Greenhouse watering supplies come in several types and for several purposes. There are misting coolant systems. There are evaporative cooling systems. And lastly there are watering systems that run the gauntlet from overhead misting to drip watering.
The primary purpose of a greenhouse is to provide climate control for plants that are not well suited for the outdoor environment in a certain location. They do this by providing humidity and temperature control. Because greenhouses trap the heat from sunlight inside, they are great for keeping plants warm in winter. However in the summer this leads to temperatures that may be too hot for your plants to survive.
This is one area where greenhouse watering systems can help. Misting coolant systems consist of PVC piping with nozzle heads of varying refinement arranged high up in the greenhouse. The nozzles release a fine mist, which cools the hot air in the top area, lowering the temperature of the entire greenhouse. One side effect of a misting system is that your plants’ foliage will become dew laden. In some plants this is considered a plus.
However not all plants benefit from collecting water on their leaves and for a greenhouse containing large amounts of these plants an evaporative cooling system may be preferable to the misting coolant system. In an evaporative cooling system water is evaporated in an enclosed space, and only the cooled air is allowed to escape into the greenhouse at large. It operates similarly to an air conditioning system, only with water as the only coolant. If you have water sensitive plants such as orchids then this system is definitely one to look into.
Maybe you have your climate under control, and all you are looking for is a greenhouse watering system. Here you can turn to several different styles. If you are looking to avoid disturbing new seedlings and the surrounding dirt, your best option is a fine grade of misting. Unlike the misting system for greenhouse cooling, misting for watering purposes is usually done within eighteen inches of the plants you are trying to water. Similar to the other system it uses PVC pipes and nozzle heads to distribute water to the plants.
However the misting greenhouse watering system is not ideal if you are trying to avoid watering the foliage of your plants. It is also not very water efficient; for every ounce of water your plants absorb another ounce either evaporates into the air or off of the leaves. If either conservation or avoiding leaf molding is a concern you may want to consider a drip feed system. These systems feed water directly to the base of plants via plastic tubing at a set rate. They are extremely water efficient and prevent the wetting of leaves and stems.
All of the above systems require a few basic greenhouse watering supplies. You will almost invariably use PVC piping to get the water near your plants or into the evaporative cooler. Once nearby you will either need misting nozzles to get the water air-born; or drip line hosing to run to the individual plants. PVC piping requires bonding tape for a water-tight seal at the joints. Drip hosing comes with T connectors and staking to install it in the dirt.
Regardless of what type of system you use, a good greenhouse watering supply system will save you hours of labor once installed.
