• Controlling greenhouse temperature for successful production

    Published on May 2, 2024
    This article discusses the fundamentals of greenhouse temperature and why its management is so critical to successful production of crops.

  • Several consequences of growing too cool

    Published on January 6, 2023
    To decrease energy costs to heat greenhouses, it is tempting to lower heating settings, but this has several consequences to the crops growing inside.

  • The pros and cons of cool nights

    Published on September 1, 2022
    There can be some compelling reasons to deliver a relatively low growing temperature at night, but also some trade-offs that need to be considered.

  • Air, leaf and root-zone temperature

    Published on July 6, 2022
    Inside a controlled environment, should we measure the temperature of the air, the growing substrate, the shoot tip, a leaf, or a plant canopy? The answer is somewhat situational.

  • Evaporative cooling, part 2: Maintenance

    Published on June 8, 2022
    Evaporative cooling systems are only as good as their design and maintenance. In this article, general maintenance guidelines of these systems are discussed for greenhouse applications.

  • Evaporative cooling, part 1: Methods

    Published on April 6, 2022
    The only practical way to decrease the greenhouse air temperature is evaporative cooling using a fan-and-pad or fog system. This article provides a short overview of these two systems.

  • Light and temperature responses of bedding plants

    Published on March 9, 2022
    We have quantified the temperature and light responses of common bedding plant crops to better understand their impacts on production time and quality.

  • Water vapor-pressure deficit

    Published on December 6, 2021
    The driving force for plant water loss is best described by the vapor-pressure deficit (VPD). This article discusses VPD classifications and what values are suitable during crop production.

  • Maximizing photosynthesis, minimizing respiration

    Published on March 7, 2021
    Conceptually, anything growers can do to increase photosynthesis and decrease respiration can increase growth, leading to thicker stems, faster rooting, more branches, and more and larger flowers and fruits

  • Common plant production acronyms

    Published on May 8, 2020
    This article briefly defines 20 acronyms (abbreviations formed from the initial letters of other words) commonly used when discussing controlled-environment production of plants.

  • The perils of low (greenhouse) temperature

    Published on February 13, 2020
    There can be some undesirable and insidious consequences if the temperature is lowered too much, or for too long. This article describes some of the pros and cons that can arise from low temperatures, especially in the greenhouse.

  • Greenhouse environment checklist

    Published on October 10, 2019
    Every autumn, ensure greenhouse systems that regulate the major environmental parameters are working well and positioned properly. This article highlights many of the control systems and equipment to check.