Retractable roof greenhouses can help improve the production of perennials,
since they can be used to help produce plants that can easily make the
transition from the plug or propagation house… to the production
greenhouse…to the transport truck…to the retail display
bench,…and finally to the customer's garden.
By retracting the roof whenever outside conditions are superior
to those inside the greenhouse, plants will be exposed to the stresses
of the outdoor environment, which will help them develop:
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leaves with a thick cuticle. |
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a strong root system. |
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the appropriate balance between root to shoot. |
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shorter internodes. |
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bright colored flowers. |
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flowers with longer bloom times. |
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an overall natural appearance. |
This can help improve the profitability of growing perennials by:
INCREASING QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF PLANTS PRODUCED
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increasing plant density since pots may not have
to be spaced farther apart just for disease control |
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Reducing crops being dumped as a result of being overgrown.
Some growers using traditional houses routinely throw out 10%
of their spring crop due to the plants being overgrown and virtually
eliminated it in a retractable roof. |
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Reducing losses or damage from moving plants from a traditional
greenhouse to a shadehouse or outdoor holding area |
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Reducing losses due to unexpected bad weather damaging crops
in a shadehouse or outside. |
INCREASING REVENUES
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reducing the need to discount prices resulting
from crops being of poor quality |
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reducing credits that are issued for cases when growers guarantee
sales to large chain stores. |
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Charging higher prices due to increased plant size. Overwintered
plants grown in a retractable roof greenhouse may be larger
at time of shipping. They can be grown for a few weeks longer
into the fall season to produce a larger plant since the plants
can be shut down almost twice as quick as in a traditional greenhouse.
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