Do-it-yourself winter underground greenhouse. Year-round underground greenhouse: design, arrangement technology. A simple winter greenhouse without special heating
An underground greenhouse is considered one of the most rational options for constructing a permanent greenhouse. It is built like a thermos and has many advantages. In order for a building to have all its 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 of their construction:
- year-round use of the structure;
- no dependence on weather;
- high efficiency;
- efficient use of solar energy (used for additional heating of the building);
- in such a design it is possible to grow even exotic crops for a particular area;
- durability and reliability;
- excellent light transmission parameters of the roof;
- good thermal insulation properties of the room;
- versatility.
A greenhouse in the ground has these advantages, both without heating and with it.
The ruined type of greenhouse has only two negative aspects: the rather high complexity of manufacturing, as well as the need for a reliable ventilation system. But if you approach the work correctly, then these design disadvantages will not cause much trouble.
Video “Greenhouse-dugout for year-round gardening”
In this video you will learn how to build a dugout greenhouse for year-round gardening.
Design Features
An underground greenhouse is a structure that is partially located in the ground. Thanks to this design, a thermos effect occurs. It appears if the greenhouse has been buried at least 1 m into the ground. In this case, the temperature inside such a dugout will be in the range of +3...+14 °C.
If you deepen the building to 2.2–2.4 m, then throughout the year the temperature inside will remain at almost the same level. At the same time, the main task in such buildings is to maintain the temperature and organize watering.
If you are going to make an underground greenhouse, then you need to correctly calculate the level of depth in the ground. This parameter is determined based on the depth of groundwater, as well as winter freezing. Based on these parameters, you can easily understand whether this type of greenhouse is rational. In swampy areas, as well as with close groundwater, the in-depth version of greenhouses is not used.
It is worth noting that the soil freezing factor has a major influence on plant growing. Beds with crops in such structures should be located below the level of seasonal freezing present in the region. Therefore, the lower level of the recess should be between the groundwater level and soil freezing.
Today there are two types of earthen greenhouses:
- underground. In this case, a depth is selected that allows the plant beds to be maintained 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 are grown) along which a person can move without bending;
- recessed. Here, maintenance of the structure is carried out without a ladder, from the surface of the soil. This will lift the roof.
Depending on the characteristics of the relief and the available area, a greenhouse under the ground with your own hands can be horizontal (the height of all walls is the same) and inclined. Such greenhouses can be trench-type (considerable length with minimal width) or pit-type in terms of space occupied.
A greenhouse in the ground can be used for growing fruits, berries, mushrooms, vegetables, seedlings and flowers. Thanks to its design features, such a greenhouse can be placed in Siberia or any other region of our country.
How to make it yourself
A recessed greenhouse is constructed with your own hands in several stages. To build it you will need the following tools:
- perforator;
- hammer;
- Bulgarian;
- shovel;
- construction mixer and vibrator for concrete;
- electric drill;
- hacksaw, knife and scissors;
- Master OK;
- putty knife;
- paint brush;
- level, plumb line and tape measure.
The Scottish (buried) type of greenhouse begins with digging a pit.
Pit
To create a greenhouse effect inside the greenhouse, the depth of the pit 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 made wide, then the insolation parameters will deteriorate , and the need for heating will also increase.
The length is determined depending on the free space available on the site for construction. How much space you allocate for the greenhouse will be its length.
It is recommended to orient the excavation pit 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 structure must be properly leveled to avoid problems with the organization of the roof.
Foundation and walls
When you have dug a foundation pit for your greenhouse, you can begin 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 optimal 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.
The side walls can be built from wood, thermal blocks from polystyrene foam or blocks made from cellular concrete. These materials have excellent thermal insulation parameters and are light in weight.
If gardening is year-round, then the level of the walls should 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, you need to install supports in the center of the building. Wooden beams will be laid on them and the walls. A ridge beam should be installed in the center of the building. After this, transverse ribs are mounted from the beams. Cellular polycarbonate sheets are installed on the resulting frame.
The covering material is fixed on the beams using special thermal washers equipped with rubber seals. When installing, your hand must be steady, which will prevent the appearance of cracks. To improve the thermal insulation of a greenhouse in cold regions, the roof should be made of two layers of polycarbonate.
Insulation and heating
To insulate a recessed greenhouse, the surface of the walls should be covered with a waterproofing film. Thermal insulation is already installed on top of it. Expanded polystyrene or mineral wool is most often used as insulation. You can also use special polymer thermal insulation films equipped with a layer of foil. They allow you to accumulate heat inside the room due to reflection sun rays. If it is necessary to grow heat-loving plants, a heated floor is equipped.
This is how a buried greenhouse is built. If constructed correctly, such a building will have all the advantages described above. After completion of construction, the greenhouse can be immediately used for its intended purpose.
The insulating properties of earth have long been used in agriculture for different needs. An example is the silage technique, which allows you to create conditions in trenches and pits for preserving plant food resources. Gardeners set slightly different tasks for deep pits. They propose, instead of traditional greenhouse structures, to organize artificial conditions for growing directly in a soil niche. In other words, an underground greenhouse is formed, which has a protective frame on top made of the same materials as conventional structures.
