Do-it-yourself underground greenhouse for winter. Year-round underground greenhouse: construction, technology of arrangement. the most important factor in the design of an underground greenhouse

As you know, the soil has the property of maintaining 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 buried. Next, we will consider what features earthen greenhouses have and how they are built.

Features of earthen greenhouses

Device

To take advantage of the warmth 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, it will be much easier to heat it with artificial devices.

Most recessed greenhouses are equipped with racks or shelves that grow crops until they can receive the required amount of solar heat and light outdoors. However, seedling boxes, 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 on 0.9-1.2m, this allows the tops of the shelves to reach the bottom of the cover.

Peculiarities

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

Recessed greenhouses require good drainage, so before starting to build, you need to make sure that with the design you choose, drainage can be erected without much effort. If electricity is supplied to the greenhouse, then a bilge pump can be a solution to the problem, however, natural drainage will require much less costs.

If there is a slope from north to south on the site on which you are going to build a greenhouse, then you can make a semi-submersible structure. In this case, the back wall of the greenhouse should be at ground level and made of in-situ concrete or concrete blocks.

The front wall should be completely glass, thus the natural landscape will be used to protect and insulate the plants. It is quite convenient to work in recessed greenhouses, since you can stand at full height.

Construction of a deep greenhouse

Choosing a place for building a greenhouse

There are three main points to consider when choosing a location:

Wind direction. If gusty cold winds prevail in your area, then you need to take care of additional protection. This implies additional costs, but for that, you will save on heating. The hedge can play the role of additional protection.
Light. It is imperative that the greenhouse receives the maximum amount of light throughout the day. This will ensure efficient growth of crops.
Availability for construction. If the greenhouse is built for long and constant operation, then easy access it is simply necessary.

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

Construction of a gable earthen greenhouse

As an example, consider a building, since it is the most versatile and suitable even for the most severe climates. 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 fact it is a very economical and convenient structure that can serve you for many years.

Such a greenhouse includes two rooms:

Working area;
Greenhouse;
Tambour.

A heating boiler and a control unit that is responsible for watering, ventilation and lighting can be placed in the vestibule. 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 by your own hands

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

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

The instruction is 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 erected in one brick, respectively, the thickness of - 25 cm. The windows are mounted 60 cm above the level. For good natural light, the width between the windows should be 2-3 bricks, i.e. up to 75 cm.
Next, the roof is erected. In this project, a gable roof is provided, which provides a natural and free flow of water. Its angle of inclination should be about 25 degrees.

The strapping beams are installed on the roofing board from below. The strapping and ridge beams should be fastened with rafters. For the roof, double glass is used with a minimum thickness of 3 mm, or polycarbonate, which is cheaper than glass, can be used.

Advice! To protect the walls, it is advisable to use a galvanized visor, which is installed with an indent from the wall plane by 8-10 cm.

Greenhouses in the ground of such a plan can last at least fifteen years.

Advice! Greenhouse frames must be equipped with transoms. Supply air vents are an alternative.

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 construction is carried out as follows:

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

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

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

Output

The main advantage of recessed 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 and professional gardeners.

You can get more information on this topic from the video in this article.

One of the most rational options for the construction of a capital greenhouse is an underground greenhouse. It is built like a thermos and has many advantages. In order for a building to have all the advantages, it is necessary to know the features of its construction.

Advantages and disadvantages of an underground greenhouse

Do-it-yourself underground greenhouses have the following advantages for their construction:

year-round design application;
no dependence on the weather;
high efficiency;
efficiency of using solar energy (goes for additional heating of the building);
in such a design, even exotic cultures for a specific area can be grown;
durability and reliability;
excellent light transmission parameters of the roof;
good thermal insulation performance of the room;
versatility.

These are the advantages of a greenhouse in the ground, both without heating, and with it.

The ruined type of greenhouse has only two negative aspects: a rather high labor intensity of manufacture, as well as the need for a reliable ventilation system in the construction. But if you approach the work correctly, then these design disadvantages will not bring much trouble.

