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 utilize
the given radiant energy available from the light source. In a
greenhouse setting, a popular way to utilize 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 maximizing 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 utilize 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 maximize 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 maximize 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 utilize the given floor space while maximizing 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
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