General construction technology
The need to install underground greenhouses is due to the desire of farmers to provide optimal conditions for plant development. This technology is characterized by its simplicity and financial accessibility - in a large farm there may not be a need to purchase materials at all, since the frame can be built from ordinary boards, and film can be used as a covering. The output should be a thermos greenhouse, the design of which is aimed at ensuring an optimal microclimate. For this reason, such structures are used in cold regions, where the construction of a classic greenhouse requires the use of reinforced thermal insulation materials. In this case, they are replaced by walls made of earth.
Despite the in-depth base, the upper part will still be carried out according to general rules installation of greenhouses. The owner will also be faced with the question of choosing the optimal shelter option. Which greenhouse is better - polycarbonate, film or glass? The first method works better in full-fledged structures of a traditional type; film, as already noted, is the most affordable option, and glass can become an intermediate version, suitable for objects with increased requirements for thermal insulation.
Preparing the base for the greenhouse
Depending on the scale of the plan, the dimensions of the recess are determined. The standard parameters of such structures are 1.5 x 2.5 m. In this case, the depth can reach 1 m. It is also important to take into account the location of the object on the site. The greenhouse should be located on the south side, and the excavated soil should be left in the northern part of the structure. In the corners, pits are formed for future load-bearing posts. Depending on the size of the underground, the method of organizing the base for the frame and, accordingly, the parameters of the pits are determined. After arranging the niches for the pillars, they should be lightly covered with crushed stone or gravel, and then filled with water. Load-bearing elements are installed like a conventional foundation, that is, using cement mortar. When the mixture completes polymerization, you can begin building the frame.
Installation of frame base
Along the perimeter of the recess, in order to strengthen the structure, a foundation can also be poured or blocks can be laid. In both cases, these elements will serve as the basis for further construction of walls and roof. Depending on the scale and microclimate requirements, an underground greenhouse can be made of different materials. The most affordable option is to use boards, which are fastened using self-tapping screws. That is, a double skeleton of the frame is formed, on which the sheathing materials will later lie.
The second option involves a more serious approach to the arrangement of the structure - laying thermal blocks. From the point of view of thermal insulation function, this is the best solution. Properly constructed walls made of this material can even eliminate the need for additional insulation. With the help of blocks, a thermos greenhouse is formed, the design of which itself acts as a regulator of microclimate parameters favorable for vegetation.
Covering device
In the case of using film material, it is enough to prepare segments that will act as the covering base of the structure. The joints are usually secured with special loops or, even better, initially sewn together with a construction iron. If you plan to go underground, you should purchase special profiles in which individual sheets will be fixed. In terms of insulation efficiency, this option, in combination with thermoblocks, will allow you to create the most favorable design in terms of climatic parameters.
Polycarbonate is considered the optimal solution for typical farming projects. It is similar in characteristics to glass, but in terms of strength it can compete even with an aluminum profile. However, the question of which greenhouse is better - glass or polycarbonate - is not so obvious. Firstly, carbonate is more expensive than glass. Secondly, in underground greenhouses its strength characteristics are not so important, so glass may well be an alternative.
Engineering arrangement
Additional improvement with insulating materials is usually used in cases where a combination of plank walls and film covering is used. The buried greenhouse is thermally insulated using polyurethane foam and film insulation. Synthetic materials are not recommended.
In addition, it is also necessary to equip a lighting system. Ordinary lamps should not be used. Manufacturers produce special LED lamps for greenhouses, which provide the most favorable color range for plants. In cold regions, it would be useful to provide a heated floor system. With its help, they are suitable for heat-loving plants.
Advantages of underground structures
The general principle of arranging a greenhouse involves the use of an essentially free resource in the form of land. The walls of soil layers act as a natural microclimate regulator and a protective barrier against external influences. Therefore, in winter you don’t have to worry about additional protection of the structure from wind, precipitation and frost. Particularly valuable in this regard are those that combine the advantages of in-depth design of the structure and the auxiliary heating function, which makes it possible to operate the agricultural facility year-round. Of course, the list of crops suitable for planting in the created conditions is also expanding.
Conclusion
However, the construction of such structures does not completely relieve the owner of the hassle of developing at least a general schematic design solution. It is worth calculating in advance the exact set of materials from which the underground greenhouse will be constructed in the upper part. The fact is that the configuration of the main frame will be determined by the foundation, so it will not be possible to make adjustments during the work. The most critical stage is creating a shelter. It can be done using film or glass. Many also use high-tech polycarbonate, which is durable and has high light transmittance.
This fact will seem like something fantastic. However, few people know that such structures were successfully used in pre-revolutionary Russia. A properly equipped underground greenhouse with your own hands means fresh vegetables, fruits and berries on your table all year round.
Pineapples were grown in thermos greenhouses in such quantities that they were enough for the needs of the imperial court and for export to Europe.