Video "Greenhouse-dugout for year-round gardening"

This video will show you how to build a dugout greenhouse for year-round gardening.

Design features

An underground greenhouse is a structure that is partly organized in the ground. Thanks to this design, a thermos effect occurs. It manifests itself if the greenhouse was buried at least 1 m into the ground. In this case, the temperature indicator inside such a dugout will be in the range of + 3 ... + 14 ° C.

If the building is deepened by 2.2–2.4 m, then the temperature inside will remain practically at the same level throughout the year. At the same time, the main task in such buildings is the preservation of the temperature indicator and the organization of irrigation.

If you are going to make an underground greenhouse, then you need to correctly calculate the level of penetration into the ground. This parameter is determined based on the depth of groundwater occurrence, as well as winter freezing. Based on these parameters, it is easy to understand whether this type of greenhouse is rational. In swampy areas, as well as with a close occurrence of groundwater, an in-depth version of greenhouses is not used.

It should be noted that the factor of soil freezing has the main influence on the cultivation of plants. Crop beds in such structures should be located below the level of seasonal freezing available in the region. Therefore, the lower level of the deepening should be between the rate of occurrence of groundwater and freezing of the soil.

Today, there are two types of earthen greenhouses:

underground. In this case, a depth is chosen that allows the maintenance of the plant beds completely underground. Inside the greenhouse, there should be a staircase at the entrance wall, as well as passages between areas (where a certain group of plants is grown), along which a person can move without bending;
recessed. Here, maintenance of the structure is carried out without a ladder, from the soil surface. In this case, the roof is raised.

Depending on the characteristics of the relief and the available area, the greenhouse under the ground with your own hands can be horizontal (the height of all walls is the same) and inclined. Such greenhouses in terms of the occupied area are trench (considerable length with a minimum width) or foundation pits.

A greenhouse in the ground can be used to grow fruits, berries, mushrooms, vegetables, seedlings and flowers. Due to the design features, such a greenhouse can be placed in Siberia or in any other region of our country.

How to do it yourself

A do-it-yourself deepened greenhouse is being built in several stages. To build it, you will need the following tools:

puncher;
hammer;
Bulgarian;
shovel;
construction mixer and vibrator for concrete;
electric drill;
hacksaw for metal, knife and scissors;
Master OK;
putty knife;
paint brush;
level, plumb line and tape measure.

The Scottish (recessed) type of greenhouse begins with pulling out a foundation pit.

Pit

To create a greenhouse effect inside the greenhouse, the pit depth should be 1.9–2.2 (2.5) m. The width of the structure should not be more than 4.8–5.2 m. If the structure is organized wide, then the insolation parameters will deteriorate , and also the need for the organization of heating will increase.

The length is determined depending on the free area available on the site for construction. How much space you allocate for the greenhouse, this will be its length.

It is recommended to orient the pit being erected in the east-west direction. The sides of the pit need to be leveled as much as possible. This is necessary to make quality walls. Each side of the building must be properly aligned so that there are no problems with the organization of the roof.

Foundation and walls

When you have dug a foundation pit for your greenhouse, you can start pouring the foundation. Usually, the base is poured around the perimeter of the structure and looks like a tape. When creating this type of foundation, reinforced concrete should be used. The optimum base thickness is 30-50 cm (depending on the size of the greenhouse). As a result, the floor in the center of the building remains earthen.

Side walls can be built from wood, thermoblocks from expanded polystyrene or blocks made of aerated concrete. These materials have excellent thermal insulation parameters and are lightweight.

If gardening is year-round, then the level of the walls must be chosen so that they rise above the snow cover by at least 0.5 m. The optimal height of the walls for such structures is determined individually for each region.

Roof installation

To make a roof in a recessed greenhouse, it is necessary to install supports in the center of the building. Wooden beams will be laid on them and the walls. A ridge bar should be installed in the center of the building. After that, transverse ribs are mounted from the bars. On the resulting frame, honeycomb-type polycarbonate sheets are installed.

