Greenhouse Growing Basics: Essential Greenhouse Supplies & Materials – Farmer Boy

The concept of a greenhouse is relatively simple: a structure that captures heat from the sun to provide a stable, year-round climate for growing crops. Despite their apparent simplicity, greenhouses require a lot of knowledge and supplies to operate efficiently.

Whether you’re operating a small, DIY greenhouse or a large commercial operation, knowing what supplies you’ll need and planning ahead is key to success.

To help you be as successful as possible, we’ll share some of the essential materials and supplies you’ll need to operate a greenhouse.

Basic Greenhouse Supplies

There are a few basic supplies that any greenhouse needs for day-to-day operation. When purchasing a new greenhouse or preparing for a new planting season, be sure these essential items are readily available or on your supplies list.

Containers, Pots, And Planters

There are a range of planting pots, trays, and containers available. What you select for your greenhouse is largely going to depend on two factors:

●The crops you’re growing

●The size of your greenhouse

You’ll want to plan around these two factors to maximize both the health of your plants and the efficiency of your greenhouse.

Planters come in a variety of material options, as well. This is another decision you’ll need to make. Again, your plant’s health should come first, but it’s also important to consider price and sustainability. While plastic planters are an inexpensive option, biodegradable options are available, and can be an excellent choice when transferring plants.

Shelves And Benches

Even in large scale greenhouses space is limited. Having space-saving equipment is a necessity to make the most of your available space and maximize your growing potential.

Growing benches and shelves are great for storage, but also allow you to use the vertical space available in your greenhouse. Many styles of greenhouse benches and shelves are available for growers. Some designs are especially suited for vertical growing, while others make maximal use of available floor space.

Gardening Tools

There are numerous tools a gardener needs to properly manage a greenhouse. While some tools like hand forks, gardening twine, and pruners are greenhouse staples, other tools, like rakes, wheelbarrows, and garden sieves will depend on the crops you plan to grow.

Be sure to take inventory of the gardening tools you have on-hand. Before the start of the growing season, make a list of tools that need replacing.

Seed Starting Trays

Seed boxes, or starting trays, are a vital greenhouse supply. They help seedlings develop before they’re transplanted to a larger pot or container.

Seed trays are available in both plastic and wood. While plastic seed boxes are inexpensive and widely available, wood is a more sustainable option. Multiple styles and designs are available, and you’ll need to consider both the amount of space you have in your greenhouse and the specific growing needs of your crops.

Pest Control

Pests are a year round problem for gardeners and greenhouse growers. In the colder months, rodents can become an issue as they seek warmer areas to shelter. In the summer, insects can range from pesky to damaging and dangerous.

From insect treatments to rodent prevention, be sure to stock the right pest control supplies before pests become a problem. Preventing a pest infestation, or treating it early, is absolutely vital.

Shade Covers

While greenhouses are meant to be warm, particularly during cooler months, they can become too hot. When this happens, there are a number of ways to reduce heat. A simple shade cover is effective in blocking out radiation from the sun on particularly hot days.

In some cases, a shade cover is all you’ll need to keep your greenhouse temperatures stable. However, in other climates, special equipment may be necessary.

Essential Greenhouse Equipment

Watering And Irrigation Systems

Greenhouses are great for providing sunlight and warmth, but plants also need water. For smaller greenhouses, there are simple solutions. However, larger greenhouses require more complex solutions. For a large-scale greenhouse, a drip irrigation system is one solution.

In addition to a watering system, large greenhouses need adequate drainage to prevent water buildup. Standing water attracts pests, leads to algae growth, and can even throw off humidity levels inside of the greenhouse.

Cooling And Ventilation

In some climates, the summer months bring intense heat waves. When exposed to a significant amount of direct sunlight and high external air temperatures, greenhouses can become unbearably hot for both people and plants. The right greenhouse cooling equipment helps maintain a stable climate that is ideal for optimal crop growth.

Ventilation is often the first line of defense for overheating. A combination of passive and active ventilation can have a dramatic impact on greenhouse temperatures. Greenhouse vents and fans can provide both.

When ventilation is not enough, evaporative cooling systems, like cooling pads and misting systems, can provide an additional level of climate control.

Grow Lights

The sun is our most abundant source of light. However, at certain times of the year, the position of the sun and length of the day might not provide an adequate amount of light for optimal plant growth.

Supplementing natural light with artificial grow lights is a common practice in greenhouses. There are many lighting options available, each with their own pros and cons. The best lighting decision will depend on the size of your greenhouse, the climate, and the specific light needs of the plants you’re growing.

Heating

While greenhouses typically provide adequate warmth on their own, some climates or greenhouse designs make it difficult, if not impossible, for a greenhouse to adequately warm itself. In these cases, additional heating is necessary.

If you plan to grow crops inside of your greenhouse all year and live in an area with colder winters, then you’ll want to be sure you have the right heating equipment well ahead of the cold season. The type of heater you’ll need will vary based on the size of your greenhouse. For smaller areas, a simple portable heater may be enough to supplement the sun’s natural heat. Larger greenhouse may require larger solutions, including radiant tube heaters to provide the right climate.

Find Green Essentials At Farmer Boy

From greenhouse ventilation and cooling systems to lighting systems, Farmer Boy has the equipment and expertise to help growers maximize their crop.

New to greenhouse growing or looking to update and expand your current operation? Our sales team can help you find the right parts and equipment. Contact our experts to start your custom greenhouse equipment and supply order.