Why hide a greenhouse in the ground?
Underground greenhouses have several obvious advantages compared to conventional stationary ones:
- Saving and preserving heat. This advantage is determined by the property of the soil at a depth of approximately 1.5-2 meters to maintain a stable above-zero temperature. Its fluctuations depending on the season are only a few degrees.
- Durability and reliability. Greenhouses underground can withstand winds, even hurricanes, and are not afraid of snow and hail.
- Fast self-sufficiency. Although building a submersible greenhouse is expensive and labor-intensive (digging a pit, pouring a foundation, building a staircase), the harvest obtained almost all year round pays for all costs. Moreover, with proper arrangement, almost any crop, including citrus fruits, can be grown in buried greenhouses without much effort.
Types of submersible greenhouses
- Free-standing;
- Adjacent - most often to any outbuilding.
Where to choose the optimal location to build a free-standing greenhouse
You might be lucky and personal plot There is a natural slope from north to south, then it is best to build a greenhouse there. The price of the structure when using the natural landscape is significantly reduced.
Advice! It is desirable that one of the sides of the greenhouse faces south - it is in this position that solar energy is used to the maximum.
If your plot is flat, then the building is oriented to the cardinal points, like ordinary greenhouses - from east to west. In this case, you need to make sure in advance that groundwater does not accumulate at the site of the future construction, and drainage will be easy.
Stages of construction of a thermos greenhouse
The instructions for building a recessed greenhouse are not complicated, but try to correctly calculate your strength and financial resources - you may need to hire specialized equipment.
- At the first stage, after choosing the location of the building, its dimensions are marked. The underground part can reach from 1.2 to 2 m, and the above-ground part up to 0.9 m. The length of the structure can be extended as much as desired, but a width of more than 5 m is impractical - both reflective and thermal insulation properties are reduced.
- Digging a pit. If you decide to start your own small business of growing crops or flowers, it is almost impossible to remove such a volume of land with your own hands. Here either assistants or (the fastest option) an excavator will come to the rescue. The edges and walls of the pit are carefully leveled.
- Pouring the foundation. The perimeter of the pit is laid out with concrete blocks or the foundation is poured along it.
- Walling. After removing the formwork from the finished foundation, you can continue working and begin building walls. For walls, material with good thermal insulation properties is purchased in advance. Thermoblocks are ideal for these purposes. Thermoblock is a hollow wall material made of polystyrene foam.
The blocks are laid out on the foundation and reinforced with metal.
- Insulation of walls. The joints of the blocks are carefully coated with a waterproofing solution, and the cavities are filled with polyurethane foam. After this the walls inside Thermal insulation film is attached.
Advice! Using thermal foil film, you will achieve a double result: you will save heat and, thanks to the reflective effect, you will make the most efficient use of both solar and electrical energy.
- Heating. The simplest heat accumulator in a greenhouse can be water bottles. Due to the greenhouse effect, they do not cool down for a long time. This heating method is both cheap and the most labor-intensive - after all, cooled hot water in bottles must be changed periodically.
It is not surprising that the most popular heating method is using electricity. Warm floors, the same ones that many are accustomed to seeing in bathrooms, are also successfully used in recessed greenhouses.
The main thing is to protect the electrical cable from moisture and from shovels. A metal mesh or filling the cable with concrete will help you cope with this mission. You can even tile the greenhouse floor and grow plants in boxes, flowerpots or pots.
- Roof construction. The frame on which the roof covering will be laid is usually constructed from wooden blocks impregnated with an antiseptic. The roof can be either single-pitched (easier to assemble) or gable.
For a gable roof, a ridge beam is installed. To do this, supports are placed in the center along the entire length of the greenhouse.
A whole series of rafters connects the walls with the ridge beam. The frame is ready and after assembly it is painted.
Experts recommend using cellular polycarbonate to cover the roof. Sheets up to 12 m long provide a minimum number of joints, and therefore cold bridges. To improve thermal insulation, you can use a double layer of material.
To prevent the polycarbonate from cracking when attached to the rafters, you must first drill holes of the required diameter for the screws. The joints between the sheets are taped with construction tape.
Note! Snow does not melt on polycarbonate, so the slope of a pitched roof must be at least 30*. However, this will not free you from the need to manually remove a layer of snow from the greenhouse from time to time.
An underground greenhouse has been built. It's time to take care of its internal arrangement.
Interior work
We hope that the rich harvest grown in the submersible greenhouse will quickly recoup your construction costs! And the video in this article will tell you some nuances on this topic.
The thermos greenhouse performs its functions perfectly even at the lowest temperatures, so it can be used in some of the northern regions of the country. This feature was known back in Tsarist Russia; even then, southern crops were grown underground.
Today, do-it-yourself winter thermos greenhouses are built by homeowners who have decided to turn to the experience of their predecessors. Let's look at what kind of greenhouses these are, on what principle they work and are built.
