How To Water A Greenhouse

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When To Water

Evening is the most favourable time to water your plants, as it can get very hot during the day.

Plants grown using composts without soil dry faster; so they require plenty of water.

An inconsistent watering schedule can damage your plants and so can over-watering them. Only the right amount of water will be healthy for your plants.

Plants need to be watered depending on their size and age. Younger plants require less water and tall, fully grown adult plants require more. When you see your big plants showing signs of wilting, it is probably time to water them.

Greenhouse plants usually require less water during cold weather. In months like December and January, you will need to provide your plants with less water than in, say, April or May.

Moisture is retained in the plants if the greenhouse floor is kept damp during the summertime. So if you wet the floor, the atmospheric humidity will help keep your plants comfortable.

Watering Greenhouse Plants Manually

Figuring out the degree of dampness in the soil of a potted plant can be tough sometimes, particularly if the pot has a high peat based compost content. Press the mud lightly to check the moisture content in the soil.

Alternatively, moisture indicators can be used in selected pots, so that you can gauge the moisture content.

Even big, deep rooted plants should be watered gently. If you are using a watering can, a small piece of cloth tied on the nozzle will reduce the water pressure. Gentle watering is particularly important for small plants and seedlings. For smaller plants and seeds, point the nose of the can upwards to create a mild spray.

Even in today’s aggressive markets, greenhouse plants are still mostly hand watered. However, many producers are now switching to more modern methods after experiencing a lot of plant fatalities.

Overhead Spraying

There are several types of spraying devices available for watering your greenhouse. One good spraying system consists of tubing systems that are hung from the ceiling of your greenhouse. There are spraying mechanisms that spray water in two directions; others work only in one particular direction. Pick the one that is right for your specific requirements.

Clever Improvising

You can easily improvise a little and thus save money. Try this effective method for starters - use a long piece of plastic guttering as a reservoir. Stick a capillary mat to one side. These mats make it easy to water the lower parts of the plant container, the main location of compost capillary action. All you now need to do is place your plants on the capillary mat and ensure that the gutter always contains plenty of water. This can be done manually or by building a drip system incorporating water bags.

Basic drip irrigation system kits are not expensive and are easily available, if you would like to go in for this kind of watering. Such kits come with six or so drip valves whose functions can be coordinated. Kits are also available where the movement of water and volume of fertilizer flow can be adjusted to requirements.

To ensure good health of plants even in the temporary absence of a caretaker, it is advisable to use automated watering systems. Dripper kits and mist like sprayers are easily available, and these can be combined to work together to good effect. Timers or automatic sensors are an added advantage here because then the system can work without human intervention for fixed lengths of time.

Let’s end with contemplating the words of Vita Sackville-West, who said, “The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing something better than they have ever done before.”