Understanding greenhouse environmental control systems
Source: HD.com
Understanding greenhouse environmental control systems As energy and labor costs continue to rise, greenhouse and high tunnel growers are increasingly interested in automating their heating, cooling and ventilation with environmental control systems. Here are some of the most common questions that we get from growers that are looking to implement or upgrade their environmental controls system, which will ultimately lead to more revenue per square foot.
Greenhouse controllers can manage a variety of equipment, including roll-up sides, vents, heaters, fans, shutters, shade curtains, CO2 systems, fogging systems, hydronic heat systems, and irrigation. Yes, you do need to have electricity in your greenhouse to connect an environmental controls system.
However, some controllers offer additional features such as over-the-air updates and mobile app connectivity if you are able to access Wi-Fi in your greenhouse. Digital environmental controllers start at around $1,500 to $2,000 for a simple system to manage a few pieces of equipment, rising in cost as the systems offer more complexity and features.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
