Considering Your Crops
You have to consider which plants you intend to grow inside the greenhouse. Some plants will require more sunlight, so you should pick the right panels that allow enough sunlight in. If the plants you want to grow need more shade, you should pick panels that are solid and opaque, not allowing any light at all during certain periods of the day. Glass panels can come in transparent, translucent and opaque form, depending on your current needs.
More on Panels
You should consider getting a combination of panels. It is quite common for a part of the greenhouse to have solid panels and another area using translucent or transparent material. The direction of the greenhouse panels will also matter, since this can reflect light better if aimed at certain angles. You should check if you want to get a lean-to design or just the regular independent greenhouse. You can check if the structure can provide enough shade during certain times if you are investing in an attached structure.
The Benefits of Panels
Greenhouse panels are very important since these can provide you several advantages. The inclusions are providing the right amount of sunlight during the right times of the day, regardless of the weather outside and the time of year. You can grow plants and seeds during different seasons, thereby boosting your ability to save more in buying herbs and other kitchen ingredients. Panels help provide the right temperature so that you have the perfect environment for plants to grow excellently.
Panels are very durable and will last you as much as several decades, provided that you use only the best materials. Greenhouse panels protect your plants from external elements like strong gusts, dust, wind, rain and snow. Panels serve as a barrier as to which persons can enter the greenhouse or not.
Comparing Products
You have to compare the different products available first before finalizing your order. Some manufacturers will give you all the details, such as the exact measurements, the thickness, the condition, grade of the material, installation, delivery or shipment and packaging. If you are building your own greenhouse, it is vital that you get the right specifications. Ask the manufacturer as well if they give additional services in terms of installation and repairs. Some manufacturers will give you warranty. You should always compare prices first. You will find that buying straight from the source will give you the cheapest cost. However, you also have to check how the product will be packaged and sent to you.
Greenhouse Seed Propagation Tips
Watching plants grow from seedlings could be a joy not to mention good harvest, having variety, savings and in most parts, earning. Good plant propagation starts with the seeds.
Starting the Seeds
To speed up germination, the seeds need to be soaked in hot water overnight. The seeds are then scattered +" to 1" apart over a flat plant box for germinating. The seeds are then covered with fine soil and misted over. Pots, boxes, and other seed growing mediums have to be sterilized first to raise healthier seedlings. Cover the growing medium to reduce evaporation and to prevent the moist soil from drying out. To facilitate good germination, keep the box in a shaded area. Maintain a temperature of about 70 degrees. To better maintain the hotbed where the seeds are planted, lay out a soil warming cable under buried in 2" of sand. Care must be taken that the ends of the cable do not touch. When no longer needed, disconnect the cable. The pod of the seed has enough food for the new plant to grow. It will only need regular watering. Do not use fertilizers are at this stage.
When most of the seeds have sprouted, remove the cover, and water the sprouts with diluted all-purpose fertilizer. When the plants have developed a couple of leaves, transplant them to bigger containers.
When the sprouts are ready for transplanting, remember that transplant shock will considerably affect the plants growth. To prevent this, pick a sunny afternoon but avoid transplanting the plants under direct heat of the sun. A protected outdoor area is good for transplanting. The seeds then will gradually be exposed to outdoor temperatures a little each day. If required, there are fertilizers like Super Thrive that strengthens the young plants during its germination process thereby reducing transplant shocks.
Between one to two weeks, depending on the variety used, seedlings could grow to an appropriate size that will be time for it to be planted in their permanent outdoor location. By this time, the plants could be left in the garden without much worry except for the regular care that is required. While in the growing stage, seedlings must be protected from frost, heavy rains, and strong winds to prevent damage. At this tender stage insecticides must be used when needed, as seedlings are prone to attack by bugs and other garden parasites.
Greenhouse Supplies
The greenhouse, whether potable mini grow houses, hobby greenhouse kits, cold frames, and free- standing state of the art custom green houses will need the following supplies for efficient greenhouse growing.
Greenhouse Insulation - Aside from the glazing, the greenhouse could use insulation made of bubble sheets or poly bubbles in combination with foils and other reflective materials to reduce heating costs. Greenhouse insulation is installed inside the greenhouse glazing. Green house insulation further cuts heating costs up to 45%. Insulation increases the light inside the greenhouse aside from keeping it warmer.