Earth greenhouse thermos
Underground greenhouses are suitable for growing not only annual crops. Perennials, including low-growing hybrid trees, thrive here.
Greenhouse thermos: what is it, what principle does it work on?
Conventional greenhouses are characterized by daily temperature changes: higher during the day, lower at night, and lowest in the early morning. This does not happen in a recessed greenhouse, since the earthen walls work like a thermos - hence, in fact, the name of buildings of this type. This effect provides significant savings in resources used to heat the space. Less heat loss means less heating required.
It may seem that because of the walls that go into the ground, the thermos greenhouse does not receive enough sunlight. This is wrong. Although its roof is not completely flat, 99% of the sun’s rays penetrate through it, which is quite enough for the normal development of plants. Moreover, the roof area is not so large that heat loss through it would be significant.
Winter greenhouse thermos, photo of the above-ground part
Earthen greenhouse thermoses come in two types:
- Underground. The walls are completely recessed underground, often to a depth of 2 m. They have a large area and can even be used for year-round maintenance of perennial heat-loving plants. The maximum depth depends on the level of groundwater.
- Recessed. The pit has a depth of 40-60 cm, the walls rise above the ground to a height of 50-110 cm. This is the simplest option, but the heat-saving properties of the building will be low.
Greenhouse thermos, drawing of a recessed structure
Construction of a thermos greenhouse: digging a pit
The depth of the pit of an earthen greenhouse directly determines its energy efficiency: the deeper, the better. It’s difficult to say exact numbers now, since the depth of ground freezing varies throughout the country. However, if we talk about the middle zone, then the optimal depth of the thermos is 2-2.5 m. At this level, there are practically no seasonal temperature fluctuations. The minimum level at which the walls of a trench greenhouse maintain a positive temperature (+4 - +10 degrees) is 1 m. This must be taken into account when drawing up the project.
Now the length and width of the greenhouse pit, buried in the ground. An earthen greenhouse can be any length - everything is limited by the amount of free space on the site. It is not recommended to make the width more than 5 meters. This is due to the fact that too large a roof area leads to significant heat loss through the roofing material. Heating costs may increase so much that the very point of organizing a greenhouse underground will disappear.
Note: The thermos greenhouse should be oriented from west to east. This way the plants will be provided with the maximum amount of sunlight and heat.
Construction of a winter thermos greenhouse with your own hands, ready-made foundation pit
Construction of walls and roof of an earthen greenhouse
The walls cannot be left earthen; they must be covered with brickwork or a reinforced concrete belt made around the entire perimeter. This work has two goals:
- Preventing the collapse of earthen walls.
- Organizing a reliable roof support, which is usually assembled from corrugated pipe, weighs a lot.
The roof frame, as mentioned above, is often assembled from pipes. You can use timber, but in this case you will have to install additional support pillars in the center of the thermos. The roof design can be gable or arched - it all depends on personal preference. For a gable roof, we must make reinforcing braces; the arched arches must be double. So the frame of a winter greenhouse in the ground will be able to withstand significant snow loads.
Assembling the roof frame
For your information: Polycarbonate is usually used as a roofing material. Theoretically, glass can be used, but there is a chance that it will not withstand the weight of the snow pillow in winter. Polycarbonate is taken thick, 16 mm. You can put it in two layers at once. The light transmittance of the thermos greenhouse roof will decrease slightly (10%) and the structure will experience additional load. However, energy efficiency will increase greatly.We make an earthen thermos greenhouse with our own hands; the video shows a story about the use of permanent formwork made of polystyrene:
Thermal insulation and heating of a thermos earthen greenhouse
First you need to treat the walls with a hydrophobic compound. It can be a bitumen mixture or any other. We fill large cracks with foam. Next, we cover all surfaces with foil polystyrene foam - it will serve as insulation, the shiny side will reflect heat into the room. Use mineral wool This is not possible, since if water accidentally gets in, it will lose its heat-preserving properties.
A greenhouse in the ground will not function fully without heating, so a heated floor is installed for heating. It can be water or electric - it all depends on the technical capabilities. A sand cushion is poured at the bottom of the pit, and a system of water pipes or electrical cables is laid out. Reinforcing mesh is placed on top. The floor is poured with a cement-sand mixture (3/1). Heating a greenhouse with air underground is usually not required.
Insulation of walls with foil polystyrene foam
Similar articles
Why hide a greenhouse in the ground?
To reduce heat loss through the roof, a double layer of cellular polycarbonate is used. This method is considered the most effective. To do this, sheets of cellular polycarbonate 4 mm thick are connected to each other through a special profile for making arcs. The air gap between the sheets will additionally protect the greenhouse from the cold.
- Historical facts testify to incredible greenhouses in pre-revolutionary Russia, in which about 80 varieties of pineapple were successfully grown, which enterprising ancestors managed to export to European countries. And in the 30s of the last century, a greenhouse was created in Belarus in which exotic tropical plants grew. The greenhouse was buried 1.5 m into the ground, and this technology served as a successful agricultural technology for exotic plants. From these historical facts we can conclude that the arrangement and technology of a thermos greenhouse have been known for a long time, but for some unknown reason they were forgotten.
