Greenhouses for vegetable crops

Which vegetable crops are grown commercially

The following are grown commercially under cover:

• Cucumber – needs stable humidity and ventilation without draughts
• Tomato – sensitive to condensation, needs active air exchange
• Pepper and aubergine – warmth-loving, do not tolerate sharp temperature swings
• Leafy greens and lettuce – short cycle, high density, often hydroponics
• Seedlings for later planting out in another block of the complex

How to match the structure to the crop

The choice starts from the crop segment and the planned operating mode. The main parameters are ridge height, air volume, the air exchange scheme, heating and the accuracy of drip feeding. Specific temperature and humidity values are fixed in the design.

Greenhouses for cucumbers

Cucumbers do not tolerate temperature swings or sudden changes in humidity well, and the root zone needs a constant supply of oxygen. Air exchange has to remove excess humidity without creating a draught through the crop. Industrial cucumber growing uses a high trellis system, stable heating, ridge and side ventilation and drip feeding with fertigation. Year-round technology adds supplementary lighting and CO2 enrichment. A multi-span film greenhouse covers most cucumber requirements, while large intensive projects go for Venlo.

Greenhouses for tomatoes

Tomatoes react worse to condensation and constantly high humidity. The air has to change more actively, and the difference between day and night temperatures must be kept within a narrow band. Heating and air exchange are specified with spare capacity, and automation runs the regime to a schedule. Medium volumes of tomatoes are grown in multi-span structures, while large intensive sites more often go for Venlo with precise climate control.

Greenhouses for peppers, leafy greens and lettuce

Pepper is close to tomato in its regime but more sensitive to sudden swings. It needs an even, warm microclimate and protection from cold air during flowering. The equipment shifts towards controlled heating and gentle air exchange.

Leafy greens and lettuce work differently: a short cycle, low planting, trays or hydroponics and high density per square metre. For them, Venlo with precise climate control and stable supplementary lighting is chosen more often. A multi-span film layout also works with the right row planning.

Which types of structure suit vegetable crops

Three formats are most often considered for industrial production of fresh vegetables: multi-span film, a Venlo glass complex and a polycarbonate solution.

The structures are described in more detail in separate sections: industrial film greenhouses and Venlo glass industrial greenhouses. The format is chosen according to the variety, the area, the region and the operating mode.

Engineering systems for vegetable crops

Greenhouses for fresh vegetables are designed together with their engineering systems. Whether the facility can run year-round depends on how these are selected.

• Heating and ventilation keep temperature and humidity within the working band
• Irrigation and fertigation deliver water and nutrient solution to the root zone for substrate or hydroponics
• Drainage removes excess solution and reduces the risk of standing water
• Automation and climate control bring the engineering together into a single control loop
• Supplementary lighting and CO2 enrichment are needed for intensive cucumber, tomato and leafy green growing
• Energy-saving screens stabilise the regime and reduce heat loss

Some systems are not needed for a short seasonal cycle. A year-round cycle without the full set noticeably loses yield stability.

What determines the cost of a vegetable greenhouse

There is no universal price: the budget is made up of several groups of factors.

The exact estimate is fixed once the initial data is available: there is no universal price per m² without inputs.

What data is needed for the estimate

• The variety or varieties you plan to grow
• Planned production area and the site
• Construction region and snow and wind loads
• Seasonality: short cycle, semi-seasonal or year-round production
• Growing scheme: substrate, hydroponics, trays, trellis
• Available utilities: electricity, water, gas or alternative heat sources
• Requirements for engineering systems: heating, air exchange, irrigation, fertigation, automation
• Target launch date

Based on these inputs, the greenhouse complex design is carried out: load calculations, structure selection, the set of engineering systems and the scope of work.