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Summer Greenhouse Survival Guide
Summer Greenhouse Survival Guide
It doesn't matter if it's glass or plastic, greenhouses can get really hot in sunny weather. Here are a few ideas for making sure your plants don't overheat.
Lowering temperature
The keys to keeping down temperatures are shading, air circulation & humidity. Your greenhouse plants likely originated from the tropics and subtropics so they can withstand high temperatures, just not too high!
Watering
Leaves cool themselves down with a process called 'transpiration', this is when water moves from the plant and out the surface of the leaf. Therefore, keeping your greenhouse plants watered and the conditions humid with keep temperatures down.
Air Movement
The second-most important cooling factor is air movement. This can be achieved with ventilation. Simply open the door and the roof/side vents (if you have them) to keep the air moving.
Time to Vent!
Roof vents are the ideal solution for air movement. 1m² per 5m² results in a complete air change every two minutes!
Shading
Shading can supplement these techniques for plant temperature but unfortunately is a bit of a double-edged sword as it also limits the light your plants will receive. Best practice is to use the maximum amount of ventilation you can, and then use as little shade as possible to get the temperature to around 25-27°C
How To Shade
Your options for shading are internal/external blinds, shade netting & shading paints. The blinds will work best, but can be expensive, the netting is cheaper but less effective, the shade paints work decently well but can leave traces even when washed off.
Damping Down
Maintain the humidity in your greenhouse by 'damping down', wetting the hard surfaces with water, ideally at least three times a day
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