To say that gardening is a great hobby is an understatement; it is something that can help people learn more about the natural world and even grow their own fresh food. At a time when food costs more than ever, gardening has never been as important.
Depending on where you live the weather might not be good enough to grow plants throughout the year. In such instances, solar products can come in handy. Solar products harness the sun’s rays to deliver energy and power. Here is how they can help you with your gardening:
Building Greenhouse
One of the easiest ways of keeping your plants warm throughout the year is by building a greenhouse. As these constructions are made almost entirely from glass it’s very easy for the sun to warm them up even on cold days. The inside of greenhouses are great environments for fruit and vegetables to grow. According to the specialists from www.hpotter.com, there are many different ways of decorating and designing greenhouses. Spend time decorating yours and trying to make it as efficient as you possibly can. Experts recommend placing your greenhouse in a part of the garden that gets a lot of sun; the more sun your greenhouse gets the better it will be at keeping plants healthy. You must ensure that you regularly clean it as it’s common for algae and dust to form on the tops of greenhouses which can obscure the panels and make it harder for the sun to get through.
Window Boxes
An alternative to using a greenhouse is using window boxes. These boxes attach to your property’s façade just below windows and give plants somewhere comfortable to grow. If you get a lot of pests in your area like deer or raccoons then window boxes are a great option because they keep your plants away from the floor and make it more difficult for animals to get to them. Mesh covers should always be put over them to deter birds and mice from eating produce, however. It should be noted window boxes will not keep bugs away.
Greenhouse Fans
In extremely cold climates people sometimes use fans inside their greenhouses. These fans can be great for circulating and spreading heat. If you are growing tropical plants in a cold environment then fans can keep them healthy. Cold weather can be very harmful to tropical species of plants. You can use portable solar panels to power these fans; if you plan on doing this then it is especially important to place your greenhouse somewhere where it gets a lot of sun so that enough power is delivered to the fan panels.
Internal Lights
Some plants need constant light sources. Such plants can be grown in greenhouses that have solar-powered internal lights. Attaching internal lights to your greenhouse’s roof is no different from installing fans. All you need to do is run the light’s cable to the panels which you can do through a hole in the roof. If you are building internal lights then be considerate of your neighbors; if your backyard is visible from their house then put the greenhouse somewhere where the light isn’t going to flood in through their windows and disturb them at night when they are sleeping.
Phone Port
In the past, gardeners would give plants their undivided attention. Like with many other things modern gardeners listen to podcasts and use their phones when they are outside tending to their plants. Inside your greenhouse, you can build a portable charging port, powered by solar panels. If you have already attached solar panels to your greenhouse for lighting or fans then you will be able to connect the charging port to the same panels. Shop around and try to find the highest quality panels you can so you can run multiple outlets through them.
Expanding System
Your greenhouse isn’t the only part of your home that can benefit from sustainable energy. More than ever people in the United States and Europe are struggling to power their homes due to rising energy and fuel costs. If you are somebody who’s struggling to keep up with your energy provider’s price rises then consider going solar. While solar energy can be expensive to set up once it has all been installed it is without a doubt the most affordable and sustainable form of energy there is. Solar energy can prevent you from ever having to pay another energy bill again.
Growing plants can be therapeutic and good for your mental health. You do not need a lot of room, you just need a greenhouse. Theoretically it is not even necessary to have good weather as you can use solar power to keep your greenhouse warm and bright.
