Custom Greenhouse Misting Systems
Greenhouse Misting - The Basics
Greenhouse Mist systems, and more specifically, intermittent application mist systems, are used industry-wide in horticulture and agriculture propagation environments to improve the success of rooting hardwood, softwood, and herbaceous stem cuttings and leaf cuttings.
Greenhouse Mist Systems: What do they do?
Greenhouse Mist Systems produce a fine mist that provides a thin film of water over the cuttings and media, Thereby creating the following conditions:
The fine mist actually creates a thin “film” of water on the foliage of the cuttings. This water film controls water loss from cuttings by increasing the humidity and reducing leaf temperature by evaporative cooling.
Because of the mist, leafy cuttings can be exposed to high levels of light, accelerating the rooting and establishment of many difficult to root plant materials.
Mist propagation allows for greater flexibility in preparing cuttings. Generally, most types of cuttings will root more readily under mist.
Larger cuttings can be rooted with greenhouse mist systems which otherwise would be possible without mist.
Greenhouse Mist Systems: Dangers in Over Watering
While a mist is used to maintain a film of water on the leaves, it is important to use a minimum amount of water. Excessive water leaches nutrients from the cutting and the rooting medium.
Excess water can saturate the growing medium, greatly reducing the amount of air in the medium.
Excess moisture at the bottom of the cutting restricts a good supply of air necessary for rooting. The amount of water can be reduced by using a fine mist nozzle and using intermittent mist.
The use of intermittent mist, which is properly sized and controlled, is the best solution to prevent overwatering.
Greenhouse Mist Systems Application
Greenhouse Mist systems are capable of a wide spectrum of applications. The most common application is propagation, in conjunction with micro-climate benchtop heating. However, Mist systems can be modified to apply to a variety of applications; including:
Greenhouse crop chemical application, Insecticides, Fungicides, Herbicides
Greenhouse Floor sanitation
Dust control
Odor reduction in Food Processing
Odor Reduction for Composting
Cooling
Humidification
Greenhouse Misting: Importance in using a professional for your installation:
Voeks Inc. has completed hundreds of misting systems for propagation environments. It is important to have industry professionals involved with the design and installation of Greenhouse mist systems, thereby avoiding the typical “pitfalls,” which include:
Over-spray into walkways and walls, which increases pathogen transmission and promotes algae growth
Oversaturation of root zone
Selection of controllers that are not compatible with propagation methods
Selection in incorrect nozzles that drip after the mist station turns off. Large drops falling on 1 x 1 plugs can kill a cutting
Greenhouse mist systems can over-water trays if the heads are patterned in a typical “overlap” method used in sprinkler irrigation
Incorrect pressure regulator selection resulting in flow rates that do not meet the misting emitters' flow rate specifications
Contact us for a free consultation to explore all the options available to you for your misting needs!