Planning on turning your greenhouse into a year-round venture? While a greenhouse is especially helpful for starting seedlings in the late winter or even the early cooler days of spring, many gardeners use theirs to extend their growing season.
With the onset of the heat of the summer, managing the climate inside the greenhouse can pose a bit of a challenge if you’re not prepared. But if you’ve got these summer greenhouse essentials on hand, consider yourself prepared for the higher temperatures.
Ventilation system. First and foremost, you want to prevent your greenhouse from overheating, which is likely the biggest danger your plants face. Natural ventilation methods, such as roof and sidewall vents, or mechanical systems that incorporate automated vents and exhaust fans is a big step toward managing summer temperatures.
Shadecloth. With the threat of overheating in mind, you can also protect your plants from getting too much direct sunlight. Of course, you’ll have to be mindful of what you’ve planted, how much light it needs and even the climate of your region. Southern sun is especially hot, but shadecloth—available in different thicknesses—can help appropriately filter the light your plants are getting.
Cooling system. If the summer sun in your particular region is intense, consider complementing your approach to greenhouse growing by adding a cooling system. Whether a circulation fan to help keep the air flowing or an evaporative cooling system to lower the seasonally hot temperatures inside, this will help provide your plants a controlled environment where they can thrive.
Thermostat. To varying degrees based on your local climate, ventilation, shade and cooling must work together. With the help of a thermostat, you can successfully manage all three. Thermostats can be set to automatically control fans and allow you to monitor temperatures so you can make adjustments in ventilation or shading.
Still need some of these essentials for your summer greenhouse gardening? Give us a call at 1-800-531-4769 or visit our website at www.GothicArchGreenhouses.com and let us help you today!