There are several methods and instruments on how to vent a greenhouse. Growers make sure that they install and create ventilation properly. But you could consider the methods (natural ventilation, through a fan, and evaporative cooling) that we’ll be discussing in this article.
Well, plants are like a human; they need shelter to continue growing regardless of the changing climate and seasons. Plants need nutrients to function well, and an air which is one of their essential source of surviving.
In short, plants have a life to live as well. But what will happen if the ventilation inside your greenhouse is blocked? Or how would you ventilate the plants if there is no proper ventilation system inside your greenhouse?
Contents
Why Ventilate Your Greenhouse
Your greenhouse needs to have a proper ventilation system inside, for it helps the crops to thrive and raise a healthy temperature condition. Before proceeding to the methods, let us first understand what ventilation is and why it is essential not just for the greenhouse but also for plants.
Ventilation is the most vital factor in a successful greenhouse. With the absence of ventilation, the crops inside the greenhouse are tended to be in its vulnerable condition. Having proper ventilation in a greenhouse will lead to healthy and wholesome plants.
Three Methods In Ventilating A Greenhouse
Now, let’s delve deeper into the ways on how to ventilate a greenhouse.
#1 Through natural ventilation
Among the three methods of ventilating a greenhouse, this might be the most convenient, less expensive, and easy to do. It is the most affordable way of ventilation to the growers, for most of its resources come from nature itself.
Your most significant capital for this method is the wind effect and thermal buoyancy. Because of the accessible wind effect outside, this can quickly enter the greenhouse with fresh air. On the other hand, thermal buoyancy refers to the changes in the density of hotter air to the cooler ones.
The thermal buoyancy regulates hotter air from colder air, which helps in the ventilation inside the greenhouse. In this way, the flow of cooler air inside the greenhouse becomes even better. Amazing right?
This concept of venting was used way back 1950s were all greenhouses were built with some means of vents that were opened to defuse the extra heat and warmth inside the greenhouse and let the cooler outward air to enter.
It is more beneficial and practical for growers to design their greenhouse in a way that is more air accessible and build doors that have complete access for cooler air. Always consider the structure of your greenhouse for better usage and satisfying outcomes.
#2 Ventilation through a fan
This cooling system is one of the commonly used ventilation for greenhouse today. Fan systems are the process of installing fans inside the premises of your greenhouse. It helps provide more emotionless air exchange by defusing a specific number of cubic feet of air per minute.
It is controlled by a thermostat that regulates the equipment to produce the appropriate amount of air needed for the ventilation of the greenhouse. This might cause a grower to invest a little of his finances. But still, it is an excellent investment in achieving a successful greenhouse.
#3 Evaporative way of cooling
During the summer season, the temperature inside the greenhouse gets higher. Which results in low quality and growth of the plants. Even though fan ventilation was invented, this could still not solve or lessen the stress caused to the plants.
So, an evaporative way of cooling was created. It is a way of cooling through the heat in the air to evaporate the moist or other watered surfaced in the leaf of a plant. Evaporative cooling is more efficient when the moisture or dampness of the outside air is low. But this method is best applied to the Southwest, or even in the northern sections of the United States.
Importance Of Ventilation In A Greenhouse
Aside from knowing the ways on how to vent a greenhouse, you should also understand its importance. Here are the reasons why it’s vital:
- Ventilation helps the plants to become healthy and well-conditioned while growing
- Provides a better atmosphere and environment for the plants
- Helps integrate the temperature inside the greenhouse
- It ensures to supply fresh air that will be an excellent help for plants in undergoing to photosynthesis
- Having adequate ventilation prevents plants from pest innovation within the greenhouse
- Lastly, this will promote better pollination inside the greenhouse
Greenhouses are indeed the best for nurturing plants by capturing the light and turning it into heat energy. Building your greenhouse provides several benefits, not just to yourself but also to the environment.
But of course, building a greenhouse does not end with it alone. As the saying goes, “With great power comes with great responsibility.”
Engaging with something that could positively affect your life and the environment should not be done as something that “has to be done” only. It would help if you remembered that you are held accountable and responsible for the going-concerns and challenges to come.
Always consider and never take for granted any factors that might affect it. One tip in building your mini-greenhouse is to consider yourself as the greenhouse. In this way, you can surely secure the betterment and stability of it.
Final Words
So are you now confident about how to vent a greenhouse? I challenge you to try and see what happens. I hope this information, suggestions, and ideas helped you to be wiser in ventilating your greenhouse.