The covering material is fixed on the beams using special thermo washers equipped with rubber seals. During installation, the hand must be firm, which will prevent the appearance of cracks. To improve the thermal insulation of the greenhouse in cold regions, the roof should be organized from two layers of polycarbonate.

Insulation and heating

To insulate a buried greenhouse, the surface of the walls should be covered with a waterproofing film. Thermal insulation is already being mounted on top of it. Expanded polystyrene or mineral wool is most often used as a heater. You can also use special polymer thermal insulation films equipped with a foil layer. They allow heat to be stored indoors by reflecting the sun's rays. If it is necessary to grow heat-loving plants, a heated floor is equipped.

Thus, a buried greenhouse is being built. With the correct construction, such a building will have all the advantages described above. After the completion of construction, the greenhouse can be immediately used for its intended purpose.

An underground greenhouse is also called a buried greenhouse. It is these structures that are considered the most optimal options for breeding crops in a greenhouse. Such greenhouses-dugouts perfectly retain heat and are suitable for year-round gardening. Regardless of what the weather will be outside, the ideal microclimate will remain inside. Thus, funds are significantly saved on laying a powerful heating system, as well as energy resources during the cold season.

Advantages and disadvantages of an underground greenhouse

You can do a deep greenhouse with your own hands, however, before opting for such a design, you should carefully research its pros and cons. Among the advantages, it can be noted that the construction and maintenance are within the power of both experienced gardeners and beginners in this business.

In addition, there are a number of advantages that you should definitely pay attention to:

In winter, the temperature inside the greenhouse does not drop below + 10 ° C, and without additional heating. A winter greenhouse installed in the ground will perfectly preserve vegetables and plants at their best.
In summer, in the most intense heat, plants will be closed from the scorching rays of the sun.
In Russia, trench greenhouses are beginning to gain popularity, especially due to the fact that you can not spend a lot on the purchase of materials.
A recessed greenhouse is the most ideal option for a greenhouse business all year round.
In terms of cost, such a structure is the most budgetary, both in terms of building materials and finishing.

A thermos-type greenhouse functions due to a strong frame, foundation, as well as the air space that is formed under the film or transparent plastic.

Due to the fact that there is no draft, the air temperature remains stable.

The penetration of the sun's rays is carried out in sufficient quantity, and that is why plants grow quickly in such structures and a large harvest can be harvested.

Underground greenhouse for year-round gardening

Regardless of whether a greenhouse is used underground in Siberia or Ukraine, in order to grow crops in it all year round, it needs to be strengthened, insulated and supplied with heating. On the inside, the walls should be covered with a layer of film, and not ordinary, but heat-insulating. If the climatic conditions in the region are too harsh, then it is advisable to choose a foil thermal film. However, it needs to be installed only before winter and cleaned in spring, since in summer it will create an additional greenhouse effect and heat, which will negatively affect the plants and their maturation.

In order for the growing process to be as efficient and correct as possible, you need to install some kind of battery that generates heat.

It is easy to make it, because it is enough to use it simply plastic bottles with plain water. It will heat up in a minimum amount of time and will not cool down for a long time. In addition, a barrel of water, underfloor heating with steam heating, a cable with electricity installed under the soil layer can be used. In this case, the cable is poured with concrete and a special mesh is laid. Some gardeners prefer to cover the tiles to make the greenhouse more beautiful and cozy. It is advisable to heat combined greenhouses, whereby both the soil and the air are heated at the same time. On average, the temperature will vary 25-32o C.

What material are covered with greenhouses underground

To build a greenhouse, you need to correctly select each material, including the coating.

There are such canvases as:

Glass;
Polyethylene;
Polycarbonate.

It is polycarbonate sheets that are considered the most ideal material for such structures. Polycarbonate sheets are up to 12 meters long, which makes it possible to make a coating without numerous seams. The design's airflow is minimal, since there are practically no joints, which excludes the formation of drafts.

