How Does a Greenhouse Work?

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March 9th, 2010 | Add a Comment

Greenhouses have been built by individuals and gardeners all over the globe for its many benefits. You have to first understand the mechanisms used as well as the different functions and benefits that greenhouses give to make the best and most complete setup. Greenhouses can be a very worthwhile investment, provided that you understand all the details and include the different features that are applicable in your place and environment.

Greenhouse Background

A greenhouse is an enclosed structure that lets light in for plants to grow well. It boosts the productivity of modern agriculture and the varieties of plants available for growing for enthusiasts and hobbyists. A hot house is described as a heated greenhouse, artificially done to grow exotic plants that need very high temperatures compared to the outside air or to grow the plants in the off-season in cold places. A greenhouse is made of a wooden frame, plastic or metal covered with translucent or transparent material to let light in. The walls may be opaque. There may be fans to boost the circulation of air and to keep the temperature stable.

Greenhouses are usually made for plants that have special needs, aside from the existing factors and conditions present outside. For example, some people want to grow tropical plants in their temperate climate environment. They will need a greenhouse to make this possible. Several growers also use these to begin plants before the outdoor growing season begins to enhance product once the warm weather enters.

How It Works

Solar energy is basically converted into thermal energy by greenhouses. The short wave infrared waves are entering the greenhouse and are being changed into long wave infrared waves. These cannot escape easily. The light waves simply reflect and are absorbed by the surroundings. This is the most ideal setup to grow plants excellently.

The infrared light waves cannot be seen by the naked eye. These lie between the visible light waves and microwaves inside the light spectrum. Some of the other waves are ultraviolet waves. Light waves can be measured and called nanometers. The ultraviolet or UV waves are measured at about 300 to 400 nanometers. Visible light waves are measured at around 400 to 700 nanometers. The high once are measured at around 2000 to 3500.

About Hydroponic Technology

Hydroponics is described as the process of growing herbs, flowers, vegetables and citrus without soil. The growing medium used is water, air or a certain mixture that includes vermiculite, gravel, perlite, coconut fibers and rock wool. Hydroponic growing methods provide added yields over the board for any kind of crop. For example, tomatoes grown in 1 acre of soil will produce crops weighing around 5 to 10 tons. The same number of tomatoes grown inside a hydroponic greenhouse will produce around 60 to 300 tons.

More on Hydroponics

Hydroponic systems are also used in greenhouses, depending on the kind of plants that growers are cultivating. The NFT or Nutrient Film Technique is a process of growing herbs and leafy flowers and vegetables. The NFT system works using rows of food grade PVC growing trays, with removable lids that include row of holes where the plants are positioned. The roots of the plants can hang in the air just under the tray with the tips resting in the water found at the tray base. The nutrient water is piped into one tip of every row. To make the setup truly successful inside the greenhouse, you may need to automate everything.

The Light

All plants will need the right amount of light, regardless of whether these are growing hydroponically or within the soil. Several greenhouses get a lot of natural sunlight, including the needed combination of red and blue light for maximum plant growth. The fast-growing hydroponic plants, however, require supplemental light during the cold periods to keep productive growing levels. Some of the grow lights used include high pressure sodium, LED or metal halide to function well with natural light to provide sufficient levels of blue and red light to help crops grow excellently.

Building the Foundation

The construction should focus on the foundation so that the entire greenhouse will last for many years to come, thereby overcoming very harsh external conditions. You should test the soil to ensure that it has enough nutrients. You should insulate the foundation using 1 to 2 inches of Styrofoam board that extends 2 feet deep all around the external edge of the foundation.