Guides

Structures

interior of hoop house with crops growing in ground

Hoop House Vs. Greenhouse: Which Should You Choose?

As markets become increasingly competitive and unpredictable weather patterns continue to hinder open-field production, growers are thinking about controlled environment agriculture (CEA) now more than ever. With the right structure, they can gain the protection they need against the elements and achieve superior yields on a regular basis, gaining an edge over competitors.

 

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cold frames spanning across a landscape

A Guide For Cold Frame Production And Improving Outdoor Cultivation

Historically, outdoor operations have been subject to a number of challenges that come with being exposed to the elements. Whether it’s severe weather, pests and disease or seasonal limitations, these growers must consistently overcome various obstacles to achieve success.

 

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Drip Irrigation in Cannabis Plants

The Definitive Guide TO Why It’s BEtter To Grow In A Cannabis Greenhouse

When it comes to growing cannabis, time is money. Cannabis greenhouses exemplify the concept of time efficiency. With the ability to start the growing season early and harvest throughout the winter, cannabis greenhouse growers can stay in business year-round. 

 

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Chippewa Valley PRO Greenhouse

Choosing The Right Greenhouse Covering For Your OPeration

Selecting the appropriate material for a greenhouse covering requires careful consideration of the insulation, light transmission, cost-efficiency and durability a grower desires. Greenhouse cladding comes in a variety of materials, including poly film, glass, polycarbonate and more.

 

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Inside A High Tunnel

The Guide To High Tunnel Production: Using A High Tunnel Hoop House ANd High Tunnel Grant To Improve Outdoor Cultivation

Outdoor cultivation has been the standard for agriculture since the beginning of time, and it certainly remains an effective method of crop production. Still, with each passing year, growing strategies improve and new technology allows growers to produce on scales that may have never been possible by simply growing in soil.

 

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Different types of greenhouses being used by one operation

How To Choose BEtween Different Types Of Greenhouses

When building a new greenhouse structure, there are many decisions businesses must make. Every operation wants to optimize their grow, and the most effective way for businesses to do this is to choose the type of greenhouse that best sets them up for success. 

 

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Growing Systems

NFT hydroponic garden system inside greenhouse

The Complete Guide To Hydroponic Growing Systems: Choosing The Right Hydroponic Garden System

With all the different types of hydroponic systems out there, it’s important for operations to be aware of how each one works, as well as which kinds of crops they work best with. Using this detailed breakdown, growers can get the information they need to choose their ideal hydroponic garden system and implement it into their operation.

 

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Commercial aquaponics systems

Commercial Aquaponics For Beginners: Integrating An Aquaponics System

Aquaponics is a unique hybrid of two practices: aquaculture, or raising fish in tanks and ponds, and hydroponics. Fish release waste that is rich in nutrients, which becomes a natural fertilizer taken up by plants. In return, the plants provide clean, purified water for the fish.

 

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Hydroponics set up

Tips To Success In Hydroponic Growing

Hydroponic growing means removing soil from the cultivation process while introducing grow systems and new growing mediums. These variations from traditional growing methods can be difficult to navigate, even for experienced growers.

 

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greenhouse irrigation

Understanding Your Greenhouse Watering System And Irrigation Management

Most growers know that in any commercial operation, an effective greenhouse watering system is one of the keys to a successful harvest. In addition to greater crop development, the right greenhouse irrigation system will help growers with a number of other factors, leading to increased profits.

 

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Charles Drew horticulture interior closeup

Four Tips For Thriving In Hydroponics

Growing hydroponically carries several noteworthy benefits. Perhaps the most significant advantage is that hydroponic systems are energy-efficient, since they require less water, pesticides and soil.

 

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hydroponic vegetables growing

How To Minimize Water Borne Disease In HyDroponics

Although using a hydroponics system may eliminate soil borne pests, there are pests and fungi that spread through water, which means cleaning equipment and using an additional filtration system can drastically help reduce the occurrence of disease spreading.

 

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Fertigation Systems upclose

Fertigation: Fertilizing Through Irrigation

Many farmers have experienced the excessive loss of water from using overhead sprinklers. Overhead systems can leave your plants susceptible to disease and pests, which has driven many of today’s farms to implement more efficient irrigation and fertilization systems.

 

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Environmental Control

Greenhouse Lighting

Understanding Greenhouse Lighting

There’s a lot more to greenhouse lighting than meets the eye. Growers in search of the appropriate lighting for their greenhouse should consider the following three factors: the type of crop being grown, what time of year it is and how much sunlight is available.

 

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greenhouse with hydroponics and evaporative cooling wall

Greenhouse Temperature Control: The Guide To An Evaporative Cooling System

There are a number of different ways for growers to cool their greenhouses. The best option will likely change from operation to operation based on different factors, like greenhouse size or location.

 

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smart controller inside a cold climate greenhouse

TiPs To Improve Grow Room And GReenhouse Temperature Control

Managing the temperature inside of the grow room or greenhouse is essential for plants to grow to their full potential. When temperatures are outside of the desired range for a crop, critical biological processes, like photosynthesis, may slow down or even be brought to a halt.

 

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co2 enrichment system inside cannabis greenhouse

How Growers Can Take Advantage Of CO2 Enrichment

Every grower knows that plants need CO2, but less commonly known is that when CO2 levels drop below 250 to 300 ppm (parts per million), plants stop growing altogether. Although plants can survive without added CO2, they probably won’t thrive.

 

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Plants growing on steel benches in greenhouse with ventilation equipment in background

Greenhouse Humidification: How To Maintain Proper Humidity Levels In Your Structure

Humidity, often overlooked, plays a pivotal role in shaping the success of greenhouse production. To achieve and maintain ideal humidity levels, it’s important that growers recognize the relationship between several key factors, including temperature, relative humidity and dew point.

