Wooden Greenhouses In Kenya

Wooden greenhouses in Kenya preceded the now common metallic greenhouses in the country. They are cheaper to build but have a lower lifespan than metallic ones. Popular crops grown in wooden greenhouses in Kenya are;

• ornamentals such as roses(most common), carnations, chrysanthemums
• herbs and spices, which are rosemary, mint, geraniums, lemon grass
• vegetables like indeterminate tomato (most common), cucumber, capsicums, chilies
• fruits such as strawberry
• cereals, in this case barley as animal feed

Greenhouse structures are also for production of seedlings, and rooting of stem cuttings. Here, improvements like misters, or foggers to raise humidity are present

How To Construct Timber Greenhouses

i. Know the crop type to plant. This will guide on the greenhouse design and amount of material to use. For instance, a tomato greenhouse will take more material than one with herbs. This is because tomato will require training, and herbs won’t. It also guides on the greenhouse paper to cover with. You will have more light for fruiting crops like tomato, capsicum, chilli, cucumber, and strawberry, or bi/ multicolored flowers. Have a clear polythene for these. Mono-color flowers will have the yellow polythene cover

ii. Determine the plant population you need. This informs the area of the greenhouse

iii. Once you determine the amount of timber required based on the greenhouse area, treat it. This is to prevent weevils and termites from attacking the timber which reduces it’s lifespan. Do not apply motor oil on the timber as treatment. This is because it will contaminate food crops in the greenhouse

iv. Your construction design is the vented type

v. Cover the roof and side ventilations with an insect net. Select the high density gauge which is effective in keeping away white-flies

vi. Make the beds according to the crop type. Beds are important in managing drainage. For seedling production, set up the tables 1M high

vii. Set up the drip irrigation system on the beds. For seedling production, set up he misting or fogging system above. The misters or foggers are 1M apart

Cost of Wooden Greenhouses In Kenya

Wooden greenhouse pricing is by structural size.

How to Choose Greenhouse Nets

Greenhouse nets allow for ventilation of the crops, and personnel working in the unit. Below are the consideration made when deciding the choice of greenhouse net to install on the sides

1. Crop type. Some crop types require higher light intensity than others. In this case, a lower shade % net is appropriate for the former. Fruiting crops such as; tomato, strawberry, capsicums, and so on require more light than leafy vegetables. Examples are; cabbage, spinach, collards, kale etc.

2. Crop stage of growth. The shade net in the nursery will block out more heat, than the one for established crops in the field

3. Location of the farm. In the highlands where the heat intensity is less, a lower shade net will protect crops well. In the mid to low altitudes where it’s hotter, a higher shade net works best.

4. Latitude. Countries such as Kenya lie along the equator where solar radiation is high. Your choice of greenhouse net will have higher UV treatment than that of a temperate region