Greenhouse Breadbox: design features for growing vegetables

Greenhouse Breadbox: a functional design for growing vegetables

The choice of the greenhouse design, which is planned to be installed on the site, largely depends on the purposes that it should serve. The Breadbox greenhouse is one of the most common options, because it is easy to make with your own hands, and its design is suitable for growing many crops. Let’s consider the principle of independent construction of such greenhouses, as well as their characteristics and features.

The greenhouse Breadbox has a simple and easy-to-use design

Greenhouse Breadbox: design features

The frame of the greenhouse Breadbox is a structure consisting of three parts: the right and left half and the foundation. Adjustment of the microclimate inside is carried out by raising the side flaps through the use of hinged elements. You can make or buy a greenhouse Breadbox yourself, in which one or both parts will open at once.

The folding sides of the greenhouse allow easy access to plants

The most common use of structures that provide for the full opening of one part upwards. To do this, the hinges are installed on the lower frame of one of the sides. In order to be able to fix the frame in the desired position, a wooden beam is used, on the end section of which cuts are made.

Important! It is necessary to fix the sash in the open position with a wooden bar, because, otherwise, a strong wind can close it, which is unsafe for a summer resident.

This model got its name because of the similarity of the mechanism of operation with an ordinary bread box, the semicircular lid of which is raised. The axis of rotation of the upper part is located in the end part of the vertical pipe. At the same time, the sidewalls are tightly closed. In order to open the greenhouse, the rotary part is lifted up.

It is easy to make a greenhouse-breadbox with your own hands or purchase a ready-made design

Profile metal or hollow polyethylene pipes are used as a material for the manufacture of the frame, polycarbonate or film is used as a covering material. In case of wear or mechanical damage to the coating, it is easy to replace it completely or partially.

Advantages and disadvantages of the greenhouse Breadbox: user reviews

Many gardeners prefer this design, because it has a number of positive characteristics that determine the convenience of its installation and use. Let’s consider what positive aspects of the operation of the greenhouse Breadbox are found in user reviews:

• self-production of the frame using ready-made diagrams and drawings is available even for a beginner;
• easy assembly and installation in case of purchase of a ready-made greenhouse;
• the ability to replace individual parts of the covering material increases the life of the greenhouse;
• this design is suitable for growing almost any crops. The only exception is climbing plants;
• the greenhouse has a small weight;
• affordable price.

The greenhouse Breadbox is easily mounted on the site and is inexpensive

At the same time, this option has some disadvantages that are worth knowing about and taking them into account before making or buying such a greenhouse:

• for proper operation of the hinges, it is required to regularly inspect them and periodically lubricate them.;
• over time, you may encounter the appearance of a creak or jamming of the sash in the process of opening;
• a strong wind can cause the greenhouse to shift if one of the shutters is open;
• it will take 2-3 people to install a large greenhouse, since it will not be possible to cope with this on their own.

Useful advice! You can fix the brushes on the opening part of the greenhouse frame. Then dust and dirt will be automatically wiped off the surface every time it is opened.

Mini-greenhouse Breadbox can be installed directly into the ground without prior preparation

Practical tips on choosing a place to install a greenhouse Breadbox

In order for the harvest grown in such a greenhouse to please with its abundance and quality, even at the construction stage, you need to carefully approach the choice of a place to install a greenhouse. It is worth paying attention not only to its location relative to the cardinal directions, but also to the presence of bushes and trees nearby that can shade the greenhouse.

It is best to choose a place that is away from buildings. Thus, it is possible to ensure that the maximum amount of sunlight reaches the plants. Here are a few basic standards to adhere to:

• the distance to the nearest building should be at least 5 m;
• if there is a sauna, a sauna or a summer shower on the site, the distance between them and the greenhouse should be at least 8 m;
• if there is a septic tank, the required distance from it is 25 m.

The layout of the greenhouse according to the cardinal directions

Another important selection criterion is the flatness of the site on which you plan to build. In order to make sure of this, it is enough to use a simple construction level. Such a check is mandatory, as it eliminates the risk that the structure will be installed unevenly or skewed over time.

What plants can be grown in greenhouses of this type

The Breadbox greenhouse is well suited for growing many crops, however, among them there are those who will feel most comfortable in such a greenhouse:

• strawberries and strawberries;
• any greens: dill, parsley, sorrel, onion, garlic, etc.;
• carrots, beets, lettuce, lettuce.

A greenhouse is also suitable for tomatoes. However, due to the large size of the bushes, over time they must be transplanted into the open ground or a larger greenhouse.

For growing in a greenhouse, the breadbox is most suitable for greens, onions, garlic and other crops of small height

Useful advice! If you equip heating in the greenhouse, then it can be used not only in summer, but also in winter. So, fresh herbs and vegetables will be on your table all year round.

