CONTROL YOUR GROW
In addition to exhaust fans, oscillating
fans are placed throughout the greenhouse to move air randomly. This random
disbursement of air distributes fresh CO2
throughout the greenhouse and moves it
across the stomata of the plants, providing
them with fresh CO2 to breathe. In winter
months, less air exchange is required for
heat removal, so less fresh CO2 is being
provided to the stomata. Some greenhouse
cultivators will supplement CO2 with a
regulator, controller, and injection system.
Greenhouses take advantage of the
daily photons available and the spectrum
of the sun. High-tech greenhouses also
take advantage of manipulating the
sun’s cycles. By installing a blackout
system, greenhouses can easily
control the photoperiod, essentially
controlling the season. Depending
on the area’s available sunlight in
winter months, some greenhouses may
require supplemental lighting. Lighting
technology continues to evolve and
companies invest vast amounts into
research and development as they
attempt to duplicate the sun’s spectrum
and photosynthetically active radiation
(PAR) for optimal photosynthesis. For this
reason, greenhouses have much inherent
potential in crop yield and quality.
The greenhouse effect can heat up the
inside considerably higher than outside
temperatures. This can be advantageous
in the winter and challenging in the
summer. By utilizing today’s latest technology and equipment, greenhouse growers
are able to maximize yields and profits by
minimizing costs in the long term.
Indoor gardens are sometimes known
for higher quality crops than greenhouses
mainly because of increased temperatures
created by the greenhouse effect. By
controlling these important environmental
parameters and using indoor gardening
techniques, greenhouse growers are also
able to produce high-quality crops.
NON-SEALED
INDOOR ROOMS
Much like a typical greenhouse, air is
being exchanged between the outside
world and the controlled environment in
a non-sealed or open room.
The room is influenced by outside
conditions, so tools and equipment are
used to enhance the environment. Air
conditioning is often needed to remove
the immense amount of heat put off by
the lights and other equipment. Exhaust
fans and other ventilation equipment,
such as ducting and filters, are used to
direct heat outside during summer and
can be reconfigured to take advantage of
the heat from the lights during winter.
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Maximum Yield USA | January 2017
Indoor gardens attempt to mimic nature.
This means simulating the sun inside
an enclosed indoor space. Fortunately,
today’s agricultural lighting technologies
allow for us to create indoor growrooms
with up to 1,500 micromoles (µmol) per
second, per square meter at a distance
of one foot over the canopy (full noon sun
is around 2,000 µmol per square meter).
Today’s lighting technology delivers the
appropriate daily light integral (DLI),
or amount of daily light required, for
virtually any plant to survive and thrive
in an indoor garden. Lighting technology
continues to evolve exponentially and,
therefore, serious indoor cultivators
should upgrade their lighting systems
periodically to take advantage of
improvements in efficiency and current
technology’s best attempt to duplicate
the sun’s spectrum.
“
Another consideration while
ventilating a non-sealed indoor room
is to filter the incoming air in order to
prevent dust and pests.”