 

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plants growing hydroponically in greenhouse with fans and a heater

How To Size A Greenhouse Heating System

Sizing a greenhouse heating system only requires growers to make several measurements and a few calculations. Once the numbers are crunched, growers will be well on their way to sufficiently heating their operation.

 

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outside winter greenhouse

Optimizing Heating In Your Winter Greenhouse: How To Make Sure Your Greenhouse Heater Doesn’t Go TO Waste

In many regions, growers don’t have to worry about the burden of snow or having to use a greenhouse heater to cultivate year-round. Not everyone is afforded this luxury, though, and for cold-climate growers, a winter greenhouse offers a lifeline to stay competitive by enabling them to grow uninterrupted.

 

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floral Greenhouse with Temperature controls

Adding Heat To A Greenhouse

A greenhouse is a major investment, but adding one to a growing operation can really take production to the next level by providing a protected space for early seed starting and season extension. Heating the greenhouse for those months when frost is a major risk for many climates can help maximize the potential for improved production.

 

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Cannaseur Grow Greenhouse

Creating The Ultimate Cannabis Greenhouse Environment

Throughout the history of cannabis production, growing outdoors or utilizing an indoor grow room has been commonplace. As the cannabis industry continues to boom, growers are discovering that the greenhouse is the ultimate combination of both.

 

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interior of year-round greenhouse with tall plants growing in rows

Looking To Operate A Year-Round Greenhouse? Here’s How

When operations want to grow crops in a year-round greenhouse, the requirements for doing so can be vastly different, depending on their location. In warmer regions, for instance, the cold season is not as severe, so growers don’t need their structure to double as a winter greenhouse to stay operational.

 

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Ventilation inside Greenhouse

Humidity And Greenhouse Climate Control: A Brief Introduction

When growing in a greenhouse, humidity can become a serious factor in the success of your crop. Because of dense vegetation packed into limited, enclosed space, plants transpire moisture. This is why humidity tends to run high for many farmers.

 

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Planning & Setup

retail nursery housed inside gothic greenhouse

What To Know To Operate A Successful Retail Nursery

A retail nursery has a much different look and feel than a traditional growing facility. While other operations can simply focus on maximizing their growing space, nursery owners are faced with the unique task of creating a production area that also serves as a retail destination.

 

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pumpkins and hanging plants in a retail nursery

Things To Keep In Mind When Designing Greenhouse Displays

Greenhouses can be a fantastic place to set up a nursery or retail space and using the greenhouse in this way helps growers make the most of their space throughout the season. Greenhouses should be outfitted with the proper climate control tools, whether it is a heater or an exhaust system to keep plants and products in an optimal environment year-round.

 

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outside of venlo greenhouse installation

Keys To Successful Greenhouse Installation: How Growers And Greenhouse Builders Should APproach A Project

As greenhouses become increasingly larger in size and growing technology continues to advance, so too do the requirements for pulling off a successful greenhouse installation. With so many details and moving parts to consider, each phase of a project requires careful decision-making and close collaboration between growers and their greenhouse builders.

 

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greenhouse on grass landscape

How To Best Optimize Greenhouse Price

When it comes to purchasing a greenhouse, there are a variety of manufacturers and materials that growers will have to choose from. This can be a challenge, as growers will want to obtain a greenhouse that makes the most of their budget.

 

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Michigan Urban Farm

Beginning Urbran Farming

City gardens and urban farming create an opportunity for fixing food insecurities within a community or to simply save money on household food costs. Gardening within cities has become increasingly popular in recent years, and urban greenhouses and garden plots are popping up across the nation. 

 

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Outside S1000 Greenhouse

Greenhouse Insulation: Here’s What You Need To KNow To Operate Your Greenhouse In Winter

What’s the most important part of growing in a greenhouse in winter? Sure, having an efficient, properly sized heating system is crucial, but that isn’t enough on its own for commercial growers looking to maximize profits.

 

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tomato plants growing inside a greenhouse. Light dep systems, lights, fans and more are hanging from ceiling

The Essential Commercial Greenhouse Supplies Checklist

What exactly goes into setting up a commercial greenhouse grow? Besides the important preliminary steps, like selecting a location, acquiring permits and picking out the right greenhouse materials, operations will also need to go through the process of planning out their production space.

 

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Farm green houses in fall

Starting An Operation: Things To Consider For New Farmers And Growers

Starting a farm can seem like a very romantic endeavor. In fact, if agriculture is your passion, there is something romantic about working the land and reaping your harvest. Those who have fallen in love with the earth know that love comes at a cost, takes a lot of hard work and maybe some exhausting learning opportunities along the way.

 

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Cannabis high tunnel

Growing Cannabis: Where To Start

As the political climate surrounding the legalization and production of Marijuana shifts, so too, must the industry of agriculture. At this stage in the political environment, many experienced cannabis growers have gained their decades of experience experimenting in underground operations.

 

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commercial greenhouse and metal building

Prepping The Farm For Winter: Field And Greenhouse Production

The leaves are changing, the nights are getting crispy and it is never too early to start preparing for next season. With a few slow weeks approaching, late fall is a great time to begin all of the work that goes into the production season.

 

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hydroponic systems on benches in a greenhouse

The New Normal: How To Optimize A GReenhouse For Social Distancing

It is an indisputable fact that the world as we know it has changed. Working from home is the new normal; social gatherings and activities are drastically limited, and social distancing is required in all public spaces.

 

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