How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse - Agriculture - Nairaland
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| How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:31pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Hi All, I want to show you how I built my cheap greenhouses here in Nigeria. A Greenhouse (polyhouse or polytunnel or High/Low tunnel) is a Dome or Square shape structure where crops especially vegetables (Tomato, sweet pepper, strawberry, Broccoli, Cauliflower etc) are planted. In Tropical Countries like Nigeria, Greenhouses are usually covered with transparent or White polyethylene while sides are wrapped with Nets. They may also be equipped with drip irrigation or rain Guns. With Greenhouses, you can plant all year round under high intensive cultivation. I have read about Greenhouses having Tomato crops yielding 10-15kg per plant. I have also visited and/or worked on Greenhouses in Europe and Asia recording 11kg per Tomato plant. I have also seen Greenhouse Crops that were ravaged by Bacteria Wilt and Blight, in these cases, the Greenhouse owners recorded huge losses with little or no output. Now, I will tell you how I built my Greenhouses. Below are my details for questions/enquiries: Veggie Grow Limited Website: dripirrigation.veggiegrow.ng or https://veggiegrow.ng/greenhouse-farming-in-nigeria/ Email:innovationpro001@yahoo.com Email: sales@veggiegrow.ng 5 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:32pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
My first thought was to buy Greenhouses off shelf, so I contacted some companies in Nigeria and I realised that they charge as high as N1.1 million to install a small Greenhouse. I also noted that I will spend at least N400,000-500,000 more to get the Greenhouse installed. This means I will have to cough out N1.6 million for a Greenhouse. To be candid, N1.6 million is not too much, you can spend N10 million on the same size of Greenhouse depending on your requirements. However, I was determined, I wasn't going to pay N1.6 million for a Greenhouse. My budget was to build a Greenhouse for N500,000 3 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:33pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
I assembled a team of Welders, Plumbers, Carpenters and Tailors. I gave the Welder the Greenhouse designs I wanted, after several trial and errors, he got the shape and welded all the Iron Rods together. The Carpenter also managed to put up the wood/timber Greenhouse. I had earlier imported Drip irrigation kits and Rain Guns from India. I imported Hybrid seeds from Kenya and Isreal. The only seeds I imported from the US were Beefstake Tomato and Heat Tolerant Broccoli. The pictures of the Greenhouses will be attached shortly. 4 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:36pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
The pictures are attached 4 Likes
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| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:37pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
More pix 3 Likes
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| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:39pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
I will now talk about seeds. Seeds play a very important role in Greenhouse farming, your target market will also dictate the varieties of seeds you will buy. I favour Hybrid seeds to open pollinated seeds. Let's take Cucumber for example. Greenhouses are enclosed so Bees and other pollinating insects can't get in, with this how will you plant Cucumber in a Greenhouse since Cucumbers need Bees for pollination. You will need to plant only Parthenocarpic Cucumber variety, this variety does not need pollination, they also have bigger fruits and higher yields than other varieties, however the seeds are pretty expensive. You may plant Gynoecious and Monoecious varieties in your Greenhouse though but you will need to artificially pollinate them or get Bee Hives placed in your Greenhouses. There are also Greenhouse variety of Tomato. This variety is mostly indeterminate in nature and they can grow as tall as 10 feet when staked. You can harvest for 6-12 months. You need to be skilled in planting this type of Tomato before embarking on it. Its more difficult to plant than the normal Determinate type of Tomato grown in Nigeria. According to the producers of some Indeterminate Tomato, you can get up to 15kg yield from one indeterminate Tomato plant under Greenhouse conditions with sound agronomic practice. 7 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:39pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Back to the building of my greenhouse. After installation, I was confused on which irrigation method to use. Rain Gun or Drip Irrigation. After some days, I chose drip irrigation. I did not use the cheap thin drip irrigation kits as it does not last long and if you are unlucky to be in an area with medium to large Rodents, they may destroy it. The cheap ones also need a pressure reducing. equipment. The drip kits I used are relatively think with inline emitters and they don't need pressure reduction. To install my drip irrigation was not easy, I practically had to teach the Plumbers their job. Its not their fault anyway, they haven't seen this stuff before. I will tell you the miracle drip irrigation does later. I bought plastic covers for the Greenhouses severally as wind in my location continue to rip them off. The wind in my location 'na die', the wind has a whistle sound everyday, a big Mountain is nearby. At last, I got a fairly thick plastic cover, I used the transparent one not the white one since I was gonna plant crops that need intense sun. Most people even in Isreal are now encouraging the use of 100 percent nethouse because of wind and sun damaging the plastic cover. After I had relocated from the town I did the trial greenhouse set up, I came back several months later to see that wind again has ripped up the plastic cover, the side nets were intact. 5 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 12:40pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
