When it comes to hobbies, there’s no better one than gardening. All of your plants will flourish as a result of this activity after you have perfected the art of gardening. That being said, have you ever considered growing your plants in a greenhouse instead of outdoors?
Home gardeners can reap the benefits of a greenhouse in several ways, including the ability to propagate new plants from their existing landscape choices or even grow their veggie garden completely indoors.
But why do plants thrive in greenhouses? This is a shared concern but don’t worry, for we have an answer for you. Continue reading to find out!
Contribution of Greenhouses to Plants’ Growing Speed
As a greenhouse owner, you’re creating an ideal environment for your plants to thrive by growing them in a climate-controlled environment. The following elements work in concert to accelerate the growth of plants in a greenhouse.
Temperature
Throughout the day and night, the temperature might fluctuate greatly. A 24-hour exposure to extreme cold or heat stunts plant growth and stressed plants eventually become stunted themselves.
Greenhouses are often heated and ventilated for specific species of plants, such as food crops, in order to maintain a consistent temperature. Greenhouse heaters with timers attached to them allow you to adjust the temperature to suit your needs. Every type of plant thrives in a temperature-controlled environment that mimics its natural habitat.
Temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius are ideal for most plants. This temperature is ideal for photosynthesis. At increasing carbon dioxide levels, that optimal temperature can be raised to 28 degrees Celsius.
If you keep an eye on the weather and have a few simple tweaks ready to go, you’ll be able to ensure that your plants are healthy, resilient, and ready to produce a plentiful harvest when it’s time.
Humidity
Moisture is essential to plants, and much of it is absorbed into the atmosphere. Reduced ‘transpiration,’ or the removal of moisture via the leaves’ surface, occurs when plants are exposed to excessive humidity. High transpiration and greater groundwater use can all result from low relative humidity.
Outside of your greenhouse, humidity is like the wild west, and you have no real control over it. It’s a different scenario in your greenhouse, however. The ability of plants that are accustomed to high humidity to thrive in a greenhouse can be greatly accelerated by raising the humidity level.
Plants that thrive in low humidity environments are an exception to this rule. For those plants, it’s critical that you maintain a dry environment within your greenhouse. Another advantage of compact greenhouses is that you can grow different plants in separate greenhouses, allowing you to maintain different levels of relative humidity for each.
Humidity controllers are by far the most convenient method of controlling greenhouse humidity. However, if you prefer to manage it yourself, it is doable. Fans, heaters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, vents, and even a container of water might come in handy in any situation.
Light
Photosynthesis is fueled by sunlight, which enables plants to produce the food we eat. There will be no harvests if there is not enough light. Get this- with a greenhouse, you can control it too.
Most plants demand at least eight hours of sunlight each day to thrive. During the summer, this isn’t an issue because the sun rises early and sets later. A 40 percent shade net may be necessary at times during the summer, but that’s fine because there will still be sufficient ambient light throughout the less severe hours of the day for the growth of your plants to sustain them. Problems may arise during the cold months.
The winter days are briefer, and the sun is lower in the sky, making it difficult for plants to get the amount of light they need. In addition to the long shadows generated by buildings and trees, you may find that your plants are screaming out for a bit more light.
An artificial light source may be necessary for this, depending on your own situation and needs. Crop yields can be greatly improved by using three or four hours of artificial light in addition to the few daylight hours available.
Carbon Dioxide Factor
Carbon dioxide is essential for greenhouse plants’ sugar production, hence controlling the movement of air inside the greenhouse is critical.
In a greenhouse, properly placed horizontal fans allow the air to press closer to the leaves to take photosynthesis at its peak. There will be an increase in the size of the leaves, as well as the strength of the stems, as a result of the increased concentration of CO2.
However, appropriate ventilation must accompany air movement. Keeping the greenhouse door closed reduces carbon dioxide levels since the plants use the gas fast and release oxygen into the atmosphere in return.
Pest Control
Pests can be any number of different kinds of wild animals. Everything from deer and mice to birds and squirrels to aphids and slugs is opportunistic little creatures looking to take advantage of your hard work in the garden.
The security provided by a greenhouse isn’t perfect, but it’s a good first step toward that goal. Not only are larger animals unable to graze on your delicate plants, but smaller species also have a harder time detecting and discovering your plants. When it comes to protecting your garden from pests, a little extra precaution can go a long way.
Soil Quality
Disease and pests are more likely to attack outdoor plants. As the soil is more exposed to the outside world, it is subjected to a greater number of external impacts, including animals, plants, and even elements brought in by wind and rain. Natural forces are less likely to have an impact on our choices of compost and drainage material.
In a disease- and pest-flooded garden, your plants can be protected and separated within your greenhouse by using disease-free soil, the proper amount of organic matter in your soil, and maintaining your greenhouse in good condition. Excellent plant health, rapid and healthier development and increased yields are all a result of these changes.
Plants that don’t require a lot of nutrients from the soil can be grown on soil that has previously been used by a different plant species. Soil can offer all the nutrients a plant requires throughout a growth season while also restocking nutrients that were spent by a different plant in the previous growing season by rotating between different plants. As long as it is done correctly, the same soil can continue to produce healthy, well-fed plants for many years.
Constant Attention
Plants grow better in a greenhouse because we are there to keep an eye on them and deal with any concerns that arise while they are still small and insignificant. Plants in a greenhouse are more protected from pests and illnesses because of the greenhouse’s enclosed space and shelf, as well as because of the plants’ prominent position inside it.
In comparison, consider a larger outside garden space. It’s possible to take a walk through the garden and look for potential problems, but this is considerably more difficult. We are less effective at keeping an eye on outside garden spaces when there are shadows, wider spaces, and more hiding spots for little grazers.
Yes, it is feasible to keep an eye on those open places, but it is more complex and less successful than it is in the confined, more regulated interior environment of a greenhouse.
Final Thoughts
Greenhouses allow you to plant sooner and harvest later, thereby increasing the amount of produce you can get out of your plants. Even so, there’s a lot more to the story. With a few handy tips from the experts, you can produce and harvest all year long, moving from season to season in tune with the demands of the plants themselves.
A few things are as exhilarating as being able to always add something to your table that comes packed with the pleasure that you nurtured it in your own garden. As you embark on your greenhouse journey, we hope you have a great time and eat a lot of excellent food.