Summer adjustments

🌐 🇫🇷 FR · 🇬🇧 EN · 🇩🇪 DE

The summer period is characterized by optimal light, warm temperatures and highly popular summer vegetables. Crop management in the greenhouse must be adapted to these climate conditions to achieve maximum production.

Here are the adaptations to make during the change of season to ensure the greenhouse and equipment operate properly.

1. Reinstall the skylight actuators

To ensure good greenhouse ventilation from spring onward, you need to reinstall the skylight gas struts.

Find out how to install the actuators on our dedicated page.
More information about how the actuators work on our dedicated page.

2. Check irrigation

It is important to check that all towers are irrigated:

• Water flowing from the nozzles.
• The white felt pads are properly soaked and the plants are correctly positioned.

👍

Plant needs

Summer plants produce fruits (tomato, aubergine, pepper, cucumber, etc.) made up mainly of water. It is important to provide them with the necessary resources (water and nutrients) to ensure growth and fruit formation.

3. Manage air humidity

The plants' photosynthetic activity generates water evaporation into the air. Unlike in winter, summer temperatures tend to dry out the air, and water vapour will struggle to build up in the greenhouse.

👍

Run ventilation continuously during the change of season

• The fan helps increase oxygen renewal in the greenhouse all year round. It refreshes the indoor air and maintains the right humidity level.

• Ventilation must be switched on manually on the power box.

• Air humidity must be between 40% and 80%.

4. Stop winter equipment

As soon as winter ends, we recommend that you:

• Clean the stove, its combustion chamber, the pellet hopper and the chimney. More information on our dedicated page.
• Unplug the water heating resistors from the fish tanks. You can leave them in place or store them until next winter.
• Remove the insulation panels attached to your greenhouse windows.
• Unplug the horticultural lighting system and store the LEDs. The support structures for permaculture beds can be easily dismantled or left in place.

5. Choose the plant species to plant

Thanks to the greenhouse, summer fruits and vegetables can be planted in the growing modules from March/April onward. The greenhouse will protect the plants from the last frosts that may still occur at the beginning of spring.

When outdoor temperatures exceed 25°C, the growth of some plant species is not optimal. This is particularly the case for leafy vegetables (mainly lettuces and spinach), which may tend to bolt quickly before they have had time to develop their leaves. You will need to choose suitable, resilient varieties to ensure high-quality production.

Summer is the growing season for many herbs, but also for all fruiting vegetables: tomato, aubergine, pepper, chilli, cucumber, gherkin, courgette, etc.

👍

Plan ahead for planting by sowing at the right time

To increase plant performance in cultivation, you need to plan ahead for sowing so you have seasonal plants at the right time.

From sowing the seed to having a plant ready to be put into cultivation, it takes between 3 weeks and 2 months depending on the plant species.

We recommend sowing your tomato, aubergine, pepper, chilli, etc. seeds from the beginning of February so you can plant them in your greenhouse from March/April onward.

Check our crop calendar on our dedicated wiki page or directly on the Hub in the Calendar tab.

6. Adapt fertilization

From March onward, it is possible to start growing summer plants: tomatoes, aubergines, peppers. These plant species have higher nutrient requirements than winter species. It is important to adapt fertilization accordingly, whether you are using aquaponics or bioponics.

📘

Change the fertilization frequency

• If you use aquaponics: see our fertilization recommendations for the production phase on our dedicated page to adjust the quantity and frequency of supplements to your greenhouse model.
• If you use bioponics: see our fertilization recommendations for the production phase on our dedicated page to adjust the quantity and frequency of organic fertilizer according to your greenhouse model.

7. Feed the fish

The gradual increase in air temperatures allows fish activity to resume. Their energy needs become greater than in winter and they will need more food. The amount distributed can be gradually increased again and will ensure enough waste is produced for plant growth.

👍

Increase the amount of food or the feeding frequency

See [our recommendations] (http://myfood.eu/wp-content/MYFOOD-NOTICE-DISTRIBUTEUR-NOURRITURE-FR.pdf) in the food dispenser programming guide.

📘

How do you know the distributed amount is sufficient?

To get close to the maximum growth potential, fish are fed until they stop taking food.

All the food distributed must be consumed within 5 minutes after feeding.

8. Plant flowering strips around the greenhouse.

The South side of your greenhouse will be particularly exposed to the sun during summer. Temperatures can rise sharply and exceed 30°C quickly. To create natural shade, you can sow a flowering strip in the ground along this side or install permaculture beds.

This layout provides two benefits:

• It creates natural shade for the greenhouse.
• It attracts pollinators as close as possible to your crops.

More information about the ideal plant species to plant on our dedicated page.