Greenhouse Cooling And Temperature Ranges

August 31st, 2006 by Greenthumb

Most people who own a greenhouse and plan on using it in the summer or live in a hot climate will need some type of cooling system.  Depending on what you plan to grow you will find that a greenhouse cooling system will probably be necessary to achieve optimal growing conditions.

It is a good thing to be able to control the temperatures in your greenhouse.  If the temperatures vary too much and do not fall within the guidelines below you may experience slower growth and other problems.

When growing tropical plants or plants grown for their fruit like tomatoes or citrus, you will want to establish higher greenhouse temperatures. Keep the greenhouse between 60-85 degrees.

If you want to grow green leafy vegetables you will need a greenhouse ventilation system that keeps the greenhouse at 45-70 degrees.  This temperature range is also appropriate for over wintering plants, maintaining shrubs or growing cool weather vegetables.

It is next to impossible to keep every spot in the greenhouse at the same temperature.  You will find that there will be hot or cold spots in every greenhouse.  You can still use these areas if you realize where they are and use them to your growing advantage.

Greenhouse cooling can be achieved by using fans, shade cloth, doors, windows or vents, but to truly cool your greenhouse in the summer, you may need an evaporative cooler.  Check with an online greenhouse site and they will be able to help you choose a greenhouse cooling system.

A greenhouse cooling system will help you to be successful in your greenhouse.

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Greenhouse Misting: Is It Important?

August 28th, 2006 by Greenthumb

There are many factors that are important when putting together a successful greenhouse structure.  You need to have the proper size, good placement, adequate cooling and heating, good ventilation.  Greenhouse misting is indeed an important consideration when it comes to adding humidity and cooling your greenhouse.

Since there are so many things that affect every plant that is grown in a greenhouse you should factor in all of the things listed above.  There are steps you can take to make your greenhouse gardening as productive as possible.

When it comes to humidity you need to employ proper misting.  This will ensure a comfortable and healthy environment for all your plants.  When evaporation uses up heat it turns water into a gas from a liquid.  Because of greenhouse venting much of the needed moisture is lost when it escapes into the air.  This is where greenhouse misting comes in because it can replace the moisture that is lost.

A misting system can reduce temperatures in the greenhouse. When you use a greenhouse misting system you can lower the temperatures by as much as twenty-five degrees F.  This is about 14 degrees Celsius. 

Greenhouse misting is affected by several factors.  How must moisture is needed depends on the ventilation and shading and also the local climate and weather conditions.  The fluctuations in daily weather will make a difference in how much moisture is needed, too.

A greenhouse misting system is advantageous when you want to make sure the humidity level in the greenhouse is just where it should be.

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Greenhouses: A Few Do’s And Don’ts

August 25th, 2006 by Greenthumb

Now the greenhouse has arrived and is in place.  Here are a few do’s and don’ts for the greenhouse owner:

Do’s:

Always be willing to experiment.  You never know what you will come up with when you take the time to try something new.

Give yourself enough time every week in the greenhouse.  If you do not have enough time to work in your greenhouse you may not have time to do the preventative maintenance needed to steer clear of disease and pest infestations.

Take a class or read up on greenhouse growing. There are garden centers that offer classes as well as helpful magazines, books and videos. Purchase the Greenhouse Gardener’s Companion. It is the most comprehensive greenhouse book on the market.

Watch for plants that are diseased or infected with pests.  You need to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Make sure your greenhouse is clean, organized and in good repair.

Don’ts:

It is quite a responsibility to own a greenhouse.  Don’t leave your plants without care.

Don’t feel you need to start your greenhouse experience with the most difficult of plants. If you start by growing hard to germinate seeds, you may get discouraged. Try some easy plants like marigolds, snap dragons, lettuce, and beans.

Don’t bring diseased or infested plants into your greenhouse. Disease can spread quickly in a moist humid greenhouse environment.

Greenhouses are a wonderful way to encourage a green thumb and these few do’s and don’ts will help you on your way.

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Greenhouse Cooling: Why Is It Necessary

August 21st, 2006 by Greenthumb

There are many things to consider when you are buying a greenhouse.  You need to make sure you have the correct size for your needs, you will want to decide on ventilation and watering systems and it would be wise to also consider greenhouse cooling.

One of the first considerations for greenhouse cooling is to decide what you will be growing.  The necessity for greenhouse cooling may increase depending on the things you plan to grow. Once your greenhouse temperature exceeds 85 degrees F, some plants may be stressed from the excessive heat.

