Gardening: Greenhouses

Bloom Greenhouse

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Creating an enhanced gardening environment can alter your plant-growing potential. BY LINDA BROOKS

What if you could have a garden void of critters and pests while producing a variety of vine-ripened tomatoes and peppers, strawberries at Christmas, and your favorite owers and herbs all year long?

Climate change is affecting how our agricultural industry grows crops. Using controlled-environment agriculture to conserve resources with the help of grow-light technology, growers have successfully constructed large-scale indoor facilities, producing high-quality fruits and vegetables throughout the year, without the back-breaking effort of vertical growing, and many are using hydroponics. Growers are working with seed companies to meet consumers’ preferences for avor, texture, and color. This enhanced growing environment is available for the hobby greenhouse gardener from complete kits and DIY structures to custom-designed glass houses.

It takes four seasons to establish a productive greenhouse. But with the right preparation and patience, you’ll be on your way to enjoying your favorites for years to come.

Tips to Start Growing

IDENTIFY YOUR PURPOSE: Do you want to extend the growing season of your favorites, expand a living space to entertain and display your prized plants, create a space for your children to explore the rewards of growing their food, or make a centerpiece of your garden?

PICK YOUR STRUCTURE: If you search online for greenhouses, you may become overwhelmed by deciphering the many different varieties: temporary pop-ups, freestanding, lean-tos (attached to the house), cold frame (does not use heat), conservatory and orangery (which can be attached and incorporate a living space), or one of the popular polycarbonate-covered hoop tunnels you might have noticed along the 101 in Camarillo.

INSTALL GLAZING: Glazing is the window material. Poly lm is the least expensive but short lived. Polycarbonate is durable and lightweight in various thicknesses. Twinwall and triplewall for insulation is better than glass, and UV stabilizers extend the life. Glass is elegant, is easy to clean, and can complement the architectural design of your home, but it’s heavy and will limit your frame to treated wood or metal. Commonly used horticultural glass is less expensive but is not toughened glass. Dynamic glass changes from transparent to opaque, either with a ick of a switch or on its own, based on the sun’s radiation.

CHOOSE THE BEST LOCATION: To maximize available sunlight free of foliage, consider rst southern exposure (eastwest setting), then southeast or east exposure, then southwest or west. A deciduous tree can lter shade from the hot summer sun and allow light in winter. Select level ground and access to electrical and water.

DON’T FORGET VENTILATION AND HEAT: The amount of venting is a ratio determined by oor space. The rule of

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR GREENHOUSE

Powder-coated metal in white versus darker colors will help minimize heat. Secure the structure for a flush doorway threshold that’s wide enough for a garden cart. Use an expandable frame so that you can grow over time. Consider a ceiling height that’s easy for work access and hanging plants. When it comes to flooring, look for something that will drain. Pavers are easy on your feet and will absorb daytime heat to release at night. Opt for a built-in gutter system to divert water from the base and collect in it a barrel. Combine containers and raised beds and group plants with similar requirements. —L.B.

< From top: Vertical growing in a polycarbonate tunnel structure provides easy access to pick tomatoes. Samsung’s programmable grow light system. Cold frame by Juwel.

thumb is 40% venting area split equally between roof and walls (louvers) to total oor space. Automated venting can be temperature-sensor controlled. Regulated fan systems create air ow, prevent disease, and promote pollination. Shade cloth comes in degrees of sunlight reduction. Damping down— hosing off at surfaces—reduces heat, creates humidity, and reduces plant water loss through transpiration (sweating), indicated by curling leaves. Add a heater, depending on your location.

ADD GROW LIGHTS: Select lights based on the volume or quality of light-containing photons, which is what produces photosynthesis, not the brightness. Plants also need darkness to rest. Photosynthetically active radiation has a wavelength range of 380 nm to 760 nm for photosynthesis. Blue supports greenery; red works for owers and fruit; and yellow reaches the base of the plant. NASA research on growing food in space has revolutionized the effectiveness of LED grow lights by creating “light recipes,” a mixture of spectrum wavelengths/colors for speci c crops.

TAKE PEST CONTROL MEASURES: Inspect new plants and soil, maintain a tight seal when vents close, remove standing water, and use bene cial bugs (ladybugs) and organic neem oil.

THEN COMES THE FUN PART— PURCHASE YOUR PLANTS: Be selective. Flowering plants require pollination. If you don’t have neighborhood bumblebees, consider self-pollinating plants like tomatoes, peppers, or legumes. Strawberries utilize air ow. Large-leaf plants might shade others and have a detrimental effect on photosynthesis. Make sure you use planting mix instead of potting soil, so that there’s more nutrients in a reduced amount of space.