Warm beds in a greenhouse: 4 types, their pros and cons, how to do it yourself

Greenhouses are designed for growing early crops, and the construction of warm beds in the greenhouse can significantly speed up the process of ripening vegetables. With such a planting, it is possible to collect up to 3 crops per season, depending on the type of planting. There are various types of warm beds. Details about the types of heating and how to arrange a landing site will certainly be of interest to summer residents.

Why do we need warm beds

The construction of warm beds allows you to quickly and intensively warm the soil in the greenhouse in early spring. Usually the earth warms up much more slowly than air, and planting seeds is postponed until the soil temperature reaches + 12-15 ° C.The heated soil raises the air temperature in the greenhouse and creates a microclimate that is optimal for the early growth and development of vegetables.

Heated structures help to protect plants from early planting and get a significant yield.

Pros and cons

Production of heated structures in a greenhouse is a laborious and costly process, but the ability to recoup investments in 2-3 seasons attracts summer residents. Structures have several undoubted advantages:

• rise in temperature speeds up the process of photosynthesis in plants;
• plants do not suffer from return frosts and temperature changes;
• reduces fertilizer consumption due to their active decomposition in the soil;
• multiple crops can be grown;
• weed reduction.

Minuses are much less, but they are:

• high cost of arranging beds;
• electricity and water heating costs;
• high temperature and humidity provoke increased growth of pathogens.

If the soil is heated by the decomposition of organic waste, a strong unpleasant odor is possible in the greenhouse.

Types of warm beds

There are several varieties of such structures. Choose depending on personal preferences and financial capabilities.

Electrically heated

When constructing such beds, a tape or a heating cable is laid on the bottom of the structure, covered with agrofibre and covered with soil, if necessary, a thermostat is installed.

Important: before arranging such beds, it is necessary to take into account the cost of electricity for heating the greenhouse.

This type of warm structures is effective, but can be very costly and not profitable with a large area of greenhouses, high cost of electricity, equipment in the northern regions.

Water or air heated

In this case, the soil is heated by hot water or air supplied through pipes laid in the greenhouse under the ground. Heating is carried out using a gas or electric boiler, in rare cases - a wood stove.

A trench is built at the bottom of the structure, in which heat-insulating material is laid, metal or plastic pipes are placed on it. They are connected to the heating system and covered with a layer of fertile soil.

Biofuel powered

Under the fertile layer of this design are decomposable biological waste (plant remains, leaves, sawdust and branches). Rotting, they provide the soil with heat. There are recessed and raised designs.

First, fertile soil is removed from the surface. To equip the system, a trench is dug 60 centimeters deep. Large branches, the remains of logs, chips (except for birch) are laid at the bottom. They are covered with paper. Next - a layer of manure, grass, fallen leaves, sawdust. All ingredients are mixed and distributed in a layer of 20 centimeters. The bed is abundantly watered with water, starting the process of decay.

The fertile soil returns to its place. It is important to remember that plant roots should not reach the biowaste layer. You can use special biological products to enhance the decomposition of the components.

Insulated

Such structures are equipped at the stage of greenhouse construction. As an insulating material in the trench, a box made of foam plastic or a more modern material - foam plastic is mounted. Holes are drilled in the box for water to drain, it is filled with fertile soil in which plants are planted.

How to make a warm bed in a greenhouse

To increase the temperature of the soil, it is convenient to make planting structures in the greenhouse high. If, when arranging such a bed, holes were provided for attaching the arcs, then building a greenhouse using polyethylene stretched over the arcs is not a difficult task.

All types of ground heating can be used in polycarbonate greenhouses. Indoors, you can install structures made of wood, galvanized metal. In stationary complexes, high brick beds are being built.

Tips & Tricks

Electric heated beds require more moisture, while water heated beds need less watering. For a biofuel bed, infected and diseased waste is not used; before laying, you should make sure of the quality of the raw materials. Do not apply the remains of perennial weeds that can germinate.

Fertilizers are used less in greenhouse warm beds as they decompose better and faster at elevated temperature and humidity.

Additional heating of the soil in the greenhouse is not too difficult to organize. It is necessary to ensure that the design is of high quality, spacious, without gaps. Otherwise, the heat from it will go outside. The cost of its arrangement will certainly pay off in a few seasons.

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