Multispan Greenhouse: Make the Most of Our Growing Space

What is a Multispan Greenhouse?

A multispan greenhouse is simply a large greenhouse with guaranteed optimal climate control. This type of control makes it easier to grow different types of crops in the same greenhouse. As a result, you can expect such a greenhouse to generally have some of the best outputs and also a variety of crops. 

How can you maintain a multispan greenhouse for better energy use?

A multispan greenhouse is best used for commercial applications. For this reason, you can expect it to give you a good energy bill too. Right now, many people might be looking to save on their energy expenses. As a result, some might ask, how can they do so on their multispan greenhouses?

Here is how you can do it. 

Review your set-up.

Look for any issues in the window panes. Your energy expenditures will rise if there are any holes or gaps in your home’s exterior. Costs go up as time goes on, so don’t put it off. Make sure there is no loose glass on the greenhouse. Vents should be closed tightly to conserve heat.

Enhance the heating system’s performance

Heater efficiency is a major issue for farmers. A commercial greenhouse’s heating system can benefit from routine maintenance. Insulate the pipes first. Inadequate insulation of main boiler room pipelines results in heat loss. You don’t want your boiler room to become a wasteland of wasted heat. 

Inspect all pumps and valves for leakage. You’ll pay more for your heating system if you have a lot of leaks. 

Take a look at your thermostat settings. Temperature reductions should be compensated for by seasonal fluctuations. Sensors should be checked for accuracy. Over time, they degrade and require replacement.

Perform a yearly burner and boiler inspection, as well as checking your steam valves.

Inspect the lights that serve as a backup.

From November to February, the days are shorter and the light is less in greenhouses in colder climates. This calls for more lighting. Choosing the right lighting for your greenhouse is crucial. 

The crop and the temperature will decide the lighting type you use. Even though HPS lights are less expensive, they use 25 percent more electricity than LEDs, so keep that in mind while shopping. Your benches should not be obstructed by the shade cast by a light fixture.

Use drapes that are energy efficient.

Regardless of the season, good curtain installation is essential for reducing energy use. Greenhouses benefit from energy curtains when the weather isn’t optimal outdoors. Keep the heat close to the plants by closing the drapes at night. This also keeps chilly air out. 

Installing a double-layered curtain saves money in the long run between 20% and 75% of energy. For best effectiveness, use your curtains in the winter and automate their selection and operation.

Is Your Multispan Greenhouse Ready for Winter?

Winter is coming, which means colder temperatures and shorter days. It’s now to get ready for the coming changes in the weather.

The winter is a critical time to get your greenhouses ready. If you live in a place that gets a lot of snow and cold weather, this is very important. The following are some things to keep in mind as you prepare your commercial greenhouse for fall and the winter:

It’s time to organize and clean up, so do it now

Things may not be as clean as they should be because of a busy work schedule. It’s a good time of the year to do any cleaning you put off over the summer in preparation for the cold weather.

Make room for new crops by eliminating any plants that won’t last through the winter.

Before planting any new vegetables, make sure your floor is clean and sanitary. Also, it’s a good idea to clean the framework, benches, and other inside greenhouse equipment.

The glass in the greenhouse needs to be cleaned during the winter when light levels are at their lowest. This will ensure that as much light as possible can get into the greenhouse.

Examine the state of your building.

Your greenhouse’s ability to work well in cold weather depends on ensuring that all of its parts, both inside and outside, are in good shape.

You should look at your window glazing to see if there are any cracks or voids in it. Your heating costs go up because cold air gets into your home through cracks. People who do not fix something for a long time can end up paying more to fix it in the long run.

It’s important to have your heating system checked out on a regular basis to make sure it works as well as possible when it’s needed the most in the colder months.

Check to see if your extra lighting is working.

Because of the shorter days and less light that happen between November and February, greenhouses in colder places need subsidized lighting. 

How much lighting you use and how long it stays on at all times of day depends on the type of crop you’re growing, as well as the weather. At this time, you should expect the cost of lighting to go up, so if you want your greenhouse’s supplemental lighting to work the best, you should hire experts.

Energy-saving drapes could be a good choice.

In the summer, greenhouse curtains are known for their ability to keep the sun out of a greenhouse. In the winter, when cold air needs to be kept out, and heat needs to be kept in, they are just as important. 

When there is not enough light at night, your curtains are usually shut. In the winter, the cold air stays out of the greenhouse, but the greenhouse is kept warm by this. If the light is shining, you can open the blinds all day long. 