Additionally, in order to eliminate heat loss in a buried greenhouse, you can:

Lay cellular polycarbonate twice;
Use thermo-blocks for arranging the greenhouse along the upper edge of the ground;
Cover the walls inside the structure with a special thermo-foil.

As a rule, greenhouses are made either arched or gable with an acute angle, so that in winter the snow rolls down on its own, and also does not press on the roof, which can cause its destruction and reduce its service life.

To increase the strength of the structure, it is worth using rafters, and it is from wood. Before installation, they are impregnated with a special composition to exclude the formation of decay, insects and drying out, as well as to increase the service life. Between the rafters - supports, there should be a strapping with wooden beams. First, the rafters are installed along the length of the greenhouse, and then along the ends.

During the construction of a structure, you can use not only timber supports, but also metal supports. They require special care, just like the rafters. Namely, the metal must be cleaned from corrosion, impregnated with a primer and painted. Basically, such procedures are carried out every year and are natural maintenance.

Installation of polycarbonate sheets is carried out using self-tapping screws, but through pre-drilled holes.

The end parts of the greenhouse are left unscrewed until the supports are completed and strengthened for the winter. Where polycarbonate joins, you need to use a special sealant, preferably frost-resistant, moisture-resistant and heat-resistant. Finding one is not at all difficult.

Greenhouse cost underground

The greenhouse is deepened in order to significantly reduce the cost of Construction Materials as well as to increase the heat inside the structure. It is worth noting that the price of a buried greenhouse is calculated only after the drawings, projects have been drawn up, and there are also clear parameters and technical characteristics.

In general, the price of a structure depends on a number of facts:

What material will be used: handy, expensive, cheap, high-quality or Chinese.
From the method of attachment.
From the thickness of polycarbonate sheets. It should be borne in mind that if the greenhouse is winter, then twice as much polycarbonate is needed.

The cost also depends on what area of the greenhouse will be built, because the larger it is, the naturally more materials you need to purchase.

Materials and tools for creating a recessed greenhouse

In order to equip a full-fledged greenhouse structure, in particular a recessed one, a standard set of tools and construction and finishing materials is sufficient.

The beginning of the construction of a greenhouse in the ground can be different. It depends on what you will use - improvised means or expensive materials from a hardware store

We need:

Cement, ready-made or dry.
Sand and gravel.
Shovel shovel and bayonet type.
A container, preferably roomy and made of wood, since the weight of the container with the solution will be large and there is simply no need for additional kilograms.
Master OK.
A mixture of plaster, preferably universal.
Styrofoam in sheets.
Thermoblocks are standard sizes.
Polycarbonate sheets. It is much better to purchase long sheets. They bend perfectly and you cannot help being afraid that they will burst or crack if you make strong supports.
Thermal insulation film.
Construction scotch tape.
Galvanized nails.
Self-tapping screws.
Pliers hammer.
Primer.
Dye.
Brushes.

Underground greenhouses (video)

When forming an underground greenhouse with your own hands, you should pay special attention to the design, as well as the installation of supports not only of the roof, but also of the walls dug in the ground. The depth must be sufficient. And construction must be carried out competently.

An underground greenhouse has several advantages. If you understand the peculiarities of its construction in the ground, you can enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables all year round. What should be an earthen greenhouse, and how to equip it competently in Siberia and other regions, read on.

A greenhouse construction using Scottish or Dutch technology is strikingly different from the most common examples in modern horticulture. Nevertheless, a buried greenhouse was used even in the days of pre-revolutionary Russia. The thing is that this greenhouse has more than enough advantages. Consider the most significant advantages of a greenhouse structure:

equipping a greenhouse with a heating system is not always a prerequisite. Even during the severe winter frosts, the temperature in the greenhouse will be at least + 10 ° C;
in the summer, vegetables and other crops growing in an earthen greenhouse will not suffer from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, since they are much more reliably protected;
An underground greenhouse is appreciated by experienced gardeners not only for its durability. From the financial point of view, this is the best option;
growing flowers and vegetables in an earthen greenhouse is profitable business, which you can do all year round.

