Greenhouse Maintenance Tips and Tricks
Greenhouse farming offers an exciting future with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Today, commercial greenhouse irrigation is rapidly expanding in Malaysia and other regions across the world. It’s an excellent way to maximize crop yield while minimizing resources such as water and fertilizer by a huge proportion.
An efficient greenhouse irrigation system also significantly reduces the excess cost of employing labor, and the time used to water plants manually. Let’s explore some actionable tips and tricks that come in handy when maintaining your greenhouse.
Evaluate your dry spots and wet spots
When it comes to greenhouse irrigation, the watering system should provide a slow, steady application of water to promote vigorous growth. More often than not, dry spots may be due to poor watering coverage. For example, the irrigation heads might be too far apart. In addition, other causes of dry spots include low system water pressure and faulty irrigation equipment.
It’s also essential to evaluate wet spots caused by excess watering. In this regard, you want to make sure your greenhouse irrigation system doesn’t have any leakages. The system maintenance should include checking for any worn out or leaky parts and accessories. It’s worth mentioning that over-irrigation could not only damage your plants but is also bad for the environment.
Inspect the root system to ensure efficiency
As a grower, you should check the roots to ensure water reaches the base of the plant. It’s always prudent to focus on the roots rather than the leaves or flowers. This helps avoid common issues such as the growth of mould and fungus. A suitable greenhouse irrigation system should be designed such that any run-off water is collected, filtered and recirculated within the system.
Eliminating clogs and blockage
It’s critical to periodically flush to unclog lines and other vital parts of the irrigation system. In addition, you want to make sure you have the right filtration systems for your greenhouse. The dirtier the water source, the more filters you need for your system.
Checking solar radiation and shade
The primary objective of the greenhouse watering system should be to provide optimum water levels directly into the root zone while also minimizing runoff and evaporation. The network of irrigation valves, pipes, tubing and emitter should be designed to maximize your yields.
As much as it’s often overlooked, solar radiation is a profound factor with regard to greenhouse farming. The shade within the greenhouse directly affects the amount of evaporating water. For both household and commercial greenhouse farming, you want to ensure leaves are not getting scorched by direct sunshine.
Ventilation also plays a fundamental role in providing an ideal environment for your plants. Whether you use automatic or manual ventilation, it’s prudent to routinely check the functioning of your ventilation, and consequently, stay aware of any dis-function.
Consistent pressure
The water pressure should be consistent throughout the greenhouse irrigation system.
Ultimately, enhancing water and fertilizer uniformity optimizes greenhouse performance. This is particularly essential for large-scale commercial applications. Ideally, the greenhouse irrigation system should apply the water in “pulsed” durations, thus considerably minimizing runoff and enhancing irrigation efficiency.
It’s worth noting that the soil can only hold a specific volume of water, after which the water simply runs off. We strongly advise growers to consult irrigation experts in order to make more informed decisions concerning the most ideal irrigation frequency.
Measuring water use
It’s critical to reliably determine the amounts of water used by your greenhouse. Consequently, you can take note of variations in irrigation efficiency. More often than not, periodic upgrades to an irrigation system will achieve more optimal results.
For both household watering and large-scale commercial application, you want to continually determine the volume of water beneficially utilized by your greenhouse. For example, you can use the latest flow meters supplied by Wastech to gather relevant flow data.
Pests and diseases
Regular greenhouse maintenance should also involve checking for pests and disease, and being ready to solve such issues immediately. We highly recommend maintaining ideal growing conditions for plants to avoid leaching, fungi, bacteria and other common issues.
Clean your greenhouse!
Routine greenhouse cleaning helps protect the structure of the greenhouse. Also, it helps achieve a more pleasant environment in which to work, which is essential for both household watering and large-scale commercial projects. Ultimately, thorough cleaning after a few days will save you a lot of trouble in the long run!
Final thoughts
As an investor, you want a viable greenhouse project with minimal production costs, less risk and maximum returns. Also, the importance of promoting sustainable farming and food security cannot be overstated.
At Wastech, we focus on irrigation systems that need minimal care and maintenance and ensure maximum value for money. Looking for a reputable greenhouse irrigation supplier in Malaysia? Contact us for a personalized quote.