Knowledge Centre

As a greenhouse projects company, we offer an end-to-end service with project management tailored to suit each individual solution and requirement. No project is the same, and we collaborate with our partners to offer seamless and personalized service.

To put it simply – year-round farming. This means you can grow any crop, in any environment, at any time. Food shortages are minimised, yields are maximised, food is grown closer to where it’s needed, and return on investment is increased. Plus, harsh weather conditions, unfertile soil, climates and pests become less of a concern. Greenhouses create optimal growing conditions and enable farmers to use natural resources, like water, more efficiently and reduce waste.

Yes. At Vegtech Netafim, we have a wealth of in-house technical expertise and can bring in the best specialist contractors if needed, or use your contractors, if you prefer. We will manage any contractors on your project, which means you’ll only ever need to deal with our team. 

The polyethylene components generally need to be replaced every three to five years, depending on your environment. The steel greenhouse structure will remain sound for many years.

Polyethylene greenhouses and polytunnels have a venting window throughout the ridge, which allows fresh air in and humidity and heat out. While this is usually sufficient for mild climates, growers in warmer climates may need forced ventilation in the form of fans and exhaust vents.  

While this may depend on your crop and some other factors,  we typically build greenhouses up to 7 m high. These taller greenhouses allow for space above the crops, helping to reduce heat and optimize climate conditions.

Insulation is your first step in keeping your greenhouse warm. Additional heating options will depend on the size of your greenhouse. If you have a large greenhouse, you may want to install a hot water hydronic system, which pipes heated water around the greenhouse through a network of tube rails. If you have a smaller greenhouse, you could consider a system of heaters to create warm air which is then circulated by fan and heat exchanger. Keep in mind that heat must be distributed evenly to create ideal growing conditions for your crops.

Screens are a versatile and energy-saving way to create ideal climate conditions in your greenhouse. They can help you save up to 50% on heating costs in cold climates. And they reduce temperatures in hot climates, allowing you to save on cooling costs. There are three main types of screens available – horizontal, vertical, and external. Our team will work with you to create a screen solution that meets your needs, and that can provide shade, save energy, and create blackout conditions if needed. 

Soil moisture sensors constantly monitor the water levels in your substrate. They enable you to adjust your irrigation and fertilization, as needed, to achieve the right growing conditions. Drainage can also be helpful as it allows you to determine whether you’re watering in the right amounts or accumulating salt in your substrate. It’s recommended that you do a chemical analysis of your drainage and irrigation water every two weeks to ensure you’re achieving the right balance.

When it comes to irrigating soilless media, CNL drippers help ensure that you apply the same amounts of water and fertilizer to all your plants. They do this by restricting system drainage – this eliminates the refilling time of the system and means that all of your drippers will start and stop at the same time in each irrigation cycle.

For faster-growing and high yielding crops, it’s worth getting the pH, EC, and nutrient levels in your root zone right – particularly if you’re growing in soilless media. A precision drip system can be very helpful, as it allows you to deliver exact amounts of nutrients to your crops as and when needed.

In this technique, short intervals of irrigation are applied on a frequent basis with a rest period in between. The idea is to apply only the water and nutrients per irrigation that the substrate can absorb – thus reducing waste – and then allowing the substrate to rest before irrigating again.