A greenhouse underground with your own hands is a profitable investment of funds and efforts, both for an experienced and a novice gardener. However, take into account the fact that such a structure requires serious preparation; it is quite difficult to implement this project. This moment is the only significant disadvantage of the earthen greenhouse.

Design features

Self-built underground greenhouses must be well planned. It is this moment that will ensure the durability of their use. Calculate the depth of the building first. Remember: in no case should you dig a hole under an earthen greenhouse, if groundwater that is too close to it does not allow it. Otherwise, the operation of the greenhouse will be short-lived. But it is not worth placing a greenhouse on the surface either. It must be equipped below the freezing level of groundwater.

Experts distinguish two main types of construction: buried and underground. Of course, you will have to tinker with an underground greenhouse much more thoroughly. For example, in this case, you will need to conduct to front door special moves or stairs. However, this is not the end of the classification of greenhouses. They are also divided depending on the presence or absence of the slope of the structure. Greenhouses are horizontal and inclined.

Separately, you should decide on the dimensions of the future earthen greenhouse. Some gardeners prefer trench type greenhouses (when the length of the structure is several times greater than its width) and pit greenhouses (when the dimensions differ insignificantly).

Explore key features constructions of an earthen greenhouse, and you can enjoy vegetable stores of vitamins all year round.

How to build with your own hands

A greenhouse in the ground will serve you for many years if you correctly approach the process of its construction. The first thing to take care of is choosing a location suitable for building a greenhouse. In this case, be sure to take into account the characteristics of the soil and the depth of the groundwater.

When you have finally figured out all the points that interest you, you need to draw up a project on which you will work. A recessed greenhouse, built by your own hands, must have waterproof and well-insulated walls - this is another key condition for the success of your work. It is recommended to build the structure in stages.

Pit

If the topsoil periodically heats up or cools down depending on the season, then at a depth of 2 m the temperature regime practically does not change and is about + 5-10 ° C. That is why it is desirable to build a greenhouse at this level. The pit needs to be dug about 2.5 m deep. As for the length of the future greenhouse, it's up to you to decide. But its width should be no more than 5 m.

The thing is that with large parameters, the reliability of the structure will suffer, and you will have to think about insulation much more seriously. Digging a pit can be done with your own hands if you plan to build a miniature greenhouse. Otherwise, it is better to order an excavator for this purpose.

Foundation and walls

A greenhouse built in the ground can be efficient even without a heating system. However, your key task is to worry about pouring the foundation and erecting insulated walls. It is better to use concrete as a basis, and the walls must be compacted with a layer of roofing material. The ground wall in height, as a rule, is no more than 1 m. Gardeners mostly use thermoblocks, bricks or cinder blocks.

Roof installation

A year-round dugout for growing flowers and vegetables must have a roof. It can be of a single-slope or gable type. Wooden blocks are used as a basis. In order for them to last a long time, be sure to treat them with antiseptic agents. Rafters are usually used for the construction of a gable roof.

As for the main roofing material, in most cases it is polycarbonate sheet. It has many advantages: excellent resistance to low temperatures and other adverse external factors. If you prefer to cover your own earthen greenhouse with polycarbonate sheets, then you will need a metal frame. Another important condition: the roof must open if necessary. In this way, you will ensure that there is natural ventilation.

Insulation and heating

No matter how hard you try to build a thermos greenhouse, in the northern regions of the country this is often not enough for its full functioning. If severe frosts are not uncommon for your region, it is better to take care of its insulation at the stage of designing a greenhouse. Most gardeners acquire foil-clad penofol. Its thickness is insignificant, while it is resistant to moisture, and it will not be difficult for you to mount it. In order for the use of penofol to bear fruit, be sure to make sure that all joints are sealed with aluminum tape.

