Exploring Greenhouse Structures

Warm Up
What building material can you recognize in this

photo?

Essential Question
What are the common greenhouse designs?

Common Green House

Designs
4 Common designs
Lean-to
Even-Span
Uneven-Span
Ridge and Furrow

Lean-to Greenhouse
shares a wall with a building and relies on the

building structure to provide some support for

the greenhouse roof.

Even-span Greenhouse
Single houses that have roofs with an even pitch and

an even width.

Hoop House/Quonset: common even-span greenhouse

that uses arching pipes for the framework

Uneven-Span Greenhouse
Have unequal pitches and widths.
Limited to hillside use
Rarely Built

Ridge and Furrow

Greenhouse
Structures consist of

a number of
greenhouses
connected along the
length of the house.
Shared interior walls
reduce energy costs
and allow for large
interior spaces.
Best oriented north
and south to reduce
permanent shadows on
the crops created by
the gutters.

Types of
Greenhouses
Expanded

Greenhouse Framework
Supports the greenhouse

covering material
Should be:

Strong, allow for

maximum amount of light

to enter, require little
maintenence

Aluminum is most popular

Other materials include
wood, steel, angle iron

Greenhouse Covering
Covering= glazing
Considerations
Durable, light transmission, cost, heating
effectiveness
Possible materials
Polyethylene

Stretched over greenhouse framework, cheap, not

durable, not expensive

Structured

sheets

polycarbonate, acrylic, and fiberglass materials have

grown in popularity. Multi sheets= good insulation

Structured Sheets
Polycarbonate structured sheets
most widely used, good light transmission, resist
hail damage, easy to work with
Acrylic structured sheets
high light transmission, costly, prone to hail

damage, and are less flexible

Fiberglass
discolors after 7 to 10 years, is flammable,and

provides poor insulation

Glass
Considered best greenhouse glazing (covering)

material
Highest light transmission
Long lasting

Headhouse
Attached to the greenhouse
Used as a storage area, a potting area, an office,

and/or a shipping area.

Retractable Roof
Greenhouses
Designs allow the roof to be opened and closed.
Gives plants protection from weather when needed
Reduced watering, rainwater can be used

Greenhouse Benches
Holds the plants above the ground.
Materials include:
galvanized steel, aluminum, plastic, and rot

resistant wood.

Arranged in greenhouse with aisle space to walk

Rolling Benches:
movable bench used to maximize growing space by

limiting space for aisles

benches are placed on pipes, which allows them to
be easily moved from side to side.

Rolling Bench

Vocabulary

Activities
Review Quiz 1
Go over Review Quiz
Hand out project worksheet

Controlling Greenhouse Climate

Warm Up
Why is this plant wilting? What does wilting

mean?

Essential Question
What are the common greenhouse climate control

systems?

Heating
Hot water heat system
heating water in a boiler and pumping the hot water
through pipes located in the greenhouse located
under benches, low maintenance, even heat
Steam heat
boilers that bring water to a boil and the resulting

steam flows through pipes in the greenhouse

Heating
Unit heaters
heat air within the unit, then blow the air
throughout the greenhouse. Polyethylene tubes
evenly distribute air flow, cost more to operate
Infrared heat systems
produce heat energy that is absorbed by the

plants, media, and benches, do not heat the air,

suited for high greenhouses

Cooling
Fan and pad cooling system
Number 1 system, based on evaporation of water,
pads at one end of the house are kept wet, fans at
the other end of the house pull air through the
pads. Air entering the house is cooled as water in
the pads evaporates.

Cooling

Fog systems
involve an atomizer
that produces water
vapor, flash
evaporation of this
water cools the
greenhouse.
Vents
consist of panels that
open and allow air
exchange with the
outside, Natural
cooling

Energy Curtain
Automated systems using fabrics that can

insulate a greenhouse at night and shade the

crops during the day
Installed gutter to gutter, run by computers

Short-day curtains
Similar to energy curtains, provides darkness that
will simulate a short-day effect.

Climate Control Systems

Environmental controls
Devices used to turn greenhouse systems on and
off, including heating and cooling systems.
Includes:
Thermostats
Analog

controls
Computer controls
Computerized environmental management systems

Climate Control Systems

Thermostats are low cost, easy to install

environmental controls.

On-off thermostats control fans, heaters, and

vents with the change of temperatures.

Analog controls use proportioning thermostats to

run amplifiers and electronic circuitry.

heating and cooling operations are integrated

resulting in better performance

Climate Control systems

Computer controls use microprocessors to make

complex judgments based on information from a

number of sensors.

Computerized environmental management

systems, although expensive, are accurate and can

control all the automated systems together.

Vocabulary

Analog controls
Computer controls
Computerized environmental

management systems
Energy curtains
Environmental controls
Fan and pad cooling system
Fog system
Hot water heat system
Infrared heat system
Polyethylene tubes
Short-day curtains
Steam heat
Thermostats
Unit heaters
Vents

Activities
Represent Heating and Cooling and Systems
Draw them on a separate piece of paper from your
notes. This will be turned in.
Review Quiz 2
Go over Review Quiz

Automated Greenhouse Systems

Warm Up
What does this machine do? Why is it convenient?

Essential Question
What are some advantages of automated

systems?

Automated Systems
Incorporate technological developments in the

production of greenhouse crops.

