The use of the hoop structures has increase in the greenhouse industry due to the enhancement on cheap, strong and versatile shelters. These types of structures are also referred to as hoop houses or hoop greenhouses and are gaining more acceptance in the current market for the following reasons. The use of hoop shelters is particularly beneficial since they are considerably different from the common greenhouses constructed from glass or some other rigid material. The following article discusses the reason for the hoop shelter becoming popular in greenhouse industry and advantages for growers.
1. Cost-Effective Construction
Another criterion that we will look into so as to be able to provide an explanation to the observation was the cheap nature of hoop shelters in the greenhouse industry. Green house of the conventional type may necessitate the use of costly materials such as glass or polycarbonate panels in construction. On the other hand, hoop shelters have frames from either galvanized steel or PVC pipes and with UV plastic sheets for covering. These materials are less expensive than glass and many other more rigid forms of construction materials making hoop shelters perfect for growers who are looking to spend as little as possible at the outset.
The low cost of construction also Favors small growers, and first-time growers who cannot afford expensive greenhouses. Hoop shelters are one of the best greenhouses starting points for farmers and gardeners who lack the massive capital to invest heavily in expansions.
2. Flexibility and Versatility
Collapsible hoop shelters are terribly flexible structures that may be modified to meet any kind of growing need. These shelters can be built in any dimensions, length, width and height hence making the greenhouses flexible in terms of design to suit a particular crop or type of farming system. In a laid-back manner, hoop shelters come in handy to different horticultural plants, weather this be veggies, herbs, flowers, even cannabis.
Further, hoop shelters can be designed for singular, or multiple rows with the flexibility of expanding as a grower’s requirements will vary. This feature is especially useful for those growers who want to grow more greenhouses gradually or growers located in different climate zones.
This shelter can also be covered with a range of materials which include using either a single or double layer of plastic, polycarbonate or shade net Shelter. The type of veil it has lets the growers regulate its input of light, heat, and moisture for species of plants so that they can grow them at their best.
3. Improved Climate Control
Temperature management is very important measure in the greenhouses and with the help of hoop shelters internal conditions can be regulated perfectly. The structure of hoop shelters, which consist of curved roof construction, enables control of air circulation which enables the shelters not to overheat when exposed to direct sunlight while at the same time providing adequate air circulation to the plants. Depending on the structure created by some hoop shelters, there is also some degree of natural FREE wind, which results in stability in temperature inside the shelter.
While in extreme conditions a hoop shelter can have two layers of plastic or even thermal covers to provide the temperature inside the shelter to be regulated. This feature especially helps in the elongation of the growing period because hoop shelters will keep the crops warm during winter but at the same time protect them from frost.
In addition, most hoop shelters have either shutters or roll up walls that can be opened or closed depending on changes in climate. This flexibility of the growing layers is one of the important advantages in order to provide the best growing conditions during the year.
4. Faster Setup and Ease of Maintenance
While many greenhouses take a long time and a lot of man effort to build, hoop shelters are famous for their development time. The architecture of hoop shelters is simplicity itself and the construction needs very basic tools and little skill. The frame is most often made of lightweight content such as hollow steel, which takes little space during shipping and is not too heavy. The plastic layer is also light and once the frame is erected, the layer can easily be pulled over the structure and anchored meaning that growers can get their greenhouse up and running in a much shorter time than it would take to construct a conventional structure for the same purpose.
Besides the ease of construction, another advantage with hoop shelters is that they are easy to maintain, and; The plastic covering can be easily replaced when it has been used or locally damaged and the general structure of the whole structure is so strong and resistant to the regularities of the outside environment. Since this design it relatively quite simple, fixing problems is equally simple hence enabling growers to keep their production units up and running without facing additional costs and time to fix their problems.
5. Energy Efficient and Sustainability
Compared to conventional greenhouses, there exists a significant variation when it comes to energy efficiency of hoop shelters. The advantage of the plastic sheeting as the covering material is that it provides for better insulation that can assist in heating during the night hence; energy costs can be contained. Furthermore, the natural light that will pass through the transparent plastic used is usually adequate to support plant photosynthesis during the day and thus little artificial light will be required.
Another consideration that has made hoop shelters to becoming very popular is their sustainability. The type of material suitable for constructing hoop shelters is relatively more environmentally friendly than the kind used for constructing other greenhouses, and most hoop shelter structures are made in such a way that after use they may be utilized again or put to another use. They are lighter making it easier on the environment by cutting down on the carbon footprint on the amount of energy used to transport them from one farming area to another.
6. Long-Term Durability
However, as hoop shelters are relatively inexpensive to construct and can easily be erected, they are permanent structures too. The galvanized steel or high-quality PVC used for frame is not liable to rust, corrosion or wear out thus making the shelter steady and secure. It as well has a lightweight covering material made from strong weather resistant to factors such as strong winds, snow, and even rain. Consequently, hoop shelters can last through seasons and remain useful structures for greenhouse growing for years.