Greenhouse gardening has many advantages; sometimes gardeners do not even bother with a heating system. Meanwhile, in some cases, you cannot do without it. The lower greenhouse can be heated using the following devices:

heat guns;
heaters with infrared rays;
a cable that generates heat;
water underfloor heating.

Whichever type of heating for a deep greenhouse you prefer, it is better not to save on this moment and do everything efficiently. So you will be confident in the reliability of the greenhouse and its durability.

Video "Unique 3-storey greenhouse"

This video shows a unique greenhouse with three floors, which was made by craftsmen from the Urals.

The ground temperature at a depth of several meters remains practically the same all year round. Naturally, it decreases in winter, but it is not subject to such strong fluctuations as atmospheric, and does not drop below zero. The greenhouse-thermos recessed into the ground makes it possible to use this effect as efficiently as possible.

It makes it possible to significantly reduce the cost of heating a greenhouse structure and, despite the Russian winter cold, grow citrus and other tropical plants year-round.

Various greenhouse structures have been used in Russia for more than a century. The laurels of the inventor of the underground greenhouse with a thermos effect are attributed to Anatoly Vasilyevich Pati.

Back in the Soviet years, this scientist became interested in growing lemons in greenhouses. Over the past half century, he has worked out the technology of cultivating citrus fruits in the middle lane and bred several varieties of them. They were the ones who proposed the modern construction of the "Thermos" underground greenhouse.

However, in Russia, underground greenhouses for year-round gardening were known even before the October Revolution. Pineapples and other heat-loving plants, exotic for our country, were successfully grown there. And they did it on such a scale that they even managed to export products to European countries.

The modern interpretation of this structure involves the use of cellular polycarbonate. But otherwise, it almost completely repeats the well-proven design, buried in the ground by 2–2.5 meters.

Greenhouse Patiya with earthen walls

Design features of underground greenhouses

Anatoly Patiya's underground greenhouse, which allows for the cultivation of vegetables and fruits all year round, is located in a trench up to 2.5 m deep. The main part of the structure is in the ground, and only the roof is visible above its level.

For the arrangement of the underground part it is used:

brick;
timber;
slag concrete;
stone;
thermoblocks;
foam blocks.

The roof of the thermos greenhouse is covered with polycarbonate. This modern material made of plastic is ideal for greenhouse structures and surpasses plastic wrap in all characteristics. In some aspects it is inferior to glass, but it is much cheaper and lighter than it.

Film roof in a thermos greenhouse

Thermoblock walls

This greenhouse structure belongs to permanent buildings. For her, you will have to dig a deep enough foundation pit and fill in a solid foundation. However, all costs are paid off with fresh fruits and vegetables grown year-round.

Underground greenhouse construction technology

Arrangement of a thermos greenhouse is a full-fledged construction. This is not wrapping metal arcs with polyethylene film, as in the case of a small greenhouse. Here you will have to dig the earth (even with the involvement of an excavator), fill in the foundation, erect walls and erect a roof.

Digging a foundation pit for a structure

The deeper into the ground, the warmer the greenhouse. During the year on the surface, the air temperature in Russia fluctuates in a wide range. The surface soil also cools and heats up following the cooling. But already at a depth of two meters, the soil temperature practically does not change and remains in the range of 5-10 degrees with a plus all year round.

Schematic drawing of the greenhouse "Thermos"

The pit breaks out at least 2.5 meters. It is at this depth that a constant temperature is maintained. If the greenhouse is buried in the ground for a smaller footage, then the effect of the thermos will be less effective.

Expert gardener recommendation! You can dig any trench for a thermos greenhouse in length, but the width should be limited to five meters. If the greenhouse structure is made wider, the insolation performance will worsen and the need for additional heat will increase.

Preparation of a pit for a greenhouse

The pit is made of rectangular shape with a west-east orientation, so that one of the sides of the underground greenhouse faces south towards the maximum sun. It will take a lot of digging, but it's worth it. However, for large excavation volumes, it is best to order an excavator. This will be faster and more reliable.

