Cedar Greenhouses vs. Aluminium Greenhouses
Scientific tests carried out at the famous Clack's farm in Worcestshire, comparing the performance of an aluminium and a cedar greenhouse confirmed that cedar is the best material for greenhouse cultivation. The tests were supervised by gardening expert Arthur Billit over a 12 month period in identical 8' x 10' cedar and aluminium Alton greenhouses. Commissioned by Alton Glasshouses Limited the reports had to cover specific heat experiments.
The Tests
(a) On the frost sensitive plants (french beans, tomatoes,etc) over a three month period in which both remained unheated throughout (b) Both greenhouses were heated to a constant 65 degrees fahrenheit using thermostat controlled blower heaters with electric meters across the power source to measure consumption. A series of plants were raised and grown, and at the end of the experiment a detailed analysis was available for both greenhouse types, together with electricity consumption for both buildings. (c) Crops were grown in each greenhouse to discover whether cedar is less prone to disease and pests than aluminium. Detailed record were kept of all plants in the greenhouses, which were treated identically in terms of heating, water, ventilation, etc. The Findings
During the intensive one year test period, the Alton cedar greenhouse was shown conclusively to use almost 20% less electricity for heating purposes than the aluminium greenhouse.
Comparing the crop from the tomato plants grown in both buildings, the cedar greenhouses produced a 12lb heavier yield than the aluminium greenhouses. That is over 10% more!
More water was required in the aluminium greenhouse, mainly due to radiated heat from the metal drying the plants and soil rapidly. Moisture deficiency produces leaf curl which was much more apparent in the aluminium greenhouse.
On average the cedar greenhouse produced plants a good 9" taller, due to the moisture level reducing much more rapidly in the aluminium greenhouse.
The temperature fluctuated much less during the day in the cedar greenhouse. On sunny mornings at 8.30am the temperature was 6 Degrees Fahrenheit, 8 Degrees Fahrenheit higher than the aluminium greenhouse. On colder mornings without the sun the cedar greenhouse stayed relatively similar but it was about 7 Degrees Fahrenheit lower still in aluminium greenhouse. The Conclusion
Although some aluminium greenhouses have a much more attractive price to begin with, cedar will not only produce healthier and larger amounts of crop, it will also use less electricity and water saving you money in the long term.
(a) On the frost sensitive plants (french beans, tomatoes,etc) over a three month period in which both remained unheated throughout (b) Both greenhouses were heated to a constant 65 degrees fahrenheit using thermostat controlled blower heaters with electric meters across the power source to measure consumption. A series of plants were raised and grown, and at the end of the experiment a detailed analysis was available for both greenhouse types, together with electricity consumption for both buildings. (c) Crops were grown in each greenhouse to discover whether cedar is less prone to disease and pests than aluminium. Detailed record were kept of all plants in the greenhouses, which were treated identically in terms of heating, water, ventilation, etc. The Findings
During the intensive one year test period, the Alton cedar greenhouse was shown conclusively to use almost 20% less electricity for heating purposes than the aluminium greenhouse.
Comparing the crop from the tomato plants grown in both buildings, the cedar greenhouses produced a 12lb heavier yield than the aluminium greenhouses. That is over 10% more!
More water was required in the aluminium greenhouse, mainly due to radiated heat from the metal drying the plants and soil rapidly. Moisture deficiency produces leaf curl which was much more apparent in the aluminium greenhouse.
On average the cedar greenhouse produced plants a good 9" taller, due to the moisture level reducing much more rapidly in the aluminium greenhouse.
The temperature fluctuated much less during the day in the cedar greenhouse. On sunny mornings at 8.30am the temperature was 6 Degrees Fahrenheit, 8 Degrees Fahrenheit higher than the aluminium greenhouse. On colder mornings without the sun the cedar greenhouse stayed relatively similar but it was about 7 Degrees Fahrenheit lower still in aluminium greenhouse. The Conclusion
Although some aluminium greenhouses have a much more attractive price to begin with, cedar will not only produce healthier and larger amounts of crop, it will also use less electricity and water saving you money in the long term.