Growers often add a second layer of curtains to their greenhouses to make them even more energy-efficient. 

Despite the fact that it looks like a pricey solution at first, the savings on heating costs during the winter quickly make up for this. They can expect to save 20% to 75% on their energy bills if they use winter-specific curtain systems. This depends on how well they are used. 

Before the winter, when it is harder to fix things, start preparing for the new season. A good season can be had if you keep your buildings in good condition and try to use as little energy as possible.

How Can You Deal with Heating Issues in a Multispan Greenhouse?

Commercial greenhouses must have buildings and heating systems that can withstand the cold winter weather. To meet the energy demands of the cold season, the heating system in a greenhouse must be as efficient as possible. When you use a less efficient heating system in your greenhouse, you may lose money due to the wasted energy. By following these guidelines, you can maintain and improve the efficiency of your greenhouse.

Keep the heat in your greenhouse by not allowing it to escape.

You already spend a lot of money on heating your greenhouse. You also don’t have to worry about heat escaping from the structure where it isn’t needed. If you follow these simple rules, you can keep your greenhouse warm:

• Fill in any holes that allow heat to escape from your greenhouse. Almost everything you’ll need to make repairs should be kept in a greenhouse repair kit that you can keep close by.
• If your greenhouse has cracked, damaged, or missing panes. You should either repair them or replace them.

• You can check or add weather stripping to all of your doors, vents, and fan openings to ensure that they can close completely.

• If a specific area of the greenhouse does not require a lot of sunlight during the day, you may want to insulate the walls there.
• Try not to use single poly-glazing for as long as possible. There should be enough air space between each layer of a double-poly greenhouse.
• Consider installing energy curtains if you want to keep the temperature in your greenhouse at a healthy level for your plants.

Take care of the tasks that must be completed.

Keep an eye out for issues with your greenhouse’s heating systems to ensure that it is performing optimally. Heating systems that aren’t maintained lose efficiency over time due to clogged heat exchangers and other issues that can be resolved with routine maintenance. 

Attempting to avoid some of these issues can be accomplished by:

• Check that your boilers and burners are in good working order. When you see soot, it means that your boiler or burner isn’t performing as well as it should. If the boilers are running on low-grade fuel, much more soot can be produced.
• Examine the boiler to see if it has a lot of sludge. Impurities in the water can cause deposits to form in the boiler, which can lead to scale buildup in the pipes.

Water level and air pressure are critical to monitor.

If there are any leaks in your heating system, they should be repaired. Only add additional water if absolutely necessary. Corrosion occurs when freshwater is introduced into the system, making it less effective and shortening its life.

If your steam traps are not working properly, they should be replaced or repaired. Every few months, inspect and clean the insulation around your pipes.

Choose the ideal temperature for your greenhouse.

Heating your greenhouse wastes energy that could otherwise be used to grow your crops. When the temperature rises too high, your crops lose energy and become unhealthy. Follow these guidelines to determine the ideal temperature for your greenhouse:

• Set the temperature of your greenhouse to coincide with the needs of various crops.
• Keep an eye on the weather and how it affects different parts of your greenhouse.
• Pay attention to where the sun is during the winter. You don’t have to worry about cooling the zones down as the sun goes down to avoid overheating them.

Invest in a better heating system.

There are numerous new heating systems on the market that are more energy-efficient than older models. To improve the heating efficiency of your commercial greenhouse, do the following: 

• Paint all of your pipes to keep them from rusting. This will extend the life of your pipes. Pipes that have been rusted emit up to 10% less heat than pipes that have been painted.
• Replace inefficient condensing boilers with more energy-efficient condensing boilers.
• If you don’t have the funds to purchase a new high-efficiency boiler system, installing condensers or economizers on existing systems may be good.
• If at all possible, consider installing radiant bench heating and crop heating.

 You can directly heat the soil to speed up the germination process with these options.

Instead of using open expansion tanks, consider getting one with a closed expansion system.

If you have any valves, pumps, or pipes that move heat from the boiler room to the growing zone, you should insulate them. It is possible to save more heat by insuring just 30 feet of straight pipes with insulation than by insuring just one of them.

How Can You Create A More Efficient Multispan Greenhouse Growing Environment?

Growers who want to expand their business frequently begin by constructing new greenhouses or expanding existing ones. Expansion of a grower’s business can be beneficial, but it is not always the best option for everyone.

