Common greenhouse sizes?
- A lean-to greenhouse
- even-span greenhouse
- hoop house
What considerations need to be addressed for the greenhouse frameworks?
- It needs to be able to support the covering material
- Should be strong but also allow the maximum amount of light to reach the plants
- Low maintenance
What materials are used for greenhouse glazing?
- Polyethylene, polycarbonate, acrylic structure sheets
What are the functions of the head-house?
- Is a structure attached to the greenhouse
- Might be used as/for a storage area, a potting area, an office, and/or a shipping area
What are the advantages of retractable-roof greenhouse
- Can open and the roof depending on weather conditions, used to prepare crops for elements when they leave the greenhouse, reduced disease problems, reduced irrigation, and more effective temp control
What are greenhouse bench options?
- Expanded galvanized steel, aluminum, plastic, and rot-resistant wood
- Layout: conventional arrangements, peninsular arrangements, and movable benches
- Rolling Benches: Maximize growing space by limiting space for aisles and benches are places on pipes
What methods are used to heat greenhouse structures?
Hot water heat system, steam heat, unit heaters, polyethylene tubes, infrared heat systems
What are the major greenhouse cooling and ventilation systems?
- The fan and pad cooling system, fog systems, and vants
How are energy curtains used to maintain greenhouse temperatures?
They are an automated system that uses fabrics to insulate a greenhouse at night. The curtains are installed from gutter and opened and closed by computer systems
What are the common greenhouse climate control systems?
- On-off thermostats, and proportioning thermostats
What are some advantages of automated systems?
- they can reduce labor costs
- automated systems incorporate the production of the crops in the greenhouse
What types of automated systems are used in planting processes?
- Automated pot fillers: full pots with lightly packed medium
- Automated seeders: permit the sowing of flats or plugs in a few moments
- Automated transplanted: removes small plants from plug trays and moves them to pots
What are some advantages of automated systems?
They greatly reduce the labor cost and make it easier to water
What automated systems are used in watering plants?
- Spaghetti tubing: small tubes connected to a main line
- Drip irrigation: similar to spaghetti tubing but steadily drips
What are the types of greenhouse businesses?
- Specialty growers: produce crops sold to the wholesale or retail greenhouse growers
- Wholesale growers: produce a limited number of crops
- Retail growers: generally produce a variety of crops directly sold to the public
What are the costs associated with production?
Plant materials, pots, chemicals, and growing material, wages, and benefits
What career opportunities are associated with greenhouse management?
Greenhouse manager, production manager, propagator, grower, marketing manager, and shipping room manager
What skills should a plant grower master?
Poper watering, prescribed fertilizer rates, photoperiodic control, pest management, mechanical skills, understand the market, understanding of laws pertaining to the greenhouse industry
