The greenhouse environment: what is the contribution of ventilation?

A greenhouse is certainly one of the most beautiful things you can use to grow plants more efficiently away from the weather of nature. The greenhouse provides access to a special climate that results from the interaction between temperature, air and humidity. Read this article to learn more about how ventilation contributes to this process.

The role of ventilation in a greenhouse environment

Ventilation is a crucial element in a greenhouse environment, as it helps control humidity, temperature and carbon dioxide levels inside the greenhouse. For starters, it helps control the temperature inside the greenhouse by exhausting warm air and bringing in cool air. This can be especially important during the summer months when the temperature inside the greenhouse can become very high and harm the plants. Second, it helps manage the humidity inside the greenhouse by exhausting humid air and bringing in dry air. Too much humidity can promote the growth of mold and mildew, which can damage plants. Finally, ventilation helps maintain good air circulation, which can help reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases inside the greenhouse. This can help maintain healthy growing conditions for plants.

Why should the greenhouse be properly ventilated?

In the spring, it is known that the midday sun already provides a temperature mass of up to 30°C in the greenhouse. If this temperature is not present at night and the greenhouse heating is no longer present, these quickly drop back to values close to 0. This temperature change is dangerous for the plants. The plants literally react to it by tension: the plant tissues tighten and crack. Fungal pathogens easily enter the cracks in the soil. This causes the stems to rot or even wilt. Most of the time, the roots are not spared. Ventilation is therefore needed to permanently regulate the temperature in the greenhouse environment to promote plant growth.