5 types of soil heating in a greenhouse and how to organize the system yourself

Gardeners and summer residents who want to harvest their crops early plant seedlings in a greenhouse. In closed ground conditions, crops are not afraid of temperature changes, prolonged rains and recurrent frosts. However, many do not take into account that, in addition to heating the air, it is necessary to organize soil heating in the greenhouse. The speed of plant growth, the number of formed fruits and immunity to diseases directly depend on soil temperature.

Why do you need heating in a greenhouse?

Heating the soil and blowing warm air into greenhouses is often done by farmers who grow vegetables throughout all seasons for subsequent sale. However, summer residents who cultivate plants only in spring and summer will also benefit from this procedure, especially if the site is located in regions with a cold climate.

The advantages of warming the soil in a greenhouse include the following:

• You can sow seeds and plant seedlings at any time, in this case you will be able to harvest the harvest by the time the prices for vegetables are at their highest;
• heat loss through the soil is eliminated, and a microclimate beneficial for plants is maintained in the greenhouse;
• thanks to the warmed soil, the root system of crops develops faster, which also affects the above-ground part;
• from a square meter of sown area it is possible to harvest more crops than without heating the soil;
• comfortable temperature prevents the death of plants as a result of unfavorable weather conditions and recurrent frosts;
• The fruiting period of crops increases.

Another reason why it is worth heating the soil in a greenhouse is that the air naturally warms up by 15 degrees, but the earth only warms up by 3 degrees. Such a temperature difference is a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogens of fungal diseases, which not only lead to a decrease in yield, but also cause the complete death of plants.

There are different ways to protect the soil from excessive cooling. Some gardeners purchase special industrial heating systems, while others build them with their own hands. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Existing types

Before choosing a suitable soil heating system for your greenhouse, it is worth understanding their operating principle, as well as their pros and cons. There are three ways to heat soil indoors - natural, technical and biological.

Solar radiation based on the "greenhouse effect"

Heating with sunlight has one significant advantage - it is a free and natural source of energy. This method of heating the soil in a greenhouse is compared to the greenhouse effect; its operating principle is as follows:

• ultraviolet rays penetrate into the room through glass or plastic film, which is stretched over the frame of the greenhouse;
• ultraviolet radiation transfers its thermal energy to the greenhouse structure, plants and other objects, from which the soil begins to warm up.
• The air in the greenhouse or greenhouse is heated from the ground and objects.

To obtain the desired effect, it is necessary to position the structure so that it is not blocked by trees and buildings on all sides. Despite these advantages of the solar heating method, it also has disadvantages:

• on spring and autumn days the number of sunny days is small, and in rainy weather the soil does not warm up;
• the increase in earth temperature occurs very slowly, so seeds or seedlings can be planted 2 weeks after sunny weather sets in;
• it is necessary to choose a place for the greenhouse where the shadow will not fall on it, which is difficult to do in a small area.

Biochemical reactions during decomposition

Heating the soil indoors is carried out in the same way, using the process of biological reactions that occur as a result of the decomposition of manure. Horse manure has the greatest heat transfer, followed by pig and cow manure.To increase the effect of using biological material, it is mixed with straw, dry leaves or sawdust in a 1:1 percentage ratio.

Heating is arranged in early spring according to the following algorithm:

1. A week before planting seedlings, manure mixed with straw is scattered around the greenhouse in small piles.
2. After 3 days, when fog with the smell of ammonia appears above them, they dig a large rectangular hole, the area of ​​which should correspond to the size of the greenhouse.
3. Biological material is placed in it, a thin layer of lime is poured on top to deoxidize the soil, and wait 2-3 days for the mass to settle.
4. A layer of fertile soil is laid on top.

Heating water and air when burning fuel

To heat greenhouses and greenhouses, solid fuel boilers are used; the coolant in this case is water. It is necessary to install the boiler, install pipes throughout the room and supply water. This method has one significant drawback - the high cost of purchasing coal and the low efficiency of the heating device.

Geothermal waters

Such heating is used in industrial greenhouses, since its arrangement will require significant financial costs. First, wells are drilled into which vertical collectors are installed. Thanks to them, low-potential soil energy is converted into high-potential heat.

Electric Energy

The electric system for heating beds in a greenhouse has been gaining popularity in recent years due to its efficiency. Work is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. Remove a 30-40 cm layer of soil from the structure.
2. The entire surface is covered with heat-insulating material.
3. Next, pour a 5 cm layer of sifted sand.
4. Lightly slapping and pouring water, compact the sand cushion.
5. A metal mesh is laid to protect the cable from damage by rodents.
6. The heating cable is laid out on the mesh in a “snake” pattern and secured with clamps.
7. They create the same sand cushion on top, compacting it.
8. Another layer of metal mesh is laid out on top.
9. Fill the fertile soil in which the plants will be planted with a layer of at least 30 cm.

Heating the earth with your own hands

To make a heating system in a greenhouse with your own hands, it is not necessary to use an electric cable. If the structure is located near the house where the gardener lives, you can build a stove and start heating it when weather conditions require it. It is recommended to place the stove at the end of the greenhouse to make it convenient to heat. A chimney is laid horizontally around the perimeter of the room.

If the farmer decides to heat the greenhouse using a stove, it is necessary to stock up on coal or firewood; cut dry branches are often used as the latter. This heating design can be improved by installing a water boiler on top and running metal pipes to a water tank.

The easiest way to warm the ground is to install several infrared heaters around the perimeter of the room.

Possible problems

Beginning gardeners face some problems when heating the soil in a greenhouse.This is due to the lack of experience in installing complex systems; in this case, it is recommended to entrust the work to specialists.