Your greenhouse cooling requirements may also depend on the climate you live in.  If you live in a cooler climate you may not have a concern with greenhouse cooling until summer arrives.

Greenhouse cooling is usually necessary in one form or another and there is more than one way to achieve the cooling you desire.  You can make sure you provide a natural cross-flow ventilation and increase humidity.  Think about achieving cross ventilation with fans, vents, or doors.  You can also use windows or misting systems.

The larger the greenhouse the more you will need in the way of a cooling system.  You may want more than one fan and you also may need a misting system.  When you use a fan you should always try to pull the air the full length of the greenhouse and then exhaust the air to the outside.

 The employees at The Greenhouse Catalog can answer your questions and help you choose the best greenhouse cooling system for your needs. For more useful information about greenhouse cooling follow this link.

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Facts About Greenhouse Misting

August 17th, 2006 by Greenthumb

For those gardeners who have greenhouses a misting system is a good idea to help keep your greenhouse cool in the heat of summer.  Greenhouse misting also helps keep your greenhouse humid for successful growing.

Proper misting will provide the right amount of humidity. Humidity can vary quite a bit depending on where the greenhouse is built, shade available, daily weather and the part of the country where the greenhouse is located. Be careful not to get your greenhouse too humid. Humidity in the range of 45 to 60 percent is ideal. Excessive humidity can create an environment that fosters disease.

A greenhouse misting system can be used to dispense water in a spray or ultra-fine mist. You can control the spray depending on the nozzle you use as well as the spacing of the nozzle. Operating pressure is also a consideration.

A greenhouse misting system may utilize a pump which is designed for continuous or intermittent watering. A continuous greenhouse misting system will do exactly as the name implies while the intermittent system is designed to sprinkle water for a specific amount of time and then will rest for a specified time before it begins again.

The greenhouse misting system of today has a pump that is very quiet. Because the pump is not noisy it will not affect the plants or any people near the greenhouse.

A greenhouse misting system will provide your greenhouse plants with the humidity and coolness needed on a hot and dry summer day.

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Building Greenhouses

August 16th, 2006 by Greenthumb

If you want to build a greenhouse there are a few tips that you will want to follow.  The tips listed below will allow you to build greenhouses that are of high quality, and will give you the results that you want.

1. Before you decide to build your greenhouse make sure that you have the area mapped out.  This way you will know how much space you have, as well as what types of material you need.  Some people pass up this step and end up buying supplies that do not suit their needs.

2. Building greenhouses is much easier if you have a plan to work from.  A plan will allow you to know where to start, how to progress, and where to finish.  In addition, a plan will also ensure that the greenhouses you build are up to specifications.  This will ensure durability and functionality; two things that are very important.

3. Greenhouses are not hard to build, but doing it on your own may be a bit difficult.  So before you start building your greenhouse, make sure that you know somebody who can help you out before you get started.  This can help make the job go much smoother, and in some cases quicker.

Overall, if you follow the three basic steps above you will be building quality greenhouses in no time at all.  These are only three of the minor steps that go into building greenhouses, but they are a great place to start every project.

 

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Greenhouses

August 15th, 2006 by Greenthumb

If you are interested in greenhouses, you are definitely not alone.  Thousands of people from all over the world use greenhouses so that they can enjoy the hobby they love year round. 

If you are looking into greenhouses and are thinking about building one, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind.

First off, even though greenhouses do not have to be very large, they will still take up some space.  This means that before you start building the best thing to do would be to check out the space that you have available.  This will give you a good idea about what size greenhouse you can build, as well as where to start.

In addition, greenhouses need a good location in your yard. An area that gets a lot of sun is the best. You may need to trim or cut down trees to make the spot work. If you only have a shaded area to put a greenhouse, you will have to consider the cost of adding grow lights to your unit. The great thing about grow light is that they allow you to grow just about anything you want any time of the year.

Finally, make sure you have easy access to electricity and water. These are two of the most vital components you will need to keep you plants thriving in your greenhouse. Electricity will power your fans all year and possibly a heater in the winter. Air movement is vital for healthy plants!

Overall, greenhouses offer many benefits to their owners.  Just make sure that before you get started you have found a location that will ensure you have a successful experience down the road. 