Automated systems cut down labor costs

Automated systems allow for larger crops

Automated SystemsPlanting

Automated pot fillers

used to fill pots with medium, medium is lightly
packed, and the pots are stacked or move down a
conveyor for planting.
Automated seeders
permit the sowing of entire flats or plug trays in a
few moments, trays move down a conveyor to a
germination room or move to the greenhouse
Automated transplanters
remove small plants from plug trays and transplant
them directly to pots.

Automated SystemsTransporting
Transporting= most labor intensive part
Conveyor belt systems are used to move plants

from one area of the greenhouse to another.

Tray mechanization, has grown in popularity in

the U.S.

Individual trays or palletized benches that hold 100

pots or more roll on a series of rails from one area

to another.

Automated Systems:
Watering
Spaghetti tubing
Automated system
that involves small
tubes connected to a
main line
End of each small tube
is placed in a pot, and
when functioning,
dribbles water onto
the medium.
Allows flowers and
foliage to stay dry

Automated : Watering
Drip irrigation
a system like spaghetti
tubing
differs = provides a
slow steady drip
Used with hanging
baskets
Wastes less !!

Automated: Watering
Ebb and flood
Watering involves watertight benches in which
pots are set
Water or nutrient solutions are pumped into the
bench, the medium absorbs the water, and the
water drains away.
Little water loss, nutrient levels are easily
adjusted, plant foliage kept dry

Automated: Watering
Capillary mats
consist of porous
mats placed on a
bench and wetted.
The medium in the
pots absorbs the
water through
capillary action.
Foliage stays dry,
high humidity
provided

Automated: Watering
Irrigation booms
Move across the
entire bench and
well-placed nozzles
flood the pots below
as they pass over the
plants
Commonly used with
bedding plants, plug
trays, and some
potted flowering
crops.

Automated: Watering
Overhead sprinklers
Stationary sprinkler heads placed throughout the
growing space
Large amount of water in a short period of time
Often used with bedding plants.

Automated: Watering
Intermittent mist

systems

Produce tiny droplets

in the air for the

purpose of keeping
plant material wet
Commonly used in the
propagation phase of
production to reduce
water stress on
cuttings
Continuous or
programmed times

Vocabulary
Automated pot fillers
Automated seeders
Automated transplanters
Capillary mats
Conveyor belt system
Drip irrigation
Ebb and flood
Intermittent mist system
Irrigation booms
Overhead sprinklers
Spaghetti tubing
Tray mechanization

Activities
Research Project
1 page SINGLE space paper, size 12 font, times new
roman or comic sans
Which automated watering system is the best and
why?
Review Quiz 3
Go over Review Quiz

Managing a Greenhouse Business

Warm Up
What types of jobs are conducted in a

greenhouse?

Essential Question
What are the types of greenhouse businesses?

Greenhouse Businesses
3 categories
Specialty Growers
Wholesale Growers
Retail Growers

Specialty Growers
Produce crops sold to wholesale or retail

greenhouse growers
Specialize in one, or multiple crops
Can specialize in:
Rooted cuttings
Seed production
Bulbs for forcing

Wholesale Growers
Produce a limited number of crops
Can Produce
Cut roses
Foliage Plants
Potted flowering plants
Products are sold to retail stores

Retail Growers
Generally produce a variety of crops sold directly

to the public through their own retail outlet.

Common Costs
Direct materials costs
those costs including plant materials, pots,
chemicals, and growing media.
Direct labor costs
based on production activities such as planting

crops, spacing crops, watering and fertilizing crops

and managing pests and diseases.

Common Costs Continued

Overhead costs
do not have a direct impact on the production of
the crops.

heating fuel, office management and secretarial support,

taxes, depreciation, insurance, and utilities

Marketing costs
associated with advertising, packaging products,
shipping, and billing.

Career Opportunities

Greenhouse Manager
responsible for the total greenhouse operation
Grower
charge of the day to day tasks involved in producing

one or more crops.

Marketing managers
sell the crops
Shipping room manager
handling a crop from the time it leaves the

greenhouse until it is shipped.

Skills Required
Understand crops and how to care for them
Mechanical Skills
Understand the market
Deliver plants in a healthy state
Administrative Skills
Good understanding of local, state, and national

laws pertaining to plant growing, sale, and

transport

Direct labor costs

Direct materials costs
Greenhouse manager
Grower
Marketing costs
Marketing manager
Overhead costs
Production manager
Propagator
Retail growers
Shipping room manager
Specialty growers
Wholesale growers

Vocabulary

Activities
Review Quiz 4

Vocabulary
Analog controls
Computer controls
Computerized

environmental
management systems
Energy curtains
Environmental controls
Fan and pad cooling
system
Fog system
Hot water heat system
Infrared heat system
Polyethylene tubes
Short-day curtains
Steam heat
Thermostats
Unit heaters
Vents

Automated pot

fillers
Automated seeders
Automated
transplanters
Capillary mats
Conveyor belt
system
Drip irrigation
Ebb and flood
Intermittent mist
system
Irrigation booms
Overhead sprinklers
Spaghetti tubing
Tray mechanization

Direct labor costs

Direct materials costs
Greenhouse manager
Grower
Marketing costs
Marketing manager
Overhead costs
Production manager
Propagator
Retail growers
Shipping room manager
Specialty growers
Wholesale growers

Growing Potted Flowering Plants

Warm Up

Essential Question
What is one important aspect to keep in mind

while growing flowering potted plants?