Understand the Time and Money spend on the Greenhouse

The first step toward making the most of your greenhouse space is determining how much time and money is spent on daily tasks. It’s simple to automate simple, repetitive tasks like spacing plants, sleeving plants, or planting plugs. 

Machines that do these things automatically may cost a lot of money upfront, but the savings in labor may be worth it. Potting machines and other similar machines produce a lot more high-quality goods with no loss of quality.

Better greenhouse management

A modern environmental management system will also improve the quality of your plants and make your greenhouse run more efficiently, so it is worthwhile to invest in one. You don’t have to waste time and money manually controlling temperature, humidity, lighting, and ventilation. An environmental control system ensures that your systems cooperate to produce consistent, high-quality results.

Automate More Greenhouse Systems

The automated systems can be tailored to your specific requirements and budget. They range in complexity from simple automation to fully integrated systems. 

You can automate the irrigation, lighting, and energy curtains in your greenhouse to make it run more efficiently. This is a good starting point. 

You can always automate more systems as your needs change, and your budget allows. In the long run, the more money you spend upfront on an automated system, the more money you’ll save later.

Should You Integrate a Control System in a Multispan Greenhouse?

It takes a lot to raise great vegetables in a commercial multispan greenhouse. As a result, many farmers prefer an easier-to-use computer system that manages all environmental variables simultaneously. An integrated system eliminates the need to monitor and adjust your system as your crop needs change, reducing farmer stress. Full integration is necessary to create a healthy growth environment.

Having a fully integrated environmental control system helps save manufacturing costs. Save a lot of money if all your environmental factors operate together.

To maximize your integrated environmental management system, follow these tips:

You should finish your homework.

Before making a final decision, be sure the environmental computer system (ECS) provider is well-known and experienced in the commercial multispan greenhouse sector. If feasible, research the system with other growers and don’t rely on one person’s viewpoint! How can you learn more about your ECS provider?

• How much experience does the organization have controlling the greenhouse environment?
• How much experience do they have with greenhouses and greenhouse equipment?
• Do you have help with your computer?
• Is there a warranty if it breaks?

Make a plan ahead of time to save time.

In order to expand your greenhouse business or aid your crops, you must verify that your greenhouse controls can handle the extra workload. You should have at least one extra ECS-controlled outlet, so you can add things like a humidifier. We urge you to think about extending or adding equipment in the future rather than beginning over.

You can make a troubleshooting guide to help others.

Any networked system will have equipment issues. It is much easier to overcome obstacles when they are swiftly resolved. Keep a troubleshooting binder handy in case something goes wrong. 

Print the problem graph and a message about how it was resolved. This manner, if the issue reoccurs, your personnel will be prepared.

Stock up on spares.

Things go wrong during weekends or significant holidays, making it difficult to get replacement parts. If something goes wrong, keep extra fuses and even controllers on available to prevent having to wait until the next business day. Technicians should have their phone numbers handy in case of an emergency.

Regularly inspect your system.

Using an ECS can be pricey, but it is vital. When a system malfunctions, the grower must repair it. During a power loss, a sensor may have miscalibrated or miscommunicated.  A computer says the vents should be 30% open, yet they are 50% open. 

If your computer’s readings are off, your sensors may need repair or calibration. Problems should be identified as soon as feasible so they may be addressed.

How Can You Choose the Best Multispan Greenhouse Covering?

When choosing a greenhouse cover for your crops, consider its durability, light transmission, and cost. As you can see, the most frequent greenhouse covers are glass, polycarbonate, acrylic, and poly film. Each has its own advantages that a farmer can use.

Here is how to pick;

Glass

Glass is a popular choice for commercial greenhouses, especially those with garden centers. It is durable and rarely needs replacing. Some materials fade and become opaque over time. 

Glass is a gorgeous and long-lasting solution for gardeners who take the right measures.

Acrylic

Acrylic covers are another alternative for growers. Acrylic glazing is durable, robust, and UV resistant. It will not be yellow like other plastic glazings. The most energy-efficient multi-wall panels are transparent.

Acrylic is easy to work with due to its flexibility. It can be sliced and curved. 

Acrylic is more expensive than other glass varieties because it is more delicate and susceptible to hail damage. It also means that construction workers must be more cautious. 

