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An Introduction to Greenhouse Technologies
Each gardener has a personal approach to the care of plants in greenhouses.
You may see it as an absorbing hobby that allows for personal expressions. You can also view it as a commercial venture that demands utmost attention. No matter what the personal attitude adopted in a greenhouse, you cannot deny that fact that it requires a certain level of knowledge to guarantee success. Here are the things that you should know about greenhouse technology.
Jumping into Modern Outdoor Structures
General Workings
Greenhouses are either indoor or outdoor structures that are made of either glass or plastic from the roof to the walls. These structures work on the principle that incoming solar heat energy is trapped inside while ensuring that very little of said energy is released. The heat energy provides the warmth necessary to make plants grow even in cold weather. Of course, other variables like water, fertilizer and pest management are very important in the success of the greenhouse as a year-round planting environment.
Sizes and Shapes
You can choose from small greenhouses resembling closets to large buildings rivaling the Eden Project. Basically, the factors that influence the choice for a greenhouse include the space in which it will be placed in, the gardening requirements and the available budget. Just keep in mind that it is often more difficult to control the variables in a large building than it is in a smaller greenhouse.
- Greenhouses also come in many shapes. You can choose from the Gothic arch, the gutter connected and the cold frame, to name a few examples. No matter the size and shape of the greenhouse selected, however, the same basic greenhouse gardening principles apply.
Principles of Success
Greenhouses require a certain level of care from the gardener in order to guarantee success. These principles start from choosing the site to maintaining the structure and the plants.
* Choose a site that is near sources of water and electricity to ensure that the heaters and misters will work as planned.
* Make sure that the greenhouse is on level ground to allow for even heat distribution.
* Orient the structure on an east-west axis to maximize the heat and the light coming from the sun. Trees must not block the sun’s rays from coming in to heat the greenhouse.
* Install the necessary accessories like heaters, misters and other gardening supplies. You may start with a few ten-gallon buckets as natural heaters but supplementing them with artificial heaters is a must.
* Opt for organic fertilizers when and where possible. You may use compost and compost tea for this purpose.
* Practice good pest management using organic methods. Often, vigilance is more effective than all the pesticides combined.
You will observe that all these principles can be had through reading books as well as through trial and error. The most important thing is that you just keep at it until such time that success in caring for plants the whole year round is yours to savor. Soon enough, you can practice your own brand of greenhouse gardening and you can introduce others to greenhouse technologies.
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