Retractable roof greenhouses

Retractable roof greenhouses allow growers in warm winter climates to achieve:

• Significantly higher yields

• Better quality

• Extended harvest season compared to conventional greenhouses and insect net houses.

I n fact, growers using retractable roof houses have achieved   yield increases of 118%-167% compared to a low cost conventional houses. This increase in yields can  result in a 35% increase in profit per kg and a 163% increase in profit per hectare.   Comparative tests have shown that plants in a retractable roof greenhouse produce more fruit and less leaves then in a conventional house, and that plant density can be increased since humidity levels can be better managed.

They also help farmers grow organic food easier by taking advantage of the benefits of both the natural outdoor and a controlled greenhouse environment . In fact, plants grown in a retractable roof have proven to be extremely resistant even to major insect pressure of white fly. Retractable roofs allow growers to:

• Reduce insect pressures by:
  (1)Increasing the plant cuticle thickness which is the plants natural defence against insects
  (2)Reduce daytime temperature and humidity levels which slow down insect reproductive cycles
  

• Reduce foliar diseases by retracting the roof in the morning to help dry off leaves
  

• Optimize transpiration rates to help increase absorption of organic fertilizer

In addition, retractable roof greenhouse/ shadehouses allow for farming operations to be environmentally friendly since they:

• Reduce water usage 80% compared to open field by producing the same total kilos of vegetables on 80% less area

• Allow the rain to be used for irrigation

• Allow the rain to be used to leach excessive salts from the soil

• Eliminate or reduce the need for fossil fuel for heating since retractable roofs greenhouses to be located in warmer climates since cooling is not a limiting factor

• Use roof coverings which tend to last twice as long as conventional plastic or insect net roofs

Retractable roofs also help farmers to be socially responsible since they

• Provide the most comfortable work environment

• Reduce the need for agrichemical applications

They also allow growers to produce food with the smallest carbon footprint since growers can now:

• Retract the roof during sunny warm winter conditions to warm up the soil instead of air

• Cool sufficiently during hot summer conditions without the use of fans

Growing strong healthy vegetable plants optimally starts with strong healthy young plants. Retractable roof greenhouses help growers produce young plants with smaller, but thicker leaves, shorter, thicker stems and a strong healthy root system. This combination helps young plants make the transition from the nursery greenhouse to the production field, greenhouse or net house. These transplants become established quickly, and have the strongest possible resistance to insects and disease, helping to minimize transplant losses while minimizing the time to the first harvest.