Maximum Yield Australia/New Zealand May/June 2019 | Page 51

L ight is a form of radiant energy and diminishes exponentially from its source. The amount of radiant energy available to a plant is determined by how far away the plant is from the light source. In a process known as photosynthesis, plants convert the radiant energy from the light source (the sun or artificial lights) into sugars or fuel for growth. Indoor horticulturists have some advantages over outdoor gardeners in that they have heightened control over atmospheric conditions. This heightened control allows for accelerated growth rates and an extension of the growing season. To make an indoor garden or greenhouse effi- cient, some gardeners choose to employ methods that best utilise the given radiant energy available from the light source. In a greenhouse setting, a popular way to utilise the radiant energy from the sun is to set up a multi-tiered configuration. A multi- tiered configuration in a greenhouse also helps a gardener make the most efficient use of the given floor space. Indoor horticultur- ists can also reap the rewards of maximising their light source’s radiant energy by configuring the plants on a multi-tiered plat- form. Indoor gardens are limited by the amount of radiant energy emitted by the light source and a vertical, multi-tiered setup will best utilise the available radiant energy. Multi-Tiered Setups for Greenhouses Greenhouses offer some heightened control over environmental conditions, while still giving the plants access to the most power- ful radiant energy source around: the sun. All greenhouses have one thing in common — a limited amount of space. Although greenhouses come in a wide variety of sizes, the amount of space within the greenhouse is always a limitation. This is especially true for home hobbyists who generally have, relatively speaking, less space to work with than a commercial greenhouse grower. To maximise the space within a hobbyist’s greenhouse, many implement some sort of multi-tiered, vertical setup. Multi-tiered gardens can be a very efficient way to maximise both the plants’ exposure to the radiant energy and the given space in the green- house. By stacking plants vertically, a greenhouse grower auto- matically makes better use of his or her floor space. There are many ways a greenhouse grower can implement a multi-tiered, vertical garden in a greenhouse, including shelving, vertical planters, and vertical hydroponic systems. Greenhouse Shelving Greenhouse shelving is the most basic and straightforward form of multi-tiered, vertical gardening. Using shelving in a green- house allows a gardener to stack plants on top of each other and better utilise the given floor space while maximising the avail- able radiant energy from the sun. There are different ways green- house shelving can be set up in a greenhouse. Most greenhouses are designed to have a south or west facing wall to take full advantage of the sun’s exposure. Generally speaking, the shelv- ing should be set up in multiple tiers with the highest tier next to the wall that is opposite the side of the greenhouse that receives the most light (north or east facing wall). By doing this, the plants on the higher shelving will not shade out the other plants located down below. It is also important to consider the height of the plants being grown and their location in the multi-tiered setup. Taller plants should be placed up higher on the tier system so they do not start to shade other plants as they grow (just remem- ber to leave enough head room for their growth). Conversely, plants of a shorter stature should be placed on the lower tiers to ensure they do not get shaded out by taller plants. Where to place which type of plant is an important consideration when setting up a multi-tiered system in a greenhouse. Maximum Yield 49