The benefits of large scale greenhouses for tomato and cucumber growers

If you're planning to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in high volumes, investing in a large-scale greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumbers isn't just helpful, it's essential.

These crops are high-demand, high-value, and high-maintenance. A purpose-built produce greenhouse, like Prospiant's Venlo model, gives you the precision control needed for your crops to thrive in an optimal greenhouse environment.

Tomatoes and cucumbers don't leave room for error
Tomatoes and cucumbers don't tolerate mistakes well. They demand the right growing conditions day in and day out—and just one misstep can set your yields back.

Open-field production has its place, but when you're growing at volume for retail or wholesale, there is too much left to chance. Weather volatility, inconsistent yields, and increased pest pressures can make it difficult to meet market standards.

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A large-scale greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumbers solves these problems by giving you full control over temperature, humidity, airflow, and light levels—all critical factors for maximizing fruit quality and yields.

With the right infrastructure, you can achieve continuous year-round growth, ensuring a stable and consistent agricultural production. This approach reduces crop loss and allows for precise control over climate and fertigation, tailored to match the specific stages of crop development. Furthermore, it enables you to maintain a reliable harvest schedule regardless of external weather conditions, optimizing both efficiency and yield.

When it comes to designing a large-scale greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumbers, the Venlo model checks off every box for produce growers. It's a proven structure growers use across North America for commercial greenhouse production.

Venlo greenhouses are particularly effective for growing produce due to their distinctive features, including glass roofs, high ceilings, and versatile venting options. They incorporate an alternating skip vent system on the roof, which permits the controlled release of heat and humidity, thereby optimizing the growing environment. These greenhouses offer maximum light transmission at a lower cost per square foot compared to traditional glasshouses, contributing to their economic viability. The shallow-peak design further reduces energy costs, making them an efficient choice. Additionally, the interior trusses are robust enough to support various installations, such as screen systems, trellises, lighting, and airflow fans, enhancing their functional capacity. Venlo greenhouses also provide flexible layouts that accommodate different venting and cooling styles, allowing for a tailor-made approach to meet specific agricultural needs.

A large-scale greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumbers needs height
In any greenhouse design for commercial produce, height is important—especially for crops like tomatoes and cucumbers that require high-light conditions and a specific growing environment.

Greenhouses with high gutter heights have more air volume to buffer exterior temperature and humidity fluctuations.

The coverings used for produce greenhouses have high light-transmitting properties but often lack insulating properties. This means the weather conditions outside have more of an impact on what goes on inside the greenhouse.

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Extreme temperature changes can lead to stunted growth and reduced fruiting of your tomato and cucumber plants. But a taller greenhouse with an air buffer and climate screens installed protects the crops.

The larger air volume in a taller greenhouse creates an air buffer that slows down temperature changes. This helps keep conditions more stable around your plants and their fruit, which leads to a healthier growing environment.

Taller greenhouses improve natural ventilation by giving warm air more space to rise and exit through roof vents, making room for cooler air to enter from below.

This air movement is key for plant transpiration because it clears away the layer of humidity around the leaf surfaces, which helps plants transpire more effectively.