Image Credits: indiafarmsblog.com, Paleomazing.com

By Regina Pasipanodya

Greenhouse growing and open field growing have their advantages and disadvantages. It has been noted that Greenhouse Growing provides the opportunity to maintain an ideal, consistent growing environment (controlled in terms of temperature and humidity and so forth). It also protects plants from harsh weather and wind and extends growing seasons for higher crop yields
Many young farmers always lugging with the idea of starting farming using a Greenhouse method. The main question being which route should they take, ‘the greenhouse way or the open field?’

Traditionally, farmers have been used to using open fields for farming citing different advantages such as enough sunlight and availability of fresh oxygen. However, recently due to innovation it has been noted that the greenhouse has proved to be more superior than an open field although it is essential to be adopted with more caution and care.
Concerning Greenhouse production, it is often perceived as an artificial process, characterized by low nutritional quality of the final product and the heavy use of chemical inputs. Moreover, large areas covered with greenhouses create a big visual impact. In contrast, open-field cultivation is perceived as an ‘eco-friendly’ activity and one that has a much smaller visual impact.
Agronomists have agreed that growing under greenhouse conditions, instead of an open field, can enhance quality, quadruple production and enable growers to cultivate their crop over a longer window of time. When carried out correctly, it can significantly increase yields over what is possible under open-field production. For example, greenhouse tomato yields four to five times more than the open field.
The greenhouse extends the growing season as harvests can last up to eight months compared to one month in the open fields. Any gardener or farmer knows planting crops outside depends wholly on weather patterns and conditions that must be suitable for seeds to take root and thrive. With a greenhouse, many different techniques can be used to keep temperatures stable, causing less stress to the plants and promoting strong growth much earlier in the year. Some popular techniques involve creating thermal solar mass by using natural materials that readily absorb, store and release thermal heat, and using man-made heaters and heating fans.
Expand the variety among your products by using a greenhouse.
As vegetables come in and out of season, prices fluctuate accordingly based on availability, demand, and production methods among many others. Investing in a greenhouse allows your operation to provide a variety of different products on the “off-season” creating greater availability for your customers in times of low supply and having the ability to grow new produce or flowers that do not typically thrive in your climate.
Not having to worry about external elements gives you almost complete control to provide the best growing environment for your crops.

There’s nothing worse than coming out to your newly sprouted seedlings to find that a furry little bunny made a tasty salad out of the dainty leaves that once occupied your defenseless new stems