the roof frame

For your information: Polycarbonate is usually used as a roofing material. Theoretically, glass can be used, but there is a possibility that it will not withstand the weight of the snow pillow in winter. Polycarbonate is taken thick, 16 mm. You can put it in two layers at once. The light transmittance of the thermos greenhouse roof will decrease slightly (10%) and the structure will experience additional load. However, energy efficiency will increase greatly.

We make an earthen thermos greenhouse with our own hands; the video shows a story about the use of permanent formwork made of polystyrene:

Thermal insulation and heating of a thermos earthen greenhouse

First you need to treat the walls with a hydrophobic compound. It can be a bitumen mixture or any other. We fill large cracks with foam. Next, we cover all surfaces with foil polystyrene foam - it will serve as insulation, the shiny side will reflect heat into the room. You cannot use mineral wool here, since if water accidentally gets in, it will lose its heat-preserving properties.

A greenhouse in the ground will not function fully without heating, so a heated floor is installed for heating. It can be water or electric - it all depends on the technical capabilities. A sand cushion is poured at the bottom of the pit, and a system of water pipes or electrical cables is laid out. Reinforcing mesh is placed on top. The floor is poured with a cement-sand mixture (3/1). Heating a greenhouse with air underground is usually not required.

Insulation of walls with foil polystyrene foam

The essence of this design is that its main part is underground and the plants located there are provided with a favorable microclimate all year round. . The deeper the underground greenhouse is located, the more stable the temperature throughout the year.

with your own hands using improvised means, using polycarbonate, glass or film as the material. . Such a greenhouse is very economical from a financial point of view, and the benefits are enormous.

Advantages and disadvantages

The positive aspects of an underground greenhouse are the following:

Without connecting additional heating, the temperature in winter can reach more than 10 degrees Celsius;
Natural coolness that occurs in summer for the crops grown;
The conditions in the underground greenhouse allow you to grow both vegetable and berry crops;
Low-cost construction and the ability to save on heating and lighting;
Excellent light conductivity, in which the sun's rays are distributed evenly.

The negative aspects include:

The complexity of making a structure with your own hands;
The need for reliable ventilation;
Have skills in conducting communication systems.

Construction options

If the greenhouse will be located completely underground, then it must have stairs and passages, as well as the ability to fully service the planted crops. A recessed greenhouse is simplified by the absence of additional extensions, since caring for plants can only be done by raising the roof.

The choice of construction type is also influenced by the surface topography and the size of the area. Based on this, you can make the greenhouse horizontal with equal height of the walls or inclined if the terrain is uneven. In the latter case, it is important that the slope is aimed at maximum penetration of sunlight; for this, the northern part of the structure should be slightly higher than the southern part (15-20 degrees).

a pit-type greenhouse is being built; if the plot is narrow, then a trench type of greenhouse is suitable - not wide, but long.

DIY underground greenhouse

To carry out construction work you will need the following materials and tools: cement, shovel and bayonet, container for mortar, trowel, plaster, polycarbonate or film, thermal blocks, nails and screws, thermal insulation film, polystyrene foam, hammer, paint, hammer drill, grinder, drill , level, spatula, scissors.

Despite the fact that a high-quality greenhouse requires considerable effort during construction, during its operation it will more than pay off.

At the initial stage, it is important to correctly draw up the project and drawing. When planning, consider the following points:

The location of the structure relative to the cardinal directions: place the greenhouse from the east to the west - this method will ensure maximum light penetration inside;
Consider the size and depth: focusing on soil freezing, the recommended depth is within 2 meters, the width no more than 5, otherwise heat retention will not be as effective;
A recessed greenhouse needs thermal insulation of the walls and foundation, the above-ground structure is insulated on the north side;
Where the structure is insulated, reflective coatings are applied;
Consider the arrangement of lighting and ventilation, as well as a high-quality drainage system.

The second stage is preparing the base. The trench is laid out in blocks around the perimeter and filled with concrete or cement mortar.

For waterproofing, roofing material is used, laid between the soil and the walls.

After removing the formwork and constructing the underground walls, work is carried out on the construction of above-ground walls from thermoblocks or bricks. Their height can reach up to a meter.

Interior arrangement

To install lighting, a line is laid under the ceiling, constructed from reinforcement or boards onto which lighting structures can be attached. LED lamps are more suitable for plants.

If funds allow, additional heating can be built for year-round cultivation of crops. . The northern part of the structure is covered with a dark film, and light does not penetrate into the greenhouse. To ensure uniform heat from the collector, fans are installed in underground greenhouses, from which pipes are laid to the beds.

In order to irrigate in buried greenhouses, you should organize a high-quality drainage system with ditches.

A correctly and efficiently constructed structure with your own hands will last a long time and will delight you with a good harvest throughout the year.