Dreaming at times to increase the yield on their summer cottage or backyard, each gardener sooner or later thinks about purchasing a hotbed or greenhouse. But such structures, which look alike at first glance, differ significantly from each other. Let’s talk about what is called the hotbed, and what is called the greenhouse, and what is the difference between them. So, there are two main types of greenhouses: hotbed and greenhouse, each of which is designed to increase yields in adverse climatic conditions.
What was the first – hotbed or greenhouses?
The first people started using hotbed. These were fairly simple structures that received most of the heat from the sun, and an additional one from ordinary manure, on top of which seedlings were planted in the spring. The height of such greenhouses was about half a meter, and they were covered with small glass frames.
When did the greenhouses appear?
The greenhouses were the prototypes of the greenhouses – the rooms in which various exotic plants that could not withstand the harsh climatic conditions were grown and propagated. The first glass greenhouses with stove heating were built in the late 16th century in France. And only with the passage of time glass greenhouses replaced the greenhouses – heavy metal structures, as a rule, whose weight was beyond.
The rise of plastic film contributed a lot to the growth of greenhouses: due to its versatility and low weight, the greenhouse frames became lighter, without losing any strength. Nowadays, glass is almost never used – almost all greenhouses and greenhouses are covered with foil or more modern covering materials, such as cellular polycarbonate and spunbond.
What is different from hotbed greenhouses?
To answer this question, you should, for a start, figure out which building is called the hotbed, and what we call a greenhouse.
What is called hotbed?
The hotbed is called a small structure, the height of which, as a rule, does not exceed 1.3 meters. In the hotbed, artificial heating is almost never used – they are heated by the energy of the sun and natural biological heating (heat generated during the decomposition of manure, humus). In the hotbed there are no doors; To get normal access to the plants in the hotbed, you must remove or open its top or side.
The hotbed can be stationary and portable, but they are practically not used for growing adult plants – most often they grow seedlings. Although, sometimes portable hotbed is used as a temporary shelter for heat-loving crops or freshly transplanted seedlings. In early spring, while it is still cold, the seedlings planted in the ground may die if not covered. And inside the hotbed, the air heats up quickly, making it easy for any plant to tolerate slight frosts.
What is a greenhouse?
Greenhouse is the construction of protected ground. Its optimum height is about 2, 5 meters, but often there are higher greenhouses, in which not only people can freely be, but also agricultural machinery. Small ready-made greenhouses are mainly built or installed on small household and summer cottages and plots.
They are heated in summer conditions mainly with the help of solar heat. Although in greenhouses artificial heating can be used, and there is equipment that automatically maintains not only the temperature, but also the humidity of the soil, as well as air.
You can grow seedlings in greenhouses all year round. This is made possible by gas, electric and wood heating sources. The first priority is to warm the soil. For example, if the soil in the greenhouse warms up, mainly due to the decomposition of organic matter, followed by heating the air under the film, then in the greenhouses with artificial heating, the air and the soil are heated separately. Regardless of what kind of greenhouse heating you prefer, its implementation will require certain financial costs – often quite impressive.
Given all the features and differences, to answer unequivocally the question of what is better: a hotbed or greenhouse, is simply impossible. It depends on your crop requirements, on climatic conditions and – not least – on financial possibilities.
And on your site there is a hotbed or greenhouse? What did you choose and why? Share your opinion in the comments.
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