- Experts recommend using cellular polycarbonate to cover the roof. Sheets up to 12 m long provide a minimum number of joints, and therefore cold bridges. To improve thermal insulation, you can use a double layer of material.
Digging a pit. If you decide to start your own small business growing crops or flowers, it is almost impossible to remove such a volume of land with your own hands. Here either assistants or (the fastest option) an excavator will come to the rescue. The edges and walls of the pit are carefully leveled.
Types of submersible greenhouses
- To the uninitiated, who first heard that greenhouses are being installed underground, this fact will seem something fantastic. However, few people know that such structures were successfully used in pre-revolutionary Russia. A properly equipped underground greenhouse with your own hands means fresh vegetables, fruits and berries on your table all year round.
- This clay greenhouse is made in Poland. A lot of natural clay absorbs heat.
Where to choose the optimal location to build a free-standing greenhouse
This is the operating principle of Mike Oehler's underground greenhouse. Mike digs a trench on the south side, which allows cold air to sink down and warm up in the warm soil. Many people install pipes in the ground to transfer heated air into the ground.
To prevent fallen snow from accumulating on such a roof, it is necessary to install a special thermal circuit that will periodically turn on and off according to a timer, the snow will melt and slide off the roof.
And this is completely in vain. After all, a thermos greenhouse is one of the best inventions for growing plants indoors in winter. Its main value lies in significant energy savings and heat conservation, which, in turn, helps reduce the cost of heating the greenhouse.
Stages of construction of a thermos greenhouse
- To prevent the polycarbonate from cracking when attached to the rafters, you must first drill holes of the required diameter for the screws. The joints between the sheets are glued with construction tape.
Pineapples were grown in thermos greenhouses in such quantities that they were enough for the needs of the imperial court and for export to Europe.
large amount of thermal mass (rock, soil, water),
- And this is a type of underground Valpini greenhouse, which is built by the Indians in the mountains South America(translated from Indian, walipini means “place of warmth”). When digging, the top layer of soil is laid on the bottom of the greenhouse, the rest is used as a new shaft on the north side. The windows are set at an angle of 90 degrees to the sun on the winter solstice, this will allow the greenhouse to store the most heat on those days when the sun shines the least hours.
Using a double layer of polycarbonate, you can significantly reduce the cost of heating a greenhouse, but you need to know that light transmission will be reduced by 10%. Although this will not affect the result at all.
The greenhouse works flawlessly in winter and summer and is not afraid of any frost. Grown vegetables bring a good profit, because they can be sold by spring. In addition, if the thermos greenhouse is properly equipped, then you can grow in it not only absolutely any vegetable crops, but even citrus fruits.
Pay attention! Snow does not melt on polycarbonate, so the slope of a pitched roof must be at least 30*. However, this will not free you from the need to manually remove a layer of snow from the greenhouse from time to time.
- Pouring the foundation. The perimeter of the pit is laid out with concrete blocks or the foundation is poured along it.
positioning towards the sun.
This is a diagram of an underground greenhouse made from bags filled with earth. The bags accumulate heat throughout the day and release it at night. A properly designed underground greenhouse will naturally heat up on five sides, unlike an above-ground greenhouse where only one side, the floor, will heat up during the day. It is necessary to make a waterproof barrier along the walls of such a greenhouse
Parts of rafters for the roof must be prepared in advance by thoroughly impregnating them with protective impregnation or painting them. The rafters are connected to each other in half a tree, and the lintels are nailed so that the distance between them at the very bottom is 3-5 cm.
Such versatility is ensured by design features and the use of special technologies proven over decades. The interesting thing is that in such a greenhouse the light transmittance is not lost at all, but on the contrary, it becomes higher than in conventional greenhouses. In addition, all weather troubles, including snowdrifts, hail and hurricanes are not scary for the greenhouse, because it has a solid foundation that protects it from all these problems.
Interior work
Erection of walls. After removing the formwork from the finished foundation, you can continue working and begin building walls. For walls, material with good thermal insulation properties is purchased in advance. Thermoblocks are ideal for these purposes. Thermoblock is a hollow wall material made of polystyrene foam.
Summary
Underground greenhouses have several obvious advantages compared to conventional stationary ones:
The easiest way to add warmth and light to your basement. Build an underground mini-greenhouse on the south side of your house.
oteplicah.com
Another presentation of underground greenhouses from Barbara and Ken Kern.
A support is formed from the prepared rafters, all lintels are removed from them, a ridge beam is placed under them, and frontal supports 88 cm high are placed under the beam. The outer rafters are connected to the ridge beam with nails 20 cm long.