In hail-prone locations, shatterproof Impact Modified Acrylic with low impact strength is an alternative. Plant growers can choose between 8mm, 16mm, and 32mm acrylic.

Polyethylene terephthalate is a film.

Producers use polyethylene film to cover crops because it is less expensive upfront, flexible, and weather-resistant. Poly comes in a variety of opacities and colors. 

6mm thick greenhouse plastic can endure UV radiation for four years. Greenhouse polyethylene is robust and flexible. Plastic films like Anti-Drip can have anti-slip chemicals added to make them less slippery. This keeps condensation from forming droplets as it flows down the layer’s slope. So Anti-Drip is rarely utilized externally.

Poly film absorbs heat better than glass, saving growers up to 40%. Using poly film saves money, but it must be replaced every few years.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a cost-effective and durable material for growers in all climates. Greenhouses usually use corrugated wave material or structural polycarbonate walls. 

Polycarbonate has several applications. Build your walls with more than one layer of material to keep the heat in. 

Plant growers should be aware that polycarbonate can yellow and degrade over time, so they should be aware of these drawbacks. But polycarbonate has a lifespan of roughly 15 years, making it a great choice for long-lasting products.

How do you keep the pests and diseases from the Multispan Greenhouse?

Pest and disease management must be holistic to avoid costly infestations. Use biological and cyclical insecticides to keep pests and diseases at bay in your business greenhouse.

Conduct an audit of the greenhouse.

Inspect any materials brought into your greenhouse for disease or pests. Do not accept the order if you detect a big quantity of sick plants. It’s fine to preserve an order because aphids and powdery mildew can only spread to a few plants at a time.

To keep them healthy, confine them until you can sell them. Employees should only access or exit this area if absolutely essential or if leaving for the day. They won’t infect the rest of the greenhouse this way. 

After work, wipe your shoes with a moist cloth. Wash any clothes that has been exposed to pests or pathogens.

Make sure it’s clean.

Keeping your greenhouse clean and pest-free keeps your business healthy. Clean all greenhouse tools and equipment after each harvest.

Keep your plants and the environment clean. Unsold blooms should be removed from plants as soon as feasible. The risk of illness and pests grows with time spent in a greenhouse. They must be put in a garbage bag and thrown away as quickly as possible. Keeping sick plants out of the greenhouse helps reduce disease transmission.

Weeds attract pests and illnesses like aphids and mites. Your greenhouse must be kept clean inside and out.

Find the best IPM program.

A good IPM program includes scouting once a week throughout the year. While you can hire outside scouting organizations, many corporations have excellent internal scouting programs. 

Pests are attracted to sticky cards distributed by scouts about the greenhouse This is done every week to evaluate if any areas need more regular inspections, how pests are growing, and where more biological controls may be required.

Examine the water.

To avoid crop damage, make sure your plants get enough water. Keep an eye on your plants and water them as needed. Both wet and dry plants can spread illness. Over- or under-watering plants increase disease and pest risk. Powdery mildew-prone plants should be maintained dry and open.

Flood benches are ideal for growers who want to avoid illness by simply watering the roots and leaving the leaves dry. They also save time and money by recycling water and storing fertilizer for the next cycle.

It’s vital to regularly drain your greenhouse’s water and solve any faults that cause it to stagnate. Bacteria and vermin thrive there, so be careful.

You can set up your irrigation system to work with your ventilation, curtains, and other environmental controls to keep your crops healthy and free of disease and pests. Water early in the day to avoid blight and mildew. This will not allow your plants to dry out.

Remove one by one.

Controlling insect movement within and outside the greenhouse is critical to any IPM program. Materials with varying diameters of holes can contain insects such as whiteflies, aphids, and bees. Dense screen material restricts air passage. 

Consult an expert on how to keep your place secure while still allowing your crops to breathe. Aerated greenhouse windows with roof vent screens keep bugs out. They fit gutter, ridge, and even windows. A structure’s air entry and exit requirements must be determined.

Should You Automate a Multispan Greenhouse? 

People are becoming more conscious that automated technology can make their tasks easier and faster.

Some reasons to automate your greenhouse’s environmental controls include:

Ability to generate and sustain ideal conditions.

Temperature, humidity, light, and ventilation are only a few examples of tough to clean environmental factors. Farmers no longer have to work as hard due to automatic controls. Automatic controls help keep your greenhouse climate in tune with your crops’ needs without constant monitoring and adjustment. 

