How to Control Greenhouse Humidity?
In greenhouse environments, it is very important to keep the humidity at the right level for plants to grow healthily and produce efficiently. Humidity directly affects the water intake, photosynthesis processes and general health of plants. However, managing humidity in a greenhouse environment is not as simple as it seems. While excessive humidity levels can lead to fungal diseases and rot, insufficient humidity can cause stress in plants.
Modern technology and the right methods should be used to control greenhouse humidity correctly. Controlling greenhouse humidity not only improves the health of plants, but also increases energy efficiency, making your business more sustainable. Now, let’s take a closer look at how you can control greenhouse humidity and how the esular Humidity and Temperature Sensor plays an important role in this process.
What is the Importance of Humidity in Greenhouses?
- Photosynthesis and Transpiration Processes: Adequate humidity keeps the stomata of plants open, allowing carbon dioxide to be taken in and water vapor to be expelled. Carbon dioxide, which is necessary for photosynthesis, enters the leaves of plants through stomata, where food production is carried out with light energy. At the same time, thanks to transpiration, plants provide water balance and perform the cooling process by evaporating the water they take from their roots.
- Cell Turgor and Structural Integrity: Adequate humidity level maintains the internal pressure of cells, allowing plants to stand upright and maintain their structural integrity.
- Nutrient Uptake and Growth: Humidity increases the uptake of nutrients by plants from their roots. In addition, sufficient humidity helps preserve the structure of the soil, allowing the roots to take in water and nutrients more easily.
- Disease and Pest Control: Especially hot and humid environments facilitate the proliferation of fungal spores, while very low humidity levels cause stress, making plants vulnerable to pests.
- Photosynthesis and Plant Growth: Humidity directly affects the ability of plants to photosynthesize. Having the humidity level in the right range makes it easier for plants to take in carbon dioxide through stomata (pores) and thus photosynthesize. Adequate humidity encourages fast and healthy plant growth.
- Energy Efficiency: Regulating humidity levels helps balance the temperature and air flow in the greenhouse environment. This increases overall energy efficiency within the greenhouse and reduces operating costs.
- Differences According to Plant Types: Each plant has different humidity needs. Tropical plants like high humidity conditions, while desert plants prefer drier environments. Which plants will be grown in the greenhouse directly affects how the humidity balance should be established.
What Should Be the Ideal Greenhouse Humidity?
Optimum relative humidity values vary depending on the type of plant grown, greenhouse temperature and light intensity. Recommended relative humidity values for some plant species are as follows.
How to Reduce Humidity in Greenhouses?
Before solving a humidity problem, it is very important to understand the root cause of this problem. And the main source of humidity levels in greenhouses is usually the transpiration process of plants. When the humidity level increases, transpiration decreases and the humidity level is automatically controlled. However, if the humidity level is very high and transpiration is seriously prevented, this actually indicates a big problem. Reaching these levels to control humidity in the greenhouse is actually part of the problem.
So how can we reduce humidity?
- Ventilation: The most effective way to reduce humidity levels is to increase ventilation. Therefore, it is very important to plan the layout of the greenhouse correctly and create a structure that will facilitate air flow.
Control Temperature: Temperature directly affects humidity levels. As the temperature increases, the air holds more moisture. Therefore, another way to control humidity is to manage temperature. - Humidity Measurement and Monitoring: It is very important to constantly measure humidity in order to manage humidity correctly.
As a result, reducing humidity levels in the greenhouse is possible by directly increasing air flow, controlling temperature and making accurate measurements. These steps will help keep moisture under control and help plants grow healthily.
How to Increase Greenhouse Humidity?
The main methods used for humidification in greenhouses are as follows:
- Fog and Spray Systems: Fogging or spray systems spray water into the air in fine particles, reducing the temperature of the environment through evaporation and increasing the humidity. This method is especially effective in the summer months when temperatures are high.
- Drip Irrigation Systems: Drip irrigation allows water to be delivered directly to the roots of the plants. With this system, the humidity of the soil is kept high and the humidity in the air increases indirectly.
- Evaporators: Evaporators turn water into vapor and mix it with the air, increasing the humidity in the greenhouse. This method is generally preferred for plants that require humid environments.
- Humidifier Devices: Humidifiers are used to regularly increase the humidity level of the environment in greenhouses. They keep the humidity constant by spraying water vapor into the air in fine particles. Humidifiers are important for controlling the temperature and humidity balance in large greenhouses.
Water Pools and Cisterns: Water pools or water cisterns help water to naturally evaporate and increase the humidity of the environment. - Use of organic mulch: organic mulch (straw, leaf litter, etc.) increases soil moisture by preventing water evaporation.
Humidity and Temperature Sensor
Manage Your Greenhouse Smartly with esular Wireless Humidity and Temperature Sensor!
esular’s wireless battery-powered humidity and temperature sensor allows you to instantly measure and monitor humidity and temperature levels in your greenhouse. Powered by a 3.6V lithium-ion battery, this sensor offers long-term use without the need for an external energy source. Thanks to its easy installation and practical use, you can control the climate conditions of your greenhouse at any time.
The sensor, which transfers data with wireless communication technology, transmits the measured humidity and temperature information to the server, allowing you to access it remotely. In this way, you can intervene instantly to ensure optimum growth conditions for your plants and easily take precautions such as irrigation or ventilation. In addition, if you want to manage your ventilation system automatically from a distance, you can take a look at this article.
💧With esular, you can increase the efficiency of your greenhouse, improve product quality and reduce your energy costs. You can always reach us to get information about our solutions!
