Last Updated on January 4, 2022 by Real Men Sow
It’s often hotter inside rather than the outside, meaning it’s not what you’d want when it’s summer and you’re planning to grow things inside. Summer greenhouses are useful to grow warmth-loving crops like tomatoes, melons, and cucumbers. However, all these plants have a limit.
Tomatoes get poorly pollinated and damaged to immature fruits when the temperature is above 32°C by day and 24°C by night. So these are the ways to keep your greenhouse cool in the summer.
How to Keep Your Summer Greenhouses Cool to Care for Your Plants?
Ventilation
A good flow of air is a great way to fight the heat. It’s important that you have roof vents, side vents, and your greenhouse door provides air circulation and cools down your overheated plants. Getting your roof vents, side vents, and door open would get the air to move sufficiently.
Plants may become damaged when the temperature becomes 27°C. You should open all doors and vents on a sunny day and warm nights. Prevent local wildlife from entering your greenhouse by putting netting that only allows pollinators to go through.
Provide Shade On Your Summer Greenhouse
This is a way to fight heat that must be used wisely since plants depend on good light levels. It’s a quick and cost-effective way to filter out some sunlight’s strength. Layers may be added, you’ll just have to wash and brush it off when the weather cools down.
Blinds can be added internally or externally. However, external blinds are more effective since they filter the sunlight before it gets trapped inside. You’ll only need to find a way to work around your ventilation. The cheaper alternative to blinds are mesh or shade netting.
Damping Down the Summer Greenhouses
Damping Down would raise the humidity inside your greenhouse. You’ll only need to wet surfaces like paths and staging. This way, the moisture would help your plants cope with heat. Doing this also lessens pests since the conditions would be less favorable for pests.
You should do this process once in the morning and once in the evening. However, you may also damp down at lunch time if you’re available.
Avoid Water Stress
Your plants should be watered since those who have enough moisture at root level are happier and would grow more efficiently. The loss of moisture would cool down the leaf, and if you don’t let them do that, they’ll overheat and wilt.
Plants that are water-stressed are wilting, scorched leaves are seen, and young foliage would be drying out.
Share your experiences in cooling your greenhouses and tunnels during summertime in the comments!