Not having to constantly check and alter your greenhouse system. If you want your business greenhouse to grow consistently and predictably, invest in an automated system.

It reduces the cost of energy.

It greatly reduces manufacturing costs. The long-term benefits of automation outweigh the short-term expenses. Automation is now available to practically any grower, regardless of income. An automated system will ensure that all of your systems interact with one another, saving you money on total production expenses.

It deals with challenges related to its location.

Automated systems can help growers in less-than-ideal climates. Neither a colder-than-normal spring nor less light than forecast will hurt big-box florists. Garden centers face similar challenges as they prepare for the arrival of spring and summer. An automated system will allow you to grow your product whenever you choose, independent of Mother Nature.

The automation method can be customized to your needs.

You may automate your greenhouse systems for a reasonable price. There are several alternatives, from simple automation to complicated, fully integrated systems. Small farmers can enhance quality and save money by automating only a few important processes at first. 

There’s always opportunity for improvement with automation. Once you’re habituated to a system, you can usually change it to solve other issues. Use soil sensors and thermostatic controls instead of timers. This information helps your control system make modifications for your crops.

Automatically managing and maintaining a perfect growth environment is helpful, but frequent system checks and preventative maintenance are still essential to keep the system running well. We suggest looking back at your controls from previous seasons to see what settings you should establish for the current season. You risk damaging your crops and wasting energy if you don’t pay attention to your controls.

Why Are Energy Curtains Important on a Multispan Greenhouse?

Here is why you consider the energy curtains;

Greenhouse Energy Curtains can manage humidity.

Using an energy curtain with roof vents creates a physical barrier that keeps cold air out while allowing fresh cool air in. Learning to regulate the surroundings includes learning to open and close the drapes. The drapes may be opened slightly, and the windows can be opened if necessary. This will keep the humidity down.

Also, in the summer, Energy Curtains can be utilized to keep the room cooler.

Sun protection for plants is easier with energy-saving curtains. Using a curtain system in your greenhouse can help your crops grow optimally. The same system can manage temperature and light. Ensuring that your greenhouse curtain system design team doesn’t ignore this part of environmental control is crucial. Your zones should be as distinct as your crops require.

Energy curtains can reduce afternoon temperature swings.

Taking out the peaks and valleys in a winter day’s temperature range helps save heating bills. That’s all I know thus far. The daytime temperature swings may cause your boilers to be less efficient. A lower boiler lifespan and higher maintenance expenses may occur. Take care of your plants as well. Synchronize the opening and shutting of an energy curtain with environmental controls that monitor outside and indoor temperatures. This can be accomplished by opening and closing the curtain at the same time every day.

An energy curtain tax credit is possible.

Many governments in the US, Canada, and Europe strive to assist citizens save energy. Join your local chamber of commerce to find out what rebates and tax breaks are available for making your home more energy-efficient. That knowledge will help you make sensible judgments when you have money to invest in your firm.

As energy prices remain stable, energy savings will rise.

Consider the future while calculating an energy curtain’s ROI. Look over your utility bills for the last five years for patterns. Where are your prices? How much time did you spend online today? It’s important to plan ahead even if you had a mild winter and saved money on heating.

Thermal energy curtains, for example, are one of the many tools available to modern farmers for ensuring that their crops grow in optimal conditions. GGS greenhouse specialists can also explain how to utilize double and triple-hung curtains and how they work.

How Can You Have a Successful Summer Season for Your Multispan Greenhouse?

After Mother’s Day and spring, the hectic season begins. It’s hard to remember what’s vital during this hectic season. Six spring and summer greenhouse and shop employee cooling suggestions

Inspect your greenhouse and personal area.

Clutter can be difficult to regulate if it gets out of hand. For your job or personal well-being. There are two sorts of clutter: physical (dirty paperwork) and mental (an endless to-do list).

Organize your efforts once you’ve identified the culprit. De-cluttering larger messes should follow smaller, easier chores.

Maintain your equipment’s condition.

Keep your greenhouse equipment clean and well-maintained to ensure a good harvest and high-quality products. A properly maintained irrigation system will work optimally. Due to the big crowds and hot weather, the motors on the vents and curtains must be inspected. Maintaining proper equipment will provide you the “peace of mind” you need this summer.

Examine your team’s performance.

You’ll need to hire more workers in the spring and summer. Those unfamiliar with physically demanding jobs may be startled. You also need personnel who can work overtime to guarantee that items are delivered on time and meet deadlines. Ensure that your employees understand their responsibilities and that lengthy workdays and weekends are expected.