What is the secret of such universal properties of the greenhouse? The thing is that the greenhouse is deep into the ground, and at a depth of 2-2.5 m the ground has a constant temperature all year round, not counting minor fluctuations that depend mainly on nearby groundwater. As an example, we can cite a well, the water in which maintains a temperature of 7-12 degrees all year round. At a depth of a meter, temperature differences increase: in winter the water is +4 degrees, and in summer +10 degrees. Such soil can be heated with a “warm floor”, but in order to avoid drying out the soil, it is necessary to additionally install a drip irrigation system.
The underground greenhouse is used as a dining room
Here is a large walipini greenhouse from an organic farm in the province of Lapaz, Bolivia. Apparently they don't get much rain here.
A greenhouse has been built underground. It's time to start working on its internal arrangement.
Thermoblocks are literally created for such buildings
Saving and preserving heat
The underground greenhouse is used as a dining room
Here is a large walipini greenhouse from an organic farm in the province of Lapaz, Bolivia. Apparently they don't get much rain here. 
Next, jumpers must be installed on the front support and beam between the rafters and flashings. After this, the roof can be considered assembled and can be painted. When the paint has dried, proceed to covering the roof with polycarbonate sheets. It is secured using wood screws, having previously drilled all the necessary holes. The sheets are immediately attached to the inside of the roof, then to the outside.
You can build a thermos greenhouse on your own without resorting to particularly high costs. For this it is enough to have necessary tools and great desire.
And if the greenhouse has good acoustics, then you can make a studio
This greenhouse is made of local stone in Nepal at an altitude of almost 3,000 meters above sea level, where temperatures drop below zero 199 days a year. The interior is lush with vegetation.
Internal arrangement of a greenhouse is the business of every gardener. Some people prefer to plant plants in the ground (the beds must be high), others install a series of shelving and grow crops in boxes with soil.
The blocks are laid out on the foundation and reinforced with metal.
. This advantage is determined by the property of the soil at a depth of approximately 1.5-2 meters to maintain a stable above-zero temperature. Its fluctuations depending on the season are only a few degrees.
And if the greenhouse has good acoustics, then you can make a studio
This greenhouse is made of local stone in Nepal at an altitude of almost 3,000 meters above sea level, where temperatures drop below zero 199 days a year. The interior is lush with vegetation.
- Along the ridge bursa on the roof you can install a corner of roofing iron. At the ends of the roof, polycarbonate is screwed only after the roof is connected to the corner supports.
- Next we will look in detail at the procedure for building a thermos greenhouse on your own.
This is the underground greenhouse of the New AIchemy Institute. There is a pond, a compost heap, a greenhouse and a house nearby. Water is dense and holds heat even better than stone; soil ranks third in heat storage. Ponds are used to irrigate crops. 
This underground greenhouse, made in Mongolia, produces food throughout three seasons of the year. As the footprints show, the entrance is on the opposite side. 
Wall insulation. The joints of the blocks are carefully coated with a waterproofing solution, and the cavities are filled with polyurethane foam. After this, a thermal insulation film is attached to the inside of the wall. 
Strength and reliability
This is the underground greenhouse of the New AIchemy Institute. There is a pond, a compost heap, a greenhouse and a house nearby. Water is dense and holds heat even better than stone; soil ranks third in heat storage. Ponds are used to irrigate crops. 
This underground greenhouse, made in Mongolia, produces food throughout three seasons of the year. As the footprints show, the entrance is on the opposite side. 
The polycarbonate sections and its joints with the roof parts and among themselves must be sealed with transparent tape. 
For a thermos greenhouse, it is necessary to dig a pit, because the main part of it will be underground. The depth of the pit should not be less than 2 meters, because at this depth the earth does not freeze, and can even give off heat to some extent. 
Underground greenhouse on an organic farm in Wisconsin. The larger the size of your greenhouse, the more efficient it is, since the temperature inside a small greenhouse can fluctuate quite quickly.
View from the inside. In cold climates, north, east and west walls should be well insulated. In the north, the ceiling should also be well insulated. 
35 underground greenhouses for year-round cultivation
35 underground greenhouses for year-round cultivation
In any case, equipping the greenhouse with an automatic watering system, electricity, heating and lighting devices is mandatory. In some greenhouses where natural drainage is not possible, an electric sump pump is installed.
. Greenhouses underground can withstand winds, even hurricanes, and are not afraid of snow and hail.
Underground greenhouse on an organic farm in Wisconsin. The larger the size of your greenhouse, the more efficient it is, since the temperature inside a small greenhouse can fluctuate quite quickly.
View from the inside. In cold climates, north, east and west walls should be well insulated. In the north, the ceiling should also be well insulated.
When the roof is completely prepared, you can place it on the thermos greenhouse, attaching it to the front and back walls with nails and staples. After this, polycarbonate sheets are sewn over the staples.
For proper and efficient heating of the greenhouse and sufficient light reflection, the width of the greenhouse should not be more than 5 m. The length can be arbitrary.
This underground greenhouse is 850 sq.m. made of straw bales in Wisconsin.
This greenhouse is built on a hill in Tennessee, USA.
We told you about one of the most effective technologies for year-round cultivation of crops - using the heat of the earth, how to choose the right place and build a recessed thermos greenhouse.
