Greenhouse Production Systems
Substrate Culture Systems
Hanging Basket System
Growing overhead with baskets is a common practice in the greenhouse industry. Elevated systems offer the advantage of increasing spacing usage efficiency. The overhead growing climate is quite suitable; the heat is more evenly distributed, so there are rarely cold spots in the overhead space. Air circulation is also at its best, preventing the plants from contracting diseases, such as root rot or Botrytis. Since the grower is already incurring heating and other overhead costs with the ground crop, any increase in production per square foot will greatly increase their profits. Growing overhead even allows the grower the possibility to grow over shipping and production areas—provided they are located within a greenhouse structure. Generally, most overhead baskets grow to become large, healthy plants.
Types of Hanging Basket Watering Systems
Plastic hanging baskets are the most popular, with typical sizes ranging from 6 to 16 inches (15–41cm). Custom wire hangers will generally allow any size pot to be grown. Molded fiber baskets, as well as wire baskets lined with moss or coco fiber, are increasingly popular with consumers, though they can present issues to the commercial grower, such as shipping and handling, keeping the plants' media moist, and keeping the plants looking good at retail.
Containers Used for Overhead Production
Stationary Systems. A typical stationary hanging basket irrigation system uses a rail pipe to suspend baskets from the trusses. Employees walk to and from the hangers to load and unload the baskets. Spaghetti tubes with emitters on their ends extend from an overhead water line to drip irrigate each basket.
Automatic Systems. Alternatively, there are automated hanging basket systems that will eliminate most of the issues that go along with stationary systems (Figure 15.15). The hanging baskets come to the worker instead of the worker going to the baskets. Irrigation occurs in one area with these systems as the moving baskets pass underneath a water nozzle. Watering is done automatically. The system can be programmed to bring each plant past a watering station. As each basket trips a trigger switch, it activates a solenoid valve, and each plant gets a precise amount of water applied via a small tube that ensures the water goes into the pot. It's all programmed by the grower.
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