Characteristics and dimensions of the greenhouse Breadbox

The classic design of the greenhouse Breadbox is an arched frame made of a round metal or profile pipe. In order to make such a base yourself, it is necessary to cut the material according to what is indicated in the drawing. The covering material (polycarbonate or film) is bought separately and cut into pieces, the dimensions of which correspond to the openings in the frame.

If you purchase a ready-made design, then various manufacturers may offer some additional features designed to improve the usability of the greenhouse. For example, it can be legs designed to deepen into the ground, a curb to protect plantings.

Some models open from one side, and some from both, the centerline of rotation can be located on the lower frame or in the middle of the vertical end post. The differences between these models are clearly visible in the photos of hotbeds of Bread Boxes, which can be found on the Internet.

Standard sizes of the greenhouse Breadbox

The dimensions of such greenhouses have some limitations: the width of structures that open one part is up to 1.3 m, for two–sided – up to 2 m. The length, as a rule, ranges from 2-4 m, and the height from 0.5 to 1.5 m.

Useful advice! As a covering material, it is preferable to use polycarbonate, since it bends well, but at the same time has high strength. The film is more difficult to fix, it breaks more often and requires replacement after 1-2 seasons.

Greenhouse Breadbox with your own hands: drawings, features of the choice of material

In order to make a greenhouse with your own hands, you will need a drawing with precise instructions of all sizes, as well as the necessary materials. For this purpose, plastic or metal pipes, wooden bars, hinges, fasteners, covering material are used. The foundation will require bricks, boards, sleepers and wooden bars. The exact information about how much materials will be needed can be seen by reading the drawings and dimensions of the Fedorov greenhouse.

The assembly scheme of the greenhouse Breadbox with your own hands

If you are planning to assemble a metal frame, you will need a pipe bend, a metal hacksaw, a drill and a welding machine. To work with wooden elements, it is necessary to have a saw, a hammer, a screwdriver and a knife.

You can make a wooden structure, however, it turns out to be heavier, bulkier and requires regular maintenance from the owner. For this option, spruce or aspen bars are used, the size of which is 40×40 or 50×50.

Useful advice! For wooden greenhouses, metal strapping of bars is used at the bolt attachment points to extend the operational life of the greenhouse. So, the hinges will be fixed more securely.

The ideal material for the manufacture of such a greenhouse is profiled metal pipes, the wall thickness of which is at least 1.5 mm, and each side is 2 cm. With this combination, the design turns out to be as strong and durable as possible, but at the same time light. It is worth considering that it will not work independently with such material without the presence of a special tool and skills. In order to bend the pipe, you need a pipe bending machine and a welding machine to connect the individual parts.

The frame made of profiled metal pipes will be more durable compared to others

Another option is to use polyethylene pipes for the frame, which are inferior to metal ones in terms of stiffness. Moreover, if you choose the wrong diameter of the pipes, the greenhouse will turn out to be unstable and will not be able to hold its shape. It is important to maintain a balance here: thin pipes will not give the structure the necessary strength, and too thick ones will bend badly and cause excessive residual stress in the pipe.

Greenhouse Breadbox with your own hands: drawings, dimensions, instructions for manufacturing

The first thing you need to create a greenhouse Breadbox is a drawing. But the construction work begins with the preparation of the foundation. This will require wood (timber and sleepers), bricks and concrete. It is necessary to start by determining the desired size and marking of the beds. The trench is dug to a width of 20-30 cm and a depth of 40-50 cm . From sand and crushed stone, you need to make a pillow about 10-15 cm high.

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The next stage is laying bricks using mortar around the perimeter or creating a formwork. Then concrete is poured inside and given time to dry. After that, the boards must be removed, and the mortar drips from the masonry must be cleaned. Then you can proceed to the installation and fixing of the greenhouse. It is important that the size of the foundation exactly matches the size of the lower frame of the greenhouse. To do this, you need to use a drawing with dimensions. The greenhouse Breadbox in this case will turn out to be durable and stable.

The installation of a greenhouse on the site begins with the preparation of the foundation

Another option for creating the basis for a greenhouse is a wooden foundation. This option is good because it can be easily dismantled and, if necessary, moved to another location. To build it, you will need 150×150 bars, which you need to lay out along the perimeter of the bed, deepening them into the soil by 5-10 cm and fastening the corners with bolts. A greenhouse is installed on top and attached in several places.

Useful advice! To create a natural greenhouse heating, you can fill it with organic garbage from both sides. Hay, dry leaves, grass and manure will release heat, naturally warming the soil.

