Greenhouses are designed for growing early crops, and the construction of warm beds in a greenhouse can significantly speed up the process of ripening vegetables. With this planting, it is possible to harvest up to 3 harvests per season, depending on the type of planting. There are different types of warm beds. Details about the types of heating and methods of arranging a planting 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 slower than the air, and planting seeds is postponed until the soil temperature reaches +12-15 °C. Heated soil increases the air temperature in the greenhouse and creates a microclimate that is optimal for the early growth and development of vegetables.
The production of heated structures allows you to protect plants during early planting and obtain a significant harvest.
Advantages and disadvantages
Manufacturing heated structures in a greenhouse is a labor-intensive and costly process, but the opportunity to recoup the investment in 2-3 seasons attracts summer residents. The structures have several undoubted advantages:
- An increase in temperature accelerates the process of photosynthesis in plants;
- plants do not suffer from return frosts and temperature changes;
- fertilizer consumption is reduced due to their active decomposition in the soil;
- you can grow several crops;
- reducing the number of weeds.
There are significantly fewer disadvantages, but they are there:
- high cost of arranging beds;
- electricity and water heating costs;
- Increased temperature and humidity provoke increased growth of pathogens.
If the soil is heated by decomposing organic waste, a strong, unpleasant odor may occur 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 heating cable is laid at the bottom of the structure, covered with agrofibre on top and covered with soil, and 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 expensive and not profitable given the large area of greenhouses, the high cost of electricity, and 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.
At the bottom of the structure, a trench is constructed into which heat-insulating material is laid, and metal or plastic pipes are placed on it. They are connected to a heating system and covered with a layer of fertile soil.
Biofuel
Under the fertile layer of this design there is decomposed biological waste (plant remains, leaves, sawdust and branches). By rotting, they provide the soil with heat. There are recessed and raised design options.
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 components.
With insulation
Such structures are installed during the construction phase of the greenhouse. A box made of polystyrene foam or a more modern material - penoplex - is installed in the trench as an insulating material.Holes are drilled in the box for water drainage, it is filled with fertile soil into which the plants are planted.
How to make a warm bed in a greenhouse
To increase the soil temperature, it is convenient to make structures for planting plants in a 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 a completely simple task.
In polycarbonate greenhouses you can use all types of ground heating. Indoors you can install structures made of wood or galvanized metal. In stationary complexes, high beds are built from bricks.
Tips and tricks
Electrically heated beds require more moisture, while water-heated beds require less watering. For biofuel beds, do not use infected and diseased waste; before planting, you should ensure the quality of the raw materials. Do not use the remains of perennial weeds that can germinate.
Less fertilizer is used in warm beds in a greenhouse, since they decompose better and faster at elevated temperatures and humidity.
It is not too difficult to organize additional heating of the soil in the greenhouse. It is necessary to ensure that the structure is of high quality, spacious, and without cracks. Otherwise, the heat will escape from it to the street. The costs of its arrangement will certainly pay off in several seasons.
