The “Cucumber” greenhouse is one of the most beloved by modern summer residents. It fits perfectly into the garden design and creates a favorable microclimate for plants during the summer season. Despite its modest height (only a meter), “Cucumber” is ideal for seedlings that will then need to be planted in open ground. And this greenhouse occupies less than 5 meters. And it costs, of course, much less than any human-sized greenhouse. So, the Cucumber greenhouse is a small-sized protective structure for growing seedlings. Its dimensions are 1x4.8x1.1 m. Its covering is ordinary plastic film, which, of course, will need to be removed for the winter. You can grow cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, and even flowers. Neither frost nor birds will be scary, and enterprising summer residents even manage to organize a whole cycle of growing early crops in this greenhouse: radishes, for example, or lettuce.
Greenhouse "Cucumber": overview of characteristics
“Cucumber” is loved by modern summer residents. It has a rather modest height - only one meter. But this helps it fit perfectly into the design of the garden. At the same time, the building copes well with its functions: in it you can grow seedlings that are then planted outside, or plant cucumbers, which bear fruit well all season, regardless of the weather.
In total, the greenhouse occupies 5 meters, its parameters are 1x4.8x1.1 m. Moreover, such small-sized structures cost much less than greenhouses. And the microclimate that the greenhouse creates is no worse than in a greenhouse.
The frame of the greenhouse is a galvanized steel profile. But the base can be wooden, plastic or metal. In any case, everything is designed so that the film is securely attached to the frame. There are also special slats for convenient opening and closing of the greenhouse.
Covering material for greenhouse
It is usually covered with plastic wrap and removed for the winter. Of course, the greenhouse can be covered with reinforced film; it is also often used by gardeners. The cost of such a film will be higher, but it will also last much longer. Another advantage is that the reinforced film does not need to be removed for the winter.
Another option for covering material for a greenhouse is cellular polycarbonate. It has its advantages:
- high strength;
- ease;
- transparent polycarbonate;
- the greenhouse does not need to be disassembled for the winter;
- with polycarbonate, the greenhouse has excellent flexibility and decent thermal insulation;
- not afraid of the vagaries of the weather.
What plants can be grown in a “Cucumber” greenhouse?
The “Cucumber” greenhouse is suitable for growing completely different plants, such as flowers, cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants and, of course, cucumbers. This structure protects seedlings from cold, birds, and pests. In early spring, summer residents like to grow early crops in a greenhouse, such as radishes, lettuce, onions for greens, etc.
As a rule, plants are planted in a greenhouse early, so the harvest is harvested half a month earlier than crops growing in open ground.
Selecting a site for installation
Such a greenhouse takes up minimal space
A few basic installation rules will help you take advantage of all the positive properties of a greenhouse:
- To place the “Cucumber” greenhouse, choose an open, well-lit place, unshaded by vegetation or buildings. Plants can receive the maximum amount of early spring sun in a greenhouse installed near the southern wall. The wall will release the heat accumulated during the day at night, while at the same time protecting against cold northern winds. In such a place, all plants develop and mature much faster.
- The structure is installed with its end sides facing sunrise and west. This way the vegetables will receive maximum light and heat.
- In the spring, seedlings should be protected as much as possible from cold air currents and drafts.
Features of greenhouse assembly and disadvantages of “Cucumber”
The “Cucumber” greenhouse kit includes:
- arc extensions (14 pcs.);
- parts for free slats (8 pcs.);
- arcs (7 pcs.);
- screws and nuts (110 pcs.);
- hooks for thread (8 pcs.);
- parts for the crossbar (6 pcs.);
- special nylon thread;
- clamps for covering material (22 pieces).
The kit also includes detailed assembly instructions with illustrations.
The packaged “Cucumber” greenhouse is lightweight, compact, easy to transport, and will even fit in the trunk of a car.
The greenhouse is assembled using screws and nuts. This takes little time - about 1-1.5 hours. The greenhouse frame has one longitudinal crossbar and arcs. The covering material is attached using special cords. The arcs can simply be stuck into the ground or attached with screws to the boards.
The most pleasant thing about assembling the “Cucumber” greenhouse is that it goes perfectly, all the holes match, the parts fit together. Thanks to this, the greenhouse can be conveniently moved to other places.
Important: when installing a greenhouse on a bed (“Cucumber”) under film in the spring, it must be closed immediately so that the ground warms up before planting the seeds or seedlings.
It is sold as a ready-made kit and is easy to transport and install. In this case, it is better to choose open, sunny areas for installation. Due to its many advantages, the “Cucumber” greenhouse is very popular; reviews about it are mostly positive, but such greenhouses are also not without drawbacks. For example, the kit does not include film; it must be purchased separately. And this, of course, is extra costs. As a rule, the kit comes with a colored polyethylene coating, but it is not suitable as a covering material.
Also, the disadvantages of greenhouses include:
- limited volume of production;
- You cannot walk on it at full height.
Disadvantages of mass-produced models
You can make the “cucumber” yourself or buy a ready-made kit. Serially produced models easily fit into a regular car and do not require special care during transportation. But they are not without their drawbacks . there is no film included . It will have to be purchased separately. The cost of a greenhouse in this case increases significantly in comparison with a building made by yourself.