Greenhouse Heaters - for greenhouses that need additional heat sources, greenhouse heaters are good alternatives. Greenhouse heaters could be electric or gas heaters that are ideally used when there is significant drop in temperatures that heat storage facilities inside the greenhouse no longer suffice. Heaters too come in a wide variety of choices. There are the portable heaters, wall mounted heaters and heaters with large heating capacities ideal for use in commercial greenhouses.
Greenhouse Thermostats - Greenhouse thermostat are automatic controllers of the cooling and heating systems in the greenhouse. What it does is to adjust temperatures to simulate the plants natural environment. While plants need heat to grow, thermostat automatically controls temperature environments as more plants die faster when there is too much heat than when the temperature is cold.
Greenhouse Misting System - There are different variations of the misting system, The most common is the hand-held mist sprayer often though, this does not suffice not only due to the limitation of areas that could be sprayed at a given moment but the scope and duration that misting will oftentimes be needed especially in larger greenhouses. The misting ring, the use of humidistat, and the fogging systems are best employed for efficient greenhouse misting. Misting systems comes attached with timers for automatic engagement of mists.
Humidifiers - are a variation of the misting or fogging system. Humidifiers distribute humidity required by the plants inside the greenhouse thereby promoting luxuriant foliage and better plant propagation.
Greenhouse Vent Openers - Examples of makes are louver opener, triple vent openers, automatic vent openers, hydraulic vent openers, hinge types, solar powered, etc., because from time to time, heat must be allowed to escape from the greenhouse to prevent the plants from withering or dying.
Greenhouse Gardening Tools - there are different tools that you may need depending on the scope and the type of plant that is grown. Examples are Bonsai tools, pruners, extended reach tools, propagating pots, rakes, knives, hoses, shears and snips, power tools and other tools.
Greenhouse Ventilation - Vents and Fans
The success of a greenhouse depends largely on the efficiency of its ventilation. Ventilation allows the green house to have the proper temperature required by particular plants that are grown, it encourages pollination within the green house, it provides fresh air that are needed to aid sunlight in photosynthesis, and it prevents the infestation of pests. Aside from the usual care, when the plant and seedlings are withering or the growths are stunted, the most probable cause is improper ventilation.
Vents
While greenhouses are built to supply heat to growing plants, a little over the threshold of the plant and the plant dies or the growth is stunted. In fact many plants will die faster from heat than from cold. Installation of vents corrects the problems. The vents when located at right the proportions along the greenhouse will allow the heat to escape naturally and correct temperature conditions. During hot climates, an evaporative cooler is needed in conjunction with the vents to maintain correct temperatures.
Fans
The plants photosynthesize to make sugars that they use as food. Without a good airflow, carbon dioxide within the greenhouse will not be sufficient to produce the food that they need and the plants wither. While vents are essential to let humid and stale air escape, the greenhouse needs fans to conduct fresh air into the greenhouse and distribute it throughout the entire enclosure.
Outside of the greenhouse, winds, and insects causes pollination. Inside the enclosure, this will be harder to achieve without the fans to transport the pollens around. When the air inside the greenhouse moves, it will carry with it the pollens that are required by the plants for fruiting. Moving air will shake plants that are self-pollinating like tomatoes. Gentle shaking of the plants inside the greenhouse encourages the development of sturdier stems and roots thereby growing healthier plants.
Many bugs and insects thrive in fetid and low ventilated surroundings and environments. What many people do not realize is that the insects and bugs most harmful to young plants will breed faster if the greenhouse is not properly ventilated.
Exhaust Fans
For better temperature control, exhaust fans are often mounted opposite the door. If that is not possible due to design constraints, additional circulation fans will solve the problem.
There are plants that are more heat sensitive than other plants. Usually plants that are heat sensitive are those that have delicate leaves. If so, be sure to open the vents during summer to decrease the temperatures inside the greenhouse.
Greenhouse Watering System
When taking care of your greenhouse, you have to know that water does not come in naturally, because of the panel covering the plants and keep moisture and rain out. You have to devise the right greenhouse watering system, so that all plants get enough amounts of water regularly to grow to optimal levels. There are a number of watering systems to consider, depending on your type of setup and the plants you wish to grow. Here are tips.
