Apart from heavy mechanization and the development of hybrid farming machinery and equipment, modern technology has contributed to the new designs and farming processes greenhouses.
Nowadays, the use of automated greenhouse systems has surged, with the production from such systems proving their effectiveness.
Adopting technology in your greenhouse not only help you reduce labor costs, but also facilitate a hassle-free greenhouse management. You only need to adjust a few settings inside the greenhouse and the rest of the work is executed by the installed smart devices.
An automated greenhouse system comprises several smart devices that ensure the proper management of your greenhouse(s). Intrinsically, the smart devices create a cohesive ecosystem inside your greenhouse that you can manipulate to achieve the desired produce.
In this article, we will analyze some of the smart components of an automated greenhouse that could help you control not only the ‘atmospheric’ conditions inside the greenhouse, but also ease your greenhouse’s management.
Humidity and Temperature Regulators
The plants in a greenhouse require ideal temperatures and humid conditions if they are to thrive and produce good yields.
Additionally, controlling the humidity and temperatures inside your greenhouse helps control pests and diseases.
Nevertheless, controlling the temperatures and humidity inside a greenhouse is not a straightforward task; you must account for external warming and cooling, which causes uneven temperatures inside the greenhouse.
As such, humidity and temperature sensors should be installed at different points inside the greenhouse.
Primarily, the sensors are interconnected to a central processing station that helps regulate the temperatures and humidity in different positions simultaneously.
Different manufacturers produce different types of lighting controls. Therefore, it would help to identify your greenhouse’s requirements and align them with the appropriate lighting control components.
Automatic Watering Systems
The main reason why most people install greenhouse kits is to create a controlled environment in which they will grow their plants. In general, you want to be able to regulate the amount of water your plants receive at any given point.
Nevertheless, controlling the watering systems inside your greenhouse can be tiresome and inconvenient at times, and your plants are likely going to dry up when you forget to water them for a few days. Automated greenhouses have automatic watering systems that ensure your plants are properly watered with minimal human interference.
Fundamentally, the automatic watering system is connected to a main water supply such as a water tank, and it feeds the plants through a timing controller.
The timing controller is set to open the water valves at different intervals, supplying your plants with water for a specified period.
However, modern watering systems are fitted with humidity sensors that calculate the amount of water in the soil, and only waters the plants when it is necessary.
Video Surveillance
Video surveillance cameras offer visual analysis of the plant’s progress in real-time. Additionally, video cameras are vital pest control tools that help monitor any movements inside the greenhouse.
The IoT (Internet of Things) allows you to watch live video footage (with audio) of the greenhouse’s interior.
With such convenience, you can manage the activities of your automated greenhouse from any place, as long as you have an internet connection.
Power Management Tools
Electrical power is vital in an automated greenhouse because it runs most of the devices, such as lighting and heating controls.
Inherently, some of the machines you will install to automate your greenhouse have a high power consumption rate. As such, it would be best to have an alternative power source that complements the primary power source (main supply).
For back-up power, solar panels comes in handy as they help harness solar energy and convert it into electrical power, which is later stored in battery packs.
ACSs (Automatic Changeover Switches) are used to toggle the greenhouse power supply between the mains and solar power.
Lighting Controls
Primarily, plants require sufficient lighting for photosynthesis (plants’ food-making process) to occur.
Different plant species require different types of light and light intensity. For instance, growing mushrooms in your greenhouse calls for limited lighting, while flowers require more light.
Essentially, the lighting controls help you manipulate the amount and kind of light your plants receive.
Some of the lighting control equipment include shading devices which reduce the intensity of natural light entering inside the greenhouse, and supplemental lights that provide lights after dusk.
Conclusion
Greenhouse systems have significantly evolved thanks to the vast technological advancements. The automatic components discussed above will greatly improve your greenhouse’s efficiency while increasing productivity.