Advice! Using thermal foil film, you will achieve a double result: you will save heat and, thanks to the reflective effect, you will make the most efficient use of both solar and electrical energy.
Fast self-sufficiency
This underground greenhouse is 850 sq.m. made of straw bales in Wisconsin.
This greenhouse is built on a hill in Tennessee, USA.
The interior of the greenhouse must be completely sealed and drafts are not allowed. Therefore, all cracks and seams in the foundation and thermal blocks are carefully plastered or foamed with polyurethane foam. There should also be no gaps in the roof.
It is advisable to orient the greenhouse to the west or east, so that one of its sides is well illuminated and warmed by sunlight, while the opposite side is reliably insulated using polystyrene foam or mineral wool.
Hiroshi Iguchi's underground greenhouse, Japan. It is obvious that the greenhouse is not completely closed
This hole for an underground greenhouse was dug in Texas. The ground here is hard and there is nothing to strengthen it.
We hope that the rich harvest grown in the submersible greenhouse will quickly recoup your construction costs! And the video in this article will tell you some nuances on this topic.
The 2 Most Important Factors When Designing an Underground Greenhouse
- Heating The simplest heat accumulator in a greenhouse can be water bottles. Due to the greenhouse effect, they do not cool down for a long time. This heating method is both cheap and the most labor-intensive - after all, cooled hot water in bottles must be changed periodically.
- . Although the construction of a submersible greenhouse is expensive and labor-intensive (digging a pit, pouring a foundation, constructing a staircase), the harvest obtained almost all year round pays for all costs. Moreover, with proper arrangement, in buried greenhouses you can grow almost any crop, including citrus fruits, without much effort.
Hiroshi Iguchi's underground greenhouse, Japan. It is obvious that the greenhouse is not completely closed
This hole for an underground greenhouse was dug in Texas. The ground here is hard and there is nothing to strengthen it.
Only high beds can be built in a thermos greenhouse, due to the design features of the greenhouse.
All edges of the pit for the future greenhouse must be carefully leveled so that you can either pour the foundation or lay concrete blocks along the edges. A thermos greenhouse will be installed on this base.
Here is another clay and straw greenhouse from New Mexico.
This is an earthen greenhouse in Patagonia. The bags form the walls, and the film goes much further behind them, protecting them from moisture.
Here is another clay and straw greenhouse from New Mexico.
This is an earthen greenhouse in Patagonia. The bags form the walls, and the film goes much further behind them, protecting them from moisture.
After this, electricity is supplied to the greenhouse, heating devices and an automatic watering system are installed, if necessary. The lack of lighting in the harsh Siberian regions will be filled with special LED lamps.
After preparing the foundation, you can begin building the upper part of the greenhouse, which will consist of thermal blocks that are installed on a concrete base and secured with a metal frame.
How to build a thermos greenhouse with your own hands?
Wall underground greenhouse.
You can dig a shallow drainage ditch around the perimeter of the greenhouse to drain rainwater.
How to build a greenhouse yourself?
Free-standing;
Step 1. Preparing the pit
Wall underground greenhouse.
You can dig a shallow drainage ditch around the perimeter of the greenhouse to drain rainwater.
Caring for a greenhouse involves promptly removing snow from the roof, unless a special vibrator has been installed. Snow must be removed very carefully so as not to damage the polycarbonate. On a glass roof, snow will melt and slide off on its own, since the thermal conductivity of glass is much higher than polycarbonate, as well as heat loss.
After installing the thermoblocks, you need to check how smoothly and correctly the roof will lie on them. All this must be done in advance, preparing the upper part of the structure for the future roof.
Step 2. Construction of walls
The semi-basement greenhouse is surrounded on both sides by a stone wall and the ground behind
Sometimes rainwater containers are placed at the back of the greenhouse to store more heat. Pay attention to the entrance vestibule on the right.
Step 3. Insulation and heating system
Care must be taken when waterproofing, draining and ventilating an underground greenhouse. The most efficient underground greenhouses have windows facing south and a wall facing north to retain heat. In this greenhouse they drilled a well for irrigation, the water does not freeze.
This is an underground greenhouse in Spetchley Gardens, UK. The entrance is visible on the right
The main thing is to protect the electrical cable from moisture and from shovels. A metal mesh or filling the cable with concrete will help you cope with this mission. You can even tile the greenhouse floor and grow plants in boxes, flowerpots or pots.
Step 4. Construction of the roof
Adjoining - most often, to any outbuilding.
The semi-basement greenhouse is surrounded on both sides by a stone wall and the ground behind
Sometimes rainwater containers are placed at the back of the greenhouse to store more heat. Pay attention to the entrance vestibule on the right.
The thermos greenhouse, thanks to its special design, is ideal for delicate seedlings, because they are completely protected from cold and temperature changes, which lead to plant stress. Therefore, in such a greenhouse you can successfully grow fruits, vegetables, berries, mushrooms, and even flowers.
