Hydroponics farming in greenhouse may just be the ideal thing for you if you are interested in doing hydroponic gardening outdoors but don’t have a secured place to do it all year round. Doing hydroponics gardening or farming outdoors may be quite risky without a greenhouse because of the exposure of your plants to conditions you may not be able to control.

What is a Greenhouse?

A Greenhouse can be described as a structure or shed built with a transparent material that can allow light to pass through. It is designed to protect tender plants from extreme weather conditions, pests and to provide optimal conditions for plant growth.

Greenhouses are made from various materials but lumber and steel/iron/aluminum are commonly used for making the frames of a greenhouse. Transparent plastic and glass panels are typically used for the wall and roof but plastic screens are often used in some cases.

Importance of Doing Hydroponics in Greenhouse

It will be very difficult to do hydroponics gardening or farming outdoors successfully without the use of greenhouses. Yes, you can do hydroponics successfully in a greenhouse. There are several advantages of using greenhouses for hydroponic farming and some of these include:

1. Climate Control: Greenhouses provide an enclosed space where growing conditions can be controlled at optimal levels required for plants to grow and thrive. Conditions like humidity, temperature, nutrient uptake, etc. are often affected by changes in these atmospheric or weather conditions. It will be very difficult to grow plants outdoors successfully without a greenhouse.

2. Pest Prevention and Control: it is common for most outdoor gardens to experience pest infestation easily because of the exposure to the open environment. Some of these can be controlled by various pest control methods but this usually adds costs and may reduce yields or the quality of yields in most cases. Hydroponics farming in a greenhouse will prevent most pest or disease infestation because of the shield it provides from the environment.

3. Protection: Greenhouses can also provide physical protection to plants. For instance during harsh weather conditions like freezing temperatures or high wind speeds like during storms and other extreme weather events. Greenhouse hydroponic plants can be protected from these harsh conditions that may otherwise have damaged or destroyed them without the shield or physical protection of a greenhouse.

4. Space Management: Space can become a limited resource when operating outdoors and this can be the case whether you are doing hydroponics farming in a greenhouse at home or commercially. A greenhouse makes it easier to plan the utilization of your greenhouse space for more productive and efficient use. It is important to consider the kind of plants you want to grow first, then create a greenhouse layout plan or design that will support what you are growing or how you want to use the space.

5. Security: This may not be very obvious but greenhouse structures can provide some form of security and protection for not just your plants but your tools and equipment as well.

Some hydroponic equipment and tools can be very expensive and doing hydroponic gardening outdoors in an open area without a greenhouse can make your equipment vulnerable. The level of protection that a greenhouse may provide can be weak but it may make it a little bit difficult and discouraging for any potential intruders.

Pros and Cons of the Different Types of Greenhouses

There are various types of greenhouses depending on the criteria used in classifying or differentiating them. Some greenhouses are classified based on their shapes, the level of technology used in them, the material used in making them as well as the scale of use (hobby or commercial).

The types of greenhouses based on shape and structural design include:

1. Gable: Gable greenhouses are designed to look like A-shaped house structures and they come in various sizes. You can find sizes that are very large like industrial warehouses and there are also small gable greenhouse sizes that can fit well in your backyard.

You can fit them with various accessories depending on your needs and preferences.

2. Flat Arch: Flat arch greenhouses are referred to the shape of the roof of the greenhouse structure. The arch can be semicircular, asymmetrical, and pointed or gothic arch. Most of these structures are often designed in this shape for aesthetic beauty but some people have also attributed a safety reason for this design. It is often easy for hail or snow to glide off the roof of the arched greenhouses without damaging the material during inclement weather situations.

3. Raised Dome: These are greenhouses with a raised 180 degrees (half-circle) shaped roofing structure. This type of greenhouse is known to withstand high wind speeds but may be costly to build and maintain stable environmental conditions may be expensive for this type of greenhouse.

4. Sawtooth: These are greenhouse designs where the roof is angled or slanted on one side and straight on the other side with various peaks. This design helps with creating passive ventilation in the greenhouse because the straight side is facing the prevalent wind direction.

5. Skillion: These are more like greenhouses with a right-angle triangle roof. The roof is slanted on one side and straight on the other side. This structure is suitable for passive ventilation and it reduces the amount of light transmitted.

6. Tunnel: These are simple arch-shaped greenhouses that are designed to provide basic protection.

7. Gutter Connected: These are more or less raised dome greenhouses that are connected side by side and are often used for large-scale commercial purposes.

8. Freestanding Quonset: These are greenhouses with semi-circular shapes that look like barrels that are cut in half.  Their design resembles the shape of an elevated long ridge and they have features that allow a good amount of sunlight into the greenhouse. This amount of sunlight that enters the greenhouse makes it the best greenhouse for crops that need an extremely high amount of solar radiation to grow well.

9. Lean-to Greenhouse: These are greenhouses that are attached to the side of a wall (usually the wall of a residential home). They are designed to have a beveled roof that slants to one side of the greenhouse. Most lean-to greenhouses have good heat retention since they are attached to a wall but may not be high enough to provide more space or even good ventilation.

This type of greenhouse is mostly used by gardening or hydroponic hobbyists who have a garden in their backyard. Always check to ensure that you are not violating city building codes when setting up a lean-to greenhouse.

Greenhouse Classification Based on Materials

Greenhouses can also be classified based on materials used in making them. These include:

1. Shade Houses: These are greenhouses that are built with mesh-like materials to shield tender plants from harsh environmental conditions like excessive solar radiation and dry weather conditions. However, air, rain, or irrigation water can pass through these types of shades or materials.

2. Screen Houses: This is similar to shade but may be designed to protect plants from pests such as insects and any unwanted organism or conditions that can be detrimental to the plants. This type of structure may protect plants from both pests as well as harsh environmental conditions.

Hydroponics Farming in Greenhouse FAQS

1. Can you do hydroponics in a Greenhouse?

Yes, you can effectively do hydroponic gardening in a greenhouse especially if you don’t have enough space in your house or if you cannot afford a large space like a warehouse for indoor vertical farming. A greenhouse will provide the necessary protection from environmental elements and pests that your plants may need to grow well.

2. Do I Need a Greenhouse for Hydroponics?

A greenhouse is not a requirement for hydroponic gardening, and you will be able to do hydroponic gardening successfully without a greenhouse. However, a greenhouse can be a good option for outdoor hydroponic gardening if you have limited indoor space. There are different sizes of greenhouses for hydroponics and you can definitely find a suitable size for you based on your needs.

3. Can I grow all year round in a greenhouse?

Absolutely, you can grow your garden or plants all year round using hydroponics farming in a greenhouse. Hydroponics is not dependent on weather or climate seasons since you are growing your plants in a controlled environment inside a greenhouse. You are also providing the nutrition the plants need to grow using plant nutrient solution and in some cases complementing its irrigation. Your hydroponic gardening options or possibilities tend to increase significantly when you have a greenhouse for hydroponics.