Many weed cultivators use greenhouses for their plants. But why are they so popular? This article about growing weed in a greenhouse will investigate the many benefits of greenhouses and answer some of the questions you may have when considering which setting is best for your personal situation.
What is a greenhouse and how does a greenhouse work?
A greenhouse is an outside structure consisting of a metal frame and numerous glass panels. It creates an artificial microcosm climate in which plants can thrive, even when the weather is harsh and cold outside.
Greenhouses work by utilising a simple scientific principle known as ‘the greenhouse effect’. As light passes through a transparent material (glass in this case) and meets an opaque surface (plants, anything inside the greenhouse), some of the light energy is transformed into heat.
The darker the opaque surface, the more heat it will absorb. Greenhouse panels are highly effective at transmitting light but not heat so most of the heat remains inside the greenhouse where it will benefit the plants inside.
The advantages of growing cannabis in a greenhouse
Greenhouse cannabis cultivation is becoming more and more popular as it combines the benefits of indoor and outdoor cultivation. It is a simple and inexpensive method, after the initial set-up costs, since the facilities required for indoor cultivation are not necessary, as well as making the most of the free sunlight as in a garden plantation. At the same time, it has the advantage of sheltering outdoor plants from the vagaries of the weather. The simplicity of its equipment and the discretion it provides are the reasons for the resounding success of the humble greenhouse. Yet, there is more:
- Growing outdoors with the benefits from indoors
- Extending the growing season
1. Growing with the benefits from indoors
A greenhouse makes it possible to grow outdoors, with all the advantages that this implies, such as controlling growth phases and ensuring rats, birds and deer are not able to destroy the crop. In the beginning, you might feel that the assembly seems tedious or that it represents a significant investment. Still, nothing is further from reality: this installation can be simple or sophisticated, it depends on what you want.
The greenhouse mixes the positive and natural elements of outdoor cultivation with protection from less desirable features. The higher degree of control is particularly appreciated in the northern regions, where growers are more exposed to cold and lack of light. In the southern Mediterranean, for example, the climate should facilitate cultivation throughout the year, without hardly any need for intervention.
2. Extending the growing season and controlling phases of culture
Probably the most powerful feature of a crop of this type is the ability to control the climate and cycles and thus obtain several crops per year, vastly increasing yields. These types of intervention are not possible with outdoor plants, which are at the mercy of temperature and season changes. Greenhouses allow you to limit the exposure of cannabis to the sun and so deceive into flowering earlier. Indoor growers perform this trick with artificial lighting.
There is another good reason to start the growing period earlier: to extend the plant’s growing phase. The longer it is, the more abundant the plants and the more intense their flowering. And as a reward, the final harvest will be much better. For this phase to be a success, it is essential not to allow too much cold the first nights, by using the heaters when necessary.
Thanks to the greenhouse, it is possible to harvest in early August, replant and harvest again in autumn. The artificial environment created manages to retain heat, so growers can start planting cannabis a little earlier than outdoors.
The use of heating devices allows the cultivation to continue even when the cold arrives. Then, in summer, when the high temperatures come, ventilation systems can be deployed to keep the plants in good condition. Ventilation and humidity control is an integral part of cannabis greenhouse management to prevent the plants from succumbing to mould, milder and diseases. To be able to photosynthesise, the grower needs to keep the airflow cool, which is challenging to do in an outdoor crop; in fact, heat constitutes a strong threat which can stress the plants and affect their productivity.
To be continued…