January 12, 2009

Little fixes can save big bucks in greenhouses this winter

As greenhouse growers start to prepare for the spring, a Purdue University professor and Extension specialist in floriculture, said things as easy as checking greenhouses for small leaks can make a difference in the cost of heating.

"There are a lot of places where you don't realize you're losing a lot of heat through tiny holes around vents or in glazing material, or people not shutting doors correctly," Roberto Lopez said. "Just going into our greenhouses here at Purdue, there are a lot of holes we have found."

Energy prices have steadily risen in recent years, but plant prices have not always kept pace. Lopez said that the cost of natural gas more than doubled in the last decade, while the wholesale price of a poinsettia, for example, increased from $4.21 to $4.61, only about 10 percent.

"What we have seen over the past few years is that some growers shut down over the winter to save money on heating costs," Lopez said. "There's also a temptation to lower their greenhouse temperatures."

Instead of shutting down, he said growers could use energy curtains that serve dual purposes. The curtains can trap heat generated during the day by being drawn over the plants like a ceiling when the sun goes down. They also are useful in the summer to provide shade when it gets too hot.

A similar idea is to insulate the north side of a greenhouse. Lopez said it is the side that will get the least amount of light, so insulating it won't cost much in terms of sunlight, but could save money on heating.

Growers also could look for plant species that grow at cooler temperatures. Lopez said that could allow growers to lower temperatures in their greenhouses without affecting plant development.

Other options include finding other growers in the area to buy fuel collectively, as well as searching for grant funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to purchase an energy-efficient heating system.

"It's a great tool to have," Lopez said. "It saves a tremendous amount of energy."

Writer: Brian Wallheimer, (765) 496-2050, bwallhei@purdue.edu

Source: Roberto Lopez, (765) 496-3425, rglopez@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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