Prioritizing upgrades in your commercial greenhouse
In every commercial greenhouse, upgrades are an inevitable reality in order to remain competitive. Updating your greenhouse is a great way to become more efficient and save on costs, but for growers with older greenhouses or dated equipment, it can be difficult to know where to start.
When you are making plans to perform upgrades to your commercial greenhouse it’s important to first take a look at the overall production of your operation and determine what it may be limited by. In most cases, this is labor. The high cost and shortage of labor is one of the main reasons growers see the value of making upgrades to their greenhouse.
Before making any upgrades, it’s important to determine your budget and if the upgrade is right for your greenhouse at that time. Having the right mindset is crucial to making sure your upgrades go smoothly. Speak to experts who can provide consultation on where to start and what will make the most sense for your greenhouse. With this in mind, the following are a few upgrades that are sure to increase production and efficiency in your commercial greenhouse:
Irrigation
In order to lower costs and increase productivity, many growers look to upgrading their irrigation system as a first step. A fully automated irrigation system is a fairly simple upgrade that will provide more uniform watering increasing plant quality. Most growers are familiar with simpler systems that involve manually opening and closing valves, but many growers are saving time and money with new systems where everything can be controlled from one interface. For example, a fully automated irrigation system allows growers to schedule all of their booms as well as control PH and EC levels in one system. Most new systems have alerts that can be synced to devices so you’re immediately aware if there is a problem with your watering. They’re also able to store data, sometimes multiple years’ worth of information, so you’re able to look back at various seasons to make improvements. GGS offers a range of irrigation systems that can be tailored to the needs of your commercial greenhouse operation.
Heating
Heating is another large but controllable cost in a greenhouse, made only more costly by an inefficient heating system. Older greenhouse heating systems do not provide the same level of efficiency as newer heating systems, resulting in wasted energy that will negatively affect your bottom line. Investing in upgrades to your greenhouse heating will ensure your system is running as efficiently as possible. Simple upgrades, such as painting your exposed pipes and insulating your transfer pipes, are inexpensive fixes that will immediately save you money on your heating bills.
Click here for more information on the benefits of pipe paint for efficient heating.
You may consider purchasing new condensing boilers which are significantly more efficient than older systems. You may also consider switching to a closed expansion systems rather than having open expansion tanks.
Click here to learn more about getting the most out of your heating system.
Automation
Automation can be customized from simple automated solutions to a fully integrated system, and according to your preference or budget. The first step would be evaluating the time and money that is spent on everyday tasks in the greenhouse, such as spacing or sleeving plants. These are repetitive tasks that can be easily automated, which will save you on labor costs. If it is not in your budget to purchase a fully integrated control system, you may consider automating a few key systems to start, such as irrigation, lighting or energy curtains. Automation can be increased as needed and as your budget will accommodate. The more you invest in your automated control system, the more of a return you will see both in the quality of your plants and on your bottom line.
If you are ready to upgrade your commercial greenhouse systems and equipment, contact the team at GGS. Our experts can guide you through the process and how you will benefit by upgrading your systems. We can’t wait to get started on your project!
