Controlling The Temperature Inside Your Greenhouse
Incorrect temperature and airflow inside the greenhouse results in withering, diseases, and stunted plant growth. There are four components to control the temperature inside the greenhouse.
Ventilation – this is achieved by having vents in the greenhouse. Vents could either be a combination of roof vents, side vents, and the door. While roof vents are good at releasing hot air that rises to the roof, side vents are needed to increase low level ventilation. Side doors could be good ways to manage airflow but often, this will not suffice especially in areas where there is high humidity and hot temperatures. Typically, greenhouse manufacturers install the correct number of vents in the greenhouse if you choose not to build your own.
Ventilation that is operated manually is good for small greenhouses though most greenhouses today especially those that are fairly large are equipped with automatic ventilation systems that are thermostatically controlled. This way guess work regarding weather conditions are eliminated and the green house is maintained at it optimum temperature as required by the plants.
Fans – are needed to bring the warm air back into the plants for fresh supply of carbon dioxide. Stagnant air inside the greenhouse causes mildews and other plant diseases that you would want to avoid. The roof will need an additional fan for air stratification. Pulling down the warm air back to the plants is even more important during cold seasons for maintaining warm temperatures. Installing a roof fan reduces heating costs. In many areas, proper ventilation and fans alone will not complete the cooling of the greenhouse; misting and shading are needed.
Shading – Shading is needed to make adjustments in the plants exposure to sunlight. While too little shading could cause the plants to reach out for more sun, too much could wither it. Shading will depend largely on the kind of plant that is grown of the local climate and the design of the green house. No matter, a shade that is easily placed on the roof will give you better control of the plants exposure to the heat of the sun especially when the plant that is being grown at the moment does not need much of it.
Misting – Vents, Fans, and Shades are tools that helps you control the greenhouse from overheating but misting is what maintains comfortable temperatures. The evaporation of water inside the greenhouse plus the air circulation by the fans carries the moisture necessary to maintain the health of the plants inside the greenhouse.
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