Sometimes covering material is included in the kit, but its quality and color are not always what is necessary for the full operation of the future greenhouse.
The production model usually contains short-lived covering material. It only lasts for one season.
Self-modernization of the greenhouse "Cucumber"
Experienced gardeners who already use the “Cucumber” greenhouse advise modernizing it a little:
- arcs are buried 25 cm into the ground;
- the outer arcs are aligned using a rope that is tied to them;
- intermediate arcs are also aligned along it;
- To ensure that the nuts are tightened tightly, you can use a bicycle wrench;
- if strong winds blow in the area where the greenhouse is installed, it is better to purchase reinforced film or sew a special cover from it. It’s good if there are two of them (if the first one is damaged, you can quickly put on the second one);
- Skilled summer residents also make greenhouses that open upward to ventilate seedlings on hot days.
Purpose and advantages and effective use of a greenhouse
If in the future there are no plans to cultivate tall plants, then the “Cucumber” greenhouse may well replace large greenhouses. For growing seedlings, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, and protecting them from spring frosts, such a small structure is quite enough.
You can use the Cucumber greenhouse for small plants all year round. Low-growing vegetables and even flowers will fit comfortably inside.
You can increase the intensity of its operation using several growing cycles. For example, having sowed greens very early, after harvesting them, seedlings of peppers and tomatoes are planted in a greenhouse or cucumbers are sown.
The advantages of this design include:
- small dimensions;
- ability to adjust ventilation;
- mobility.
In summer, during a period of great heat, the temperature rises greatly under a non-ventilated film cover, creating unfavorable conditions for vegetables.
Therefore, it is good if on hot days the greenhouse can be completely removed. But in August, when prolonged rains begin, cold nights set in and the growth and ripening of fruits stops, dew settles on the plants, provoking fungal diseases, the greenhouse is returned to its place.
In the same way, vegetables are protected from the first autumn frosts, extending the fruiting period by 2-4 weeks.
In addition, the “Cucumber” greenhouse increases productivity by 20-30% and helps preserve the marketability of vegetable crops and flowers.
DIY “cucumber”
You can make a “Cucumber” greenhouse yourself. First of all, you need to competently make a drawing of the future structure and choose the place where it will stand. The installation site should be sunny, without drafts or tall trees.
Making a greenhouse yourself will help save your budget. At the same time, building it is very simple, you just need to buy all the necessary materials in a specialized store.
The construction itself will not take much time. You need to install extension cords at the ends of the arcs, then bury them in the ground. The arcs are installed at the same height, and a crossbar is attached to the top using bolts - this is the basis of the greenhouse.
The covering material is pulled over the frame and secured using pre-prepared clamps.
Gardeners are very fond of building a “Cucumber”, which has an open top - a “Cucumber” premium greenhouse. Working in such a greenhouse is quite convenient.
In general, such a structure is a durable and practical greenhouse, which has long been recognized by gardeners.
Advantages
Of course, you should understand that such a small “Cucumber” greenhouse cannot be compared with a full-fledged greenhouse in which you can move freely and stand at full height. But still, it has a lot of advantages:
- Easy to assemble. Below you can read exactly how to assemble such a greenhouse at home with your own hands.
- Low cost. On average, a kit sold in a store without covering material will cost you about two thousand rubles. And if you decide to make a greenhouse with your own hands, it will be cheaper, because some of the necessary materials may already be present on your site.
- Light weight and compact when packaged. Thus, the greenhouse can be easily moved to your site or moved in the desired direction.
- The ability to choose the type and material of the covering when you build a greenhouse yourself. This choice will depend on what plants will be in the small greenhouse and how long you intend to use it.
In general, experienced summer residents and gardeners, over the course of their experience, have found an excellent way to cover such greenhouses. They advise sewing removable covers for such small structures that can be used several times. Such devices will speed up the process of assembling and cleaning the greenhouse. You can also take care of a spare case and use it in case the main one goes out of use.
Such a greenhouse, which is called “Cucumber,” can fit perfectly into any design of your site. So this will bring, in addition to benefits, additional aesthetic pleasure.
Among the advantages of the design is its lightness: that is why it can be moved around the site and installed in any place convenient for you. Also, due to its compactness, it can be placed anywhere. The entire structure will not take up much space - a maximum of five square meters, and it will not reach more than one and a half meters in height.
Greenhouse "Cucumber": reviews from summer residents
- This greenhouse has proven itself well for a long time. It is very convenient, small, light. Withstands even strong winds. At the same time, it is quite convenient to arrange and fold. From early spring to late autumn you can grow not only cucumbers, but also various greens. It’s better to use reinforced film rather than simple film - it has a much longer service life.
- The greenhouse “Cucumber” is simply a miracle! Compact, convenient, with a strong frame and reliable fastenings. It assembles quickly, everything is elementary.
- The “Cucumber” greenhouse is great not only for growing cucumbers, you can grow tomatoes, herbs, flower seedlings and much more in it. The main thing is that it does not take up much space in the garden. Despite the fact that it is very light, it does not turn over even in strong winds. In general, an excellent helper during the gardening season, any gardener will like it.
In this article, we examined the features of such a useful structure for vegetable growers as the “Cucumber” greenhouse.