Foundation and walls

The foundation is poured in the form of a tape around the perimeter of the greenhouse. In fact, this is a full-fledged strip base made of reinforced concrete with a thickness of 30-50 cm, depending on the size of the thermos greenhouse and the building material for its construction. The floor in the center must remain earthen.

A century ago, the side walls were made of wood. Today, besides timber, bricks are also used. However, a more practical option is aerated concrete gas silicate blocks. They have excellent thermal insulation characteristics and low weight, the foundation can be made less powerful.

Map of heights of snow cover in Russia

The main thing in the walls of an underground greenhouse for year-round gardening is the level of elevation above the snow cover at least half a meter. It is necessary to find out in advance this parameter for a specific area. In some areas, the walls will have to be erected high.

Even in a snowy winter, the greenhouse is warm

Polycarbonate roof installation

Supports are placed in the center of the room, and then a ridge beam is laid on them along the entire length of the greenhouse. Next, transverse beams are mounted and sheets of cellular polycarbonate are stuffed onto these rafters.

Greenhouse thermos: inside view

The polycarbonate coating should be fixed to the timber using special thermal washers with rubber seals. This is the only way to protect the polycarbonate from damage. With sudden temperature changes, it expands and contracts a little, and if it is rigidly fixed with self-tapping screws, then tears will inevitably appear at the attachment points.

Advice! In cold regions, to increase thermal insulation, polycarbonate can be laid on the greenhouse roof in two layers in the ground. The coating will become less transparent (by 10-15%), but the heat loss in winter will be reduced significantly.

The use of a greenhouse in winter has an important nuance. Due to the high-quality thermal insulation, the snow on the greenhouse roof does not melt and blocks access to the sun's rays. In order not to darken the greenhouse, you need to make the slope steep. Then the snow from the polycarbonate will simply roll down without lingering on it.

Drawing of a greenhouse in the ground for year-round gardening

The roof of a thermos greenhouse can be made of glass. But the rafter system will then have to be made more durable, and this is an additional cost. Cellular polycarbonate is an ideal choice in this situation.

Insulation and heating

In general, the "thermos" design refers to greenhouses in the ground that do not need heating. But it all depends on the region. In cold regions, if you want a plentiful year-round harvest, you will have to insulate the underground structure with high quality and warm it well.

Foil penofol is ideal for the role of additional insulation, which differs in:

small thickness;
lack of fear of moisture;
low vapor permeability;
ease of installation.

Polyethylene and aluminum foil, by definition, do not rot, and they provide a good vapor barrier for walls. Penofol is installed with the foil side inward. All joints in mandatory are sealed with special aluminum tape.

Growing lemons in a greenhouse thermos

As a heating system, it is allowed to use:

heat guns;
infrared heaters;
heating cable;
water underfloor heating.

The choice depends on the financial capabilities and wishes of the gardener, as well as the availability of fuel or electricity.

Five reasons to start arranging a buried greenhouse + video

Among the advantages of the underground construction of the thermos greenhouse are:

Durability and high reliability of the structure, able to withstand snowfalls, hurricane winds and heavy rain.
Excellent light transmission characteristics of the roof, allowing you to create just ideal conditions for vegetation of plants and a bountiful harvest.
High thermal insulation performance, making it possible to significantly save on energy resources.
The versatility of a greenhouse structure that can be adapted to grow a huge range of vegetables and fruit crops.
Year-round use.

Underground greenhouse-thermos is universal

Thanks to its design, the thermos greenhouse is suitable for growing vegetables, mushrooms, berries, fruits, flowers and preparing seedlings. Even without heating, it is able to maintain optimal growing conditions inside.

The polycarbonate roof allows maximum sunlight to pass through, and the insulated walls in the ground retain the maximum heat. In a buried greenhouse, sharp temperature drops during the day and when it gets cold outside are excluded.