Step-by-step instructions for creating a polycarbonate breadbox greenhouse

In order to make a greenhouse opening from one side, the length of which will be 4 m, width – 1 m, and height 0.5 m, the following set of materials will be required:

• profile pipes 20x20x1.5: 2 pcs. 4 m long, 2 pcs. – 1.6 m, 3 pcs– – 3.96 m, 8 pcs– – 1 m;
• 2 hinges, self-tapping screws and bolts for fastening elements together;
• 2 sheets of polycarbonate, size 2.1 x 6 m, thickness 6-8 mm;
• paint for metal.

The dimensions and design of the greenhouse Breadbox allow you to install it even on a small plot

Useful advice! For the manufacture of a greenhouse, it is preferable to use polycarbonate, which has protection from ultraviolet radiation. It is able not only to protect seedlings from the effects of aggressive sunlight, but also to retain heat inside the structure for longer.

Using a pipe bend, it is necessary to prepare 2 arcs of 1 m length for the moving part of the greenhouse and 2 arcs of 1.6 m each for the side parts of the frame. In this case, the diameter of the circle should be 1 m. Using a regular marker, the middle should be marked on the sides.

The lower frame is assembled from two pipes of 3.96 m and two-meter parts, which are welded together at the corners. The seams must be cleaned. With the help of a welding machine, sidewalls are welded to the finished lower frame. Then you need to fix the end posts in the middle of the side and bottom elements. As a guide, you can use the drawing of the Breadbox greenhouse, which displays a model of a suitable size.

The holes for the hinges must be from the outside. A blank made of 3.96 m pipes should be welded to the marked middle of the sidewalls. At this point, the frame part can be considered ready.

1. The foundation. 2. Metal crutch. 3. The outer sector of the prism. 4. The inner sector of the prism.

In order to make a moving part of the structure, side arcs and two transverse bars with a length of 4 m are welded together. The axial slats, which provide opening by means of hinges, are also welded to the frame. Each axial bar should be cut at an angle of 45 °, then weld them together. The corners must be cleaned at the same time.

For hinges, holes are made on the inside of the slats, after which they are installed on the end posts. The moving part is hung and checked for serviceability of movement. After that, it remains only to paint the frame and make sure that the foundation is ready for the installation of a greenhouse.

Important! Before you start welding the elements, it is recommended to check the verticality and horizontality of each part using a level.

Greenhouse Polycarbonate breadbox with your own hands: finishing works

If polycarbonate is used as a covering material, then it must first be cut. You will need 4 parts for the sidewalls of the frame, 1 part for the blind and 1 part for the moving sash. You can fix the material on the frame using conventional screws, using rubber washers for reliability.

Polycarbonate is perfect for sheltering the frame of a greenhouse due to its lightness and plasticity

Fixing the greenhouse to the foundation is necessarily carried out in several places. If the foundation is made of wood, then staples are suitable for this purpose, and if made of brick or concrete, then screws.

As you can see, with some experience and a drawing, a polycarbonate Breadbox greenhouse with your own hands is quite a feasible task even for a beginner. The main thing is to observe the recommended dimensions of the Fedorov greenhouse, and to ensure reliable fastening of all its elements.

Polycarbonate Breadbox greenhouse: prices and features of finished structures

It is possible that it will not be much more expensive to buy a polycarbonate Breadbox greenhouse than to make it yourself, given the purchase of all the necessary materials, as well as the efforts spent on the work. Therefore, before making a decision, it is recommended to consider the option of purchasing a finished product.

As examples, let’s consider two options that are on sale, paying attention to their features and prices. The hotbeds of the Breadbox, as a rule, have the same design, and therefore their price directly depends on the quality and quantity of materials used for manufacturing.

If you do not have enough experience to make a greenhouse with your own hands, you can purchase a ready-made product

The Teplichka company offers its customers a polycarbonate greenhouse. The length of such a structure is 2 m, and the width is 1.2 m. The height of the greenhouse is 0.84 m. To install such a greenhouse, a foundation made of wooden beams is quite suitable. A profile pipe with a cross section of 20x20x1.0 mm is used for the frame. The distance between the arcs is 1 meter. The price of the greenhouse, taking into account the cost of polycarbonate, is 5500 rubles.

Another popular option is the Snail greenhouse, which is arranged according to the same principle and has one opening flap. The product is made of 20×20 mm steel pipe, the strength coefficient of which is extremely high. The cost of this model in the amount of 2,1×1,1×0,75 m is 5000 rubles. At the same time, the frame can be painted gray or green, which will allow the greenhouse to fit into the surrounding design as organically as possible and be not only functional, but also a beautiful element of the site.

Regardless of whether you decide to make a greenhouse Breadbox with your own hands, or purchase a ready-made design, it is perfect for growing seedlings of any plants. By opening one or two doors, you will get comfortable access inside the greenhouse and will be able to carry out watering and fully care for the plants that are in it.