Greenhouse Shading

By Author: Jean Vernon1
Total Articles: 31
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A greenhouse is positioned in the garden to make the most of natural sunlight. In winter especially when the light is low, the glass panels accentuate the rays providing protected plants with precious sunlight. As the season progresses and the daylight hours extend, temperatures in the greenhouse can reach sky-high levels.

Greenhouse gardeners employ several methods to keep their plants comfortable throughout the summer. With adequate and generous ventilation it is possible to keep the conditions in the greenhouse ideal for most plants, couple that with efficient watering and your plants will simply thrive in their warm, glasshouse conditions. But in exceptional weather and when the ventilation and watering is simply not adequate plants can overheat and die. Some plants that hail from desert conditions such as cacti and succulents simply thrive in these conditions, while others do need protection

Most greenhouses benefit from a degree of shading to limit the solar energy absorbed by the glass. There are several ways to shade a greenhouse.

By painting the glass panes of the glasshouse with a special shading ...
... liquid, usually white, it reflects the sun's rays off the glass and shades the plants inside. The drawbacks are that it can wash off inheavy rain, it is fiddly to apply, especially if you have a large glasshouse, it can look unsightly and it needs polishing off for the winter so that your plants get enough light to grow.

This sort of shading is ideal for the allotment greenhouse or the budget greenhouse where looks aren't too important and budgets are tight.

For the feature greenhouse you need to invest in some blinds. Ideally these are fitted outside the greenhouse so that they block the sun's rays before they hit the glass. The ultimate exterior blinds are automatic which ensures that your plants get the full benefit of the daylight. These are usually triggered by light sensors that unroll or retract the blinds as the sun rises and sets. This is particularly useful if you aren't able to attend to your glasshouse daily. Make sure that these blinds are protected from extreme weather and avoid setting them up on exposed greenhouses.

If automatic blinds are out of your price range then look for slatted blinds that can be rolled or unrolled over the greenhouse glass. This blocks the sun rays from the glass and prevents heat building up in the greenhouse. For the best results use exterior and interior blinds on the south facing windows.

Slatted blinds allow some light through but can also be closed in extremely bright or hot weather. If budget allows these can be made especially for your glasshouse.

For greenhouse gardeners on a budget, cost effective screening can be made from rolls of reed screening, hessian, or canvas, draped over the south facing side of the glasshouse. These need to be secured to the frame with strong clips, or you could make large framed sheets of fabric and hang these from the apex. Bear in individually the weight of the material and how it will cope with wind and rain and choose carefully.

Temporary shading can also be fitted to the inside of the glasshouse.

To know more about greenhouse and growing different types of plants in your greenhouse visit http://growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php