More tips for preparing your greenhouse site 

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Greenhouse Tips to Prevent Disease

August 14th, 2006 by Greenthumb

Since the hobby greenhouse industry has begun to take off, more and more people are searching for greenhouse tips to help them have more success growing their prize winning plants. One frustrating problem that new greenhouse hobbyists encounter is managing pests and disease. You may wonder why you had wonderful plants and results your first year and suddenly, during the next season, your plants are all in ill health. If this sounds familiar, please read the greenhouse tips below.

Here are a few greenhouse tips that you will want to rely on to help keep your greenhouse disease-free.

1. Proper maintenance is very important when it comes to greenhouses.  Keep up both the inside and the outside of the structure by cleaning the covering with a diluted bleach and water solution to kill any disease that might be lurking in your greenhouse.  It is also a good idea to clean the frame and all your pots as well. Remember the humid environment of a greenhouse can be a breeding ground for more than just plants if you do not keep it clean!

2. Do not compost your dead or ailing plants! Okay, you can compost them, but don’t use that compost in your greenhouse. It is just not worth taking any chances that you might re-introduce disease into your greenhouse. If you want healthy plants, start with healthy soil!

3. It’s a great idea to reuse pots. You will be helping the environment and saving money at the same time! Just remember to clean your pots with hot water and a diluted bleach solution before you reuse them.

4. If you spot pests or disease on your plants, take care of it immediately before it gets out of hand. I have seen more white fly infestations than I would like to count. The best way to prevent any infestation is to take preventitive measures. Use a organic spray such as FlowerPharm and sticky traps to keep pests at bay.

Just remember in order to get great results, you must work at it. Don’t get discouraged, fight back. Remember to do your “GREEN”-housekeeping so you have a bountiful harvest every season!

 

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Greenhouse Tips

August 9th, 2006 by Greenthumb

If you are searching for greenhouse tips you are not alone.  Thousands of people own greenhouses, but the majority of them are not getting what they want from them.  In order to find greenhouse tips that suit your needs, there are three places that you can check. 

1. One of the best ways to find greenhouse tips is by talking to other hobby greenhouse growers.  You can find hobby greenhouse growers chating online in newsgroups, and they are often happy to help people with questions. If you have friends or neighbors who use greenhouses that is even better. This way you will be taking to someone who is growing in your same climate. Check with your local extension agency (most have a Master Gardening program). They may have resources or be able to refer you to other greenhouse growers in your area.

2. With the recent rise in the popularity of greenhouses, finding tips online is relatively easy.  Simply search for greenhouse tips and you will have more resources at your fingertips than you ever thought.  Just make sure that the sites you are dealing with are actual greenhouse users.

3. My favorite resource is getting greenhouse tips from a local nursery.  If they are using greenhouses of their own, they will have a lot of first hand experience what does well in a greenhouse in your area and how to care for specific plants. Ask if they have any tips that you can use, or any literature on the subject.  Chances are that they will be able to give you lots of helpful information.

Finding greenhouse tips does not have to be a difficult task.  If you check the three resources listed above, you will have plenty of greenhouse tips to browse through in no time at all. 

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Greenhouse Kits – What you get

August 7th, 2006 by Greenthumb

If you are looking into greenhouse kits, chances are that you may have some reservations.  And for most people, these reservations are based around what they receive with greenhouse kits.  Unfortunately the answer to this question is never the same because all greenhouse kits are different; each one is unique which means that each one has different features.

One thing that is included in all greenhouse kits is directions on how to complete the job.  These are very important because they will help you out from start to finish.  This means that you will never be out in the dark when building your greenhouse. It is a good idea to ask for a copy of the directions or at least a sample page of the directions so you get an idea about how they are written.

All greenhouse kits also come with the building materials that you need.  This includes the panels that will make up the structure, as well as features such as opening windows and doorways.  Remember, each greenhouse kit is different so you will need to do your research before you make a purchase.

Finally, keep in mind that most greenhouse kits do not include accessories in the basic price.  Make sure to account for any accessory values when comparing greenhouse kits. You can find some greenhouses that include bench frames and hanging rods so be sure to consider the cost of adding those features when comparing greenhouses. This way you will be able to determine if you are getting a good value for your money. 

Overall, greenhouse kits make for great buys.  Just make sure that before you buy anything that you know what you are getting.  Not all greenhouse kits are the same, so it can be easy to get confused. Do your homework, and you should have no problem finding a greenhouse kit that is right for you!

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