Keep a direct line of contact

Keep open lines of communication with your employees all year, but especially during peak season when you’ll have a larger workforce and more expectations.

Hold weekly meetings if you or your staff are having issues. Open communication includes listening to your employees’ suggestions for improvement.

Regular meetings also allow you to applaud staff for their hard work and acknowledge those who have gone above and beyond. Communication improves employee morale, leading to a more productive season.

Prepare for the fall season.

Plan ahead of time to prevent being taken off guard when business ramps up in the warmer months. Because it is more difficult to repair or replace greenhouse components throughout the winter, now is the best time to do so. Get crop guards or poly immediately to insulate your structures. You’ll want to get this as soon as the weather becomes colder so you can install it.

Remember to take breaks!

Relaxation may not be a priority when preparing for the busiest season, but it is. Managing a team, drafting orders, and meeting deadlines takes a lot of energy. Remember that if you don’t relax, you’ll be continuously on the move! Enjoy your summer vacation as your consumers enjoy their purchases.

How Can You Successfully Design a Propagation Multispan Greenhouse?

Here are the steps to be followed;

1. Determine Your Preferences for Greenhouse Material Handling

After deciding to build a propagation facility, the first thing to consider is material handling. Material handling is critical to how your plant material will be moved within the facility and how it will interact with the rest of your operation. As a result, the same system or systems may not be appropriate for all operations. 

An in-depth analysis of how you move plant material around your facility is required, and if you find yourself answering questions about why you do things with “because that’s how we’ve always done it,” it may be wise to enlist the help of an outsider. Decisions made at this stage are critical and will have a long-term impact on your labor input.

2. Think about Greenhouse Structure Options

Once the material handling issues have been resolved, the focus shifts to the structure. Most manufacturers will have standard house widths that will work with your material handling requirements; lengths are typically measured in 12′ increments. However, not all manufacturers may provide all house styles. 

It is critical to understand your structure requirements and then locate the greenhouse manufacturer who best meets those requirements. This will ensure that you do not end up with a structure simply because it is the only style available from the manufacturer.

3. Ensure that your preferred irrigation system is incorporated into the design of the greenhouse structure.

Building a propagation range will result in a more dependable, consistent, and efficient product, requiring a high level of control. Irrigation plays a significant role, and the booms are frequently used as an application method. Flood floors are common in bedding plant and pot plant production, but most growers choose booms when misting is required during the propagation cycle.

4. Select Greenhouse Heating

Heating systems have a wide range of capital costs and must be carefully considered. With rising fuel prices and inherent inefficiencies, the benefits of a low-cost system will dwindle rapidly. 

A typical rule of thumb is that a hot water system will pay for itself in 3-4 years when compared to the forced air. Because a hot water system is typically designed to handle 150 percent of the heat load in the event of a boiler failure, redundancy is a required design input. 

It is common to combine both systems, with the forced air serving as a backup or redundant portion of the heating system and the hot water source serving as the under bench or root zone heating.

5. Don’t Forget About Curtain Installation When Planning Your Greenhouse

During the 1970s energy crisis, curtain systems gained popularity. Their primary goal was to save energy. Since then, many growers have valued the shading and cooling benefits in addition to the energy savings. 

Retractable shade is very useful for propagation because it allows you to maximize light when the plant needs it and shade when the temperature rises too high. If you’ve been using fixed shade, consider increasing the percentage of shade when using retractable.

6. Automate as many environmental controls as possible.

As previously stated, the development of a propagation facility necessitates a higher level and sophistication of controls over all aspects of the growing process. And, in order to reap the full benefits of this, proper control is required. 

There are only a few environmental control companies that serve the market with varying degrees of sophistication and options. The key is to match your production requirements with the performance capabilities of the control system and your personal comfort level with technology. Higher-end systems, for example, will provide you with many more features and options, but if you are not the type to sit and use these, a lower-end system may suffice.

7. Ensure that all greenhouse systems are integrated so that they can work together.

The final challenge is project integration, which involves ensuring that all of the project’s components work together. Many growers are experienced builders with the hands-on knowledge and experience needed to integrate the systems and tools. This can be a significant risk for the unwary and inexperienced grower considering building or managing his or her own project. In this case, the best solution is to look for a company that has a successful track record of managing and integrating projects.