To preserve heat in the greenhouse, the internal walls are covered with a special thermal insulation film. In very cold regions of Russia, you can use a special foil thermal film for these purposes, or even a double layer. The main task of such a reflective film is to maximize the retention of moisture, heat and carbon dioxide, which are essential for normal plant growth. It also serves as an additional light source.
Underground greenhouse embedded in a hill
This Valpini greenhouse is made from old windows.
source
This amazing couple bought a house with an old swimming pool and turned it into an “urban greenhouse.” They raise chickens and vegetables and fruits. Watch the video here: gardenpool.org
The inside of the underground greenhouse can be finished with stone, mud brick (adobe) or any other dense natural material, capable of absorbing large amounts of heat. Cold weather-tolerant crops such as lettuce, cabbage and broccoli can be grown here. Glazing creates a “greenhouse effect”. You are unlikely to be able to build such a greenhouse if you have a high groundwater level. Such a greenhouse can be built at least 1.5 m above the groundwater level.
Step 5. Arranging the inside of the greenhouse
Perhaps you are lucky and there is a natural slope from north to south on your plot, then it is best to set up a greenhouse there. The price of the structure when using the natural landscape is significantly reduced.
Underground greenhouse embedded in a hill
This Valpini greenhouse is made from old windows.
Reflective film provides sufficient illumination of the greenhouse even on the cloudiest day without additional expensive light sources, which also has a positive effect on the future harvest.
You can install additional heat accumulators in the greenhouse, the role of which will be perfectly played by bottles filled with water, which will quickly heat up and cool down slowly. You can also use a barrel of water for this.
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35 UNDERGROUND GREENHOUSES FOR YEAR-ROUND CULTIVATION
35 underground greenhouses for year-round cultivation
Underground greenhouses attached to masonry buildings are also extremely energy efficient!
This clay greenhouse is made in Poland. A lot of natural clay absorbs heat.
This is the operating principle of Mike Oehler's underground greenhouse. Mike digs a trench on the south side, which allows cold air to sink down and warm up in the warm soil. Many people install pipes in the ground to transfer heated air into the ground.
Roof construction. The frame on which the roof covering will be laid is usually constructed from wooden blocks impregnated with an antiseptic. The roof can be either single-pitched (easier to assemble) or gable.
Advice! It is desirable that one of the sides of the greenhouse faces south - it is in this position that solar energy is used to the maximum.
Underground greenhouses attached to masonry buildings are also extremely energy efficient!
This in-ground greenhouse was hand-dug in New Mexico.
Another way to heat a greenhouse is a heated floor system. To do this, the electrical cable is laid under the soil. To protect the cable from accidental damage, it is filled with a layer of concrete and soil is poured on top. Also, heated floors can be installed under tiles, and plants can be grown not in beds, but in boxes or flowerpots.
Straw is an excellent insulator (R-value 1.5 to 3 per inch). Manure underground will also help keep plants warm.
Walipini greenhouse in Ladakh, made of clay bricks, produces food all year round in a very harsh climate. More photos: ashdenawards.blogspot.com
At different latitudes we have different surface air temperatures, but the air temperature at a depth of 1.5-2.5 m remains unchanged at 10-15 degrees. The performance in your greenhouse will be better the deeper you plant it in the ground.
large amount of thermal mass (rock, soil, water),
And this is a type of underground walpini greenhouse, which is built by Indians in the mountains of South America (translated from Indian, walipini means “place of warmth”). When digging, the top layer of soil is laid on the bottom of the greenhouse, the rest is used as a new shaft on the north side. The windows are set at an angle of 90 degrees to the sun on the winter solstice, this will allow the greenhouse to store the most heat on those days when the sun shines the least hours.
For a gable roof, a ridge beam is installed. To do this, supports are placed in the center along the entire length of the greenhouse.
If your plot is flat, then the building is oriented to the cardinal points, like ordinary greenhouses - from east to west. In this case, you need to make sure in advance that groundwater does not accumulate at the site of the future construction, and drainage will be easy.
Straw is an excellent insulator (R-value 1.5 to 3 per inch). Manure underground will also help keep plants warm.
Walipini greenhouse in Ladakh, made of clay bricks, produces food all year round in a very harsh climate. More photos: ashdenawards.blogspot.com
At different latitudes we have different surface air temperatures, but the air temperature at a depth of 1.5-2.5 m remains unchanged at 10-15 degrees. The performance in your greenhouse will be better the deeper you plant it in the ground.
Experienced gardeners advise heating a thermos greenhouse using a combined method: partially warming the soil, partially warming the air. The optimal temperature regime for plants should be within 25 degrees in the ground and 25-35 degrees in the air, taking into account normal humidity. A good helper for support temperature regime In the greenhouse, Buleryan has proven itself - a device that can work both as a water circuit and as an air outlet. Therefore, it is better to place the pipes of this device partly for water and partly for air.
Frame made from old windows and straw bales. Place manure or compost at the bottom under a layer of fertile soil, this will help retain heat.