What Plants You Need to Grow
Some plants need more water, compared to others. Others can thrive for several days or weeks without water. You have to consider the specific needs of seeds and seedlings and supply these sufficiently. Greenhouse watering systems can be developed depending on the kind of plants that you are tendering inside the greenhouse. You can use a system revolving around a water distribution system that you purchased utilizing adjustable drip outlets. However, it is very difficult to distribute the water evenly, since the volume of the water moved is not adequate.
Starting Off
You can use a couple of polythene sheets under the plant pots, so you can ensure that water is distributed evenly between the two points. The water is given to the base of the water via a down pipe interrupter. You can purchase the equipment and materials at your local hardware store. You can use jubilee clips to attach all the joints inside the hose from the water pump, to the greenhouse, to prevent the pipe joints from bursting.
Gathering Water
Every structure includes a footprint, which equates to the total square footage of the external dimension. One cubic foot of water has 7.43 gallons. One cubic foot of water can fall on every square foot of the whole greenhouse on the average. To calculate water from the rainfall, you have to measure the yearly precipitation, then the total cubic feet of water for every square, the total square feet of the structure, square footage of the structure, the total gallons of water for every single cubic foot, to get the total gallons of water. For example, 12 inches of yearly precipitation is equal to 1 cubic foot.
If the total square footage of the building is 515 feet, the total gallons of water in a single cubic foot become 7.43. Therefore, the total gallons of water gathered or collected is equal to 3,830.
Things to Consider
3,830 gallons is quite a lot. However, some of the water will evaporate or mix with snow and cannot effectively be gathered by gutters and other water collecting containers. Estimate to lose around 25% of your total calculation. You need to find a way to lead water away from the cistern once it becomes full, especially if you are located in areas with high rainfall. You should invest in an overflow pipe from the stock tank if you utilize one.
In sizing the cistern, or a holding tank located above ground, the standard rule is that the capability of the storage tank must be 33% of the total gallons of precipitation or half the total gallons calculated. There is a long time between rainy periods and rains, so you should choose the right gallon cistern that saves around 40% of the water that you gather.
Distributing the Water to Plants
To bring the water to the plants, use a hose linked to an insulated spigot located at the base of the cistern. The whole storage tank is a bit elevated in relation to the interior bed level, and should be positioned 1 foot higher, except for the plan to link a shed onto the part of the back well of the greenhouse to gather all the extra roof water. Raise the entire cistern one more foot to greatly boost the water pressure. The cistern can give adequate water pressure, even in its current situation to effectively give a 25-foot long, 1/2-inch diameter soaker hose, to save more water. You can get a full drip irrigation system via a T-tape.
On Well Water
Some well water can be used to boost the stock tank. Water can continue to flow from the well if the stock tank is empty. The cistern should be allowed to gather all water from rains that occur during dry seasons. Collected rainwater can be used to meet winter needs by using the collected rainwater.
Guide To Buying Portable Garden Greenhouse
A permanent structure greenhouse would be nice; that is, if you have the budget, the skill, and the space to build it. If you have at least one missing, then a portable garden greenhouse is the next best thing.
Portable garden greenhouse fits perfectly to any property size. They may not be as large as permanent greenhouse but large enough to place a good number of plants. Some are small enough to fit even in a patio-size area. It is easy to assemble or disassemble; you can take it with you when you move to a new residence. The best thing is, it is cheap. But price and portability are not the only things you should consider when buying one. Take note of the guidelines when buying portable garden greenhouse:
Where are you going to place it? The very first step you should take when you are shopping for a portable greenhouse is to measure the available area you have for this gardening unit. You don't want to buy something that is too big or too small. Make sure that your greenhouse will fit perfectly in your property to avoid wasting effort, time, and money.
What's the temperature of your area? This will be the second most crucial step to consider. Portable garden greenhouses are not suitable for very cold weather. So if you live in an area where the temperature drops to 0 F for several months, make sure that you are ready to store the unit until the weather is more suitable.
Is there any delivery or set up fee? Unit cost piles up if you don't know how to ask the right question, so before buying a portable greenhouse, make sure that you clarify these issues first. Some stores offer free deliver but not free set up. Some offer both for free while some offer to deliver the unit and set it up for you with a cost. Check with your store first.
When do you intend to buy it? Contrary to what you might think, the best time to buy your portable greenhouse is during the warmer months. Surprised? This is because the demand for portable greenhouse is lowest during this time as the natural weather is good enough to grow plants. This is the time where stores offer discounts and special offers to you get more savings.
How Does a Greenhouse Work?
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