How to Build a Simple Small Greenhouse

Types of small greenhouses

(1) Plastic shed. If the courtyard is narrow, a plastic shed about 15 meters long and 4 meters wide can be built in front of the south-facing bungalow. The production method is: use bamboo strips about 1 cm thick and 4 cm wide, insert them into bamboo bows 50 cm apart, and cover them tightly with plastic film. It is exposed to sunlight during the day and the humidity can reach about 25℃. It should be covered with paper quilts to keep warm at night (use waste cement bags or kraft paper on the upper and lower sides, and 7 layers of waste newspapers in the middle). The lower end of the bamboo strips should be tied tightly with ropes to prevent them from being blown over by strong winds. This kind of plastic shed does not require a fire, and the temperature can generally be maintained at no less than 0℃. It can be used to store flowers and trees over the winter, whose minimum temperature must not be lower than 0℃, such as roses, pomegranates, figs, oleanders, kumquats, peonies, osmanthus, etc. If you need to place flowers that prefer moderate temperatures, you can install a honeycomb coal stove with a chimney from late October to early April of the following year, and the temperature can be maintained at no less than 10℃.

(2) Semi-underground simple small greenhouse. Choose a sunny place in the courtyard that is sheltered from the wind and build a small greenhouse that is 3-4 meters wide, about 7 meters long, and 0.6 meters high. Specific steps: First dig a 50 cm deep trench on both sides, and then dig steps from both sides to the center according to the size of the flower pots. The lowest point is the walkway. A herringbone frame is built on the upper part, 60 cm above the ground. The roof is divided into two layers, the inner and outer layers, with a distance of about 15 cm to 20 cm between the layers. Each layer is covered with a layer of plastic film and sealed and compacted with soil on all sides to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. Open a small door on the east side. If the temperature is too high, you can open a crack for ventilation and heat dissipation. This small greenhouse can maintain a temperature above 5°C in winter. Generally, flowers that are suitable for moderate temperatures, such as Michelia, jasmine, gardenia, hibiscus, forsythia, plum blossom, and peach blossom, can safely spend the winter here. In some areas with extremely cold winters, around the 39th day of the coldest days of winter, it is necessary to cover the house with a layer of paper for insulation or install a coal stove with a chimney.

(3) Plastic shed. Use the window of a south-facing bungalow or balcony in a building to make a small plastic shed with bamboo bows (build the bamboo bows on the balcony, and the bottom can be supported by the lower part of the balcony railing). Cover it with a paper quilt to keep it warm at night. The temperature can be maintained at around 3℃-5℃.

(4) Small greenhouse in front of indoor window. Use wooden strips and other materials to nail together a rectangular wooden frame about 140 cm long, 30 cm wide and 65 cm high, and wrap the outside tightly with plastic film. Mount the small greenhouse frame in front of the window with the base flush with the top of the heater. After putting in the flower pot, use clothespins to clamp the door curtain.

The following points should be noted when maintaining flowers in a small greenhouse

① In winter, the water used for watering flowers in the small greenhouse must be warm water that has been stored indoors for a day and a night. Do not use cold water to water the flowers.

② Frequently rinse the dirt or soil on the outside of the plastic film with clean water to allow the flowers to receive light.

③Sprinkle some water on the ground frequently to increase the air humidity.

④ Due to the high humidity indoors, the number of watering should be properly controlled. Water when the soil is dry and when it is wet, it is better to keep it slightly dry.