Heating a Greenhouse & Cooling a Greenhouse
To maximize the use of a greenhouse, to get the most relaxation and enjoyment from it, you need to ask yourself the most basic of questions: “What is a greenhouse?” “What is the purpose of this garden under glass?”
Think of your greenhouse as being a private area that offers your plants warmth in the winter and shade in the summer, providing you, the gardener, the option to plant tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, fruits . . . almost any type of plant you want.
However, if there are no provisions to control the temperature conditions inside the greenhouse, the results could be catastrophic, because greenhouses can provide more cold and more heat than you and your plants need or want . . . (e.g. more heat in the summer, no protection from cold in the winter).
This is why planning the right heating, cooling, and ventilation systems are important for keeping the proper environment in your greenhouse. The choice of greenhouse coverings, for instance, in the planning stage can be crucial, because they determine how much light and heat are allowed to enter and escape.
Here are a few basic things to keep in mind to achieve the right environment inside the greenhouse and thus, ensure the growth of plants for your satisfaction. A good set of greenhouse plans can help you build it right from the start.
Ventilation
Greenhouse vents prevent a sharp rise in humidity and overall temperature inside the structure by replacing hot and humid air with dry and cooler air from outside.
There are two types of greenhouse ventilation: natural and forced. Natural ventilation utilizes main vents for allowing hot air to escape and side vents to allow cooler air to enter. Forced ventilation, on the other hand, allows hot air to escape via exhaust channels and cool air to enter via motorized inward windows.
To prevent complications, it is best to use either natural or forced ventilation; do not combine the two methods.
Heating
The method you choose for heating a greenhouse depends on many factors: the location of the greenhouse, the plants you plan to grow, and how the structure is constructed. A good greenhouse heater provides sufficient heat in winter to keep plants comfortable, and on days when plants are not getting enough sunlight.
You don’t need to search very far when shopping for heaters for greenhouses. Look online or shop locally, and you will find many reputable suppliers. Simply choose a product based on your needs, your preference, and your budget. However, note that not all greenhouse heaters are good for the plants, especially in an enclosed environment such as a greenhouse.
Some heating systems burn wood or oil to provide heat; if this is the case, make sure your ventilation system is sufficient to remove all toxic exhaust produced by combustion, as this could cause disastrous problems for your plants.
Cooling
It’s no secret that too much heat is not good for plants. While greenhouses provide warmth in the winter by trapping heat, it does the same in the summer, making an already hot day even hotter.
A good ventilation system can take care of this by taking the warm air out of the greenhouse and replacing it with cooler air from the outside. Sometimes, though, moving air via greenhouse vents is not enough to lower the temperature into acceptable levels for plants.
Adding exhaust fans or shades might be enough to work, but a better way of cooling greenhouses is to get evaporative air coolers. They work by cooling the air passing through them and allowing heat to escape through the ventilation system, lowering the entire greenhouse’s temperature. It requires lower upkeep than most cooling mechanisms because of its relatively simple process, and costs less than an air conditioning unit.
Shade
Adding shades to a greenhouse is the easiest way of providing uniform shading for your plants, while maintaining a cooler inside temperature during a scorching summer. This efficient method also acts to regulate high temperatures caused by constant, direct sunlight and allows your plants to retain more moisture.
You can add shading by painting the windows, or placing commercial shade cloth, which comes in a variety of colors and fabrics, to the inside of your greenhouse windows. Be careful, though, that you don’t prevent sufficient light from entering the greenhouse, making it unsuitable for plant growing.
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