I used an imported form of peat for my nursery. The peat is made from the bark of wood and its completely sterile. I recorded about 90 percent germination of some varieties of my seed which some people say is still poor laughter! Note, I used nursery trays from my seed germination. The artisans (Tailors, carpenter, plumber and Welder) etc are now my team members/staff as I prepare to install cheap greenhouses for Nigerians. 10 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by felixzo1(m): 1:32pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
this is nice, keep it up |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by omonnakoda: 1:39pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
How much did it cost and what is the size |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by Liferace: 1:55pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Very interesting...please,do you also plan to train on how to operate a green house. whats your experience with growing tomatoes in green house and have you started selling your produce yet?. 1 Like |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by chukyjones(m): 2:28pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
quite interesting.. following |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by Nobody: 3:09pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
chukyjones:  1 Like |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by hotmas911(m): 4:05pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
When I see things like this, I get bullish in my approach to agriculture. Its a new dawn! @ OP thanks for sharing with us. 2 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by Ufeolorun(m): 4:15pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
innovationafrik: From the bit I have learnt you need to do a drum test on the covering- they have to be firmly attached to the frames so much when you hit it, it should sound like hitting a drum. Hopefully it works out well and some of us can ask for your help at an appropriate pricing although I think I have built a enough knowledge and have access to the main equipment to do it myself , nothing beats experience . Impressive thread by the way and keep them coming 7 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by Pavore9: 4:17pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
@innovationafrik, well done bro. |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 5:22pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
@ Ufeolorun, thanks for your comments. My Materials Engineer friend also told me about the sound test, he advised we should add more iron rods. The wooden Greenhouse passed the drum sound test. |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 5:23pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
I can set up a cheap Greenhouse/Nethouse for people. The standard size for my Greenhouse/Nethouse is 8metres by 24 metres, the package will include: Drip irrigation kits Knapsack sprayer Hybrid seeds (Greenhouse varieties or otherwise agreed) Fertiliser (inorganic or organic) Nursery set Insects catcher Artificial Pollinator Thermometer and humidity tester Soil PH Meter Ropes Training on site The total cost for this size of Greenhouse/Nethouse will range from N350,000-N750,000 depending on your requirements. Smaller sizes can go for as low as N200,000. 6 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 5:24pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
The Greenhouses I set up were actually for demonstration and trial but when the yield was good, I decided to sell the produce. After the construction of the Greenhouses, I employed a Manager and few staff to run it after I had trained them. I had to return to my work and family in Lagos. Despite the good yield, my workers said they had problems of marketing, since I was not on ground, there was nothing I could do. A very important thing is that its always better to run your Greenhouses yourself or have a trusted and tested staff. You will have to take your produce to hotels, Eateries and markets around you. In my opinion, Tomato Greenhouses are the most fragile when it comes to disease management. Blight and Bacteria Wilt has rendered so many Tomato Greenhouses loss making businesses. The good thing is that there are ways to prevent these diseases. I also advise people to grow other crops like Sweet Pepper, Cucumber, Strawberry etc if they know how to market them. I will talk more about Greenhouse challenges later. 1 Like 1 Share |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 5:25pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Why do Greenhouse owners install huge gadgets to pump CO2 into their Greenhouses? When you increase the concentration of CO2 in your Greenhouse, your crop yield will increase tremendously. I will teach you how to increase the concentration of CO2 in your Greenhouse at little or no cost, no need for heavy gadgets. 4 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 5:25pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
What is this fantasy about drip irrigation? Drip irrigation allows you to send water to the roots of your plants with great precision. Plants make use of water more efficiently when they get it through their roots. Let's take this example. A man who is dehydrated and needs water urgently, which is more efficient, pouring water on his head or getting water into his veins? Veins of course, this also applies to plants and that's what drip irrigation does. With drip irrigation, you can reduce labour hours needed and cost of fertilisation. A turning of a tap can irrigate hectares of land all at once and you use 40-70 percent less water (ain't you saving the Earth). You can also mix your fertiliser and other nutrition in the tank and pass it to the roots of the plants through drip irrigation, you must be trained to do this in order not to kill your plants, its called Fertigation. With fertigation, you will use less fertilisers. Because drip irrigation does not splash water on the crops, you will greatly reduce Fungi infections and the Bees will not be disturbed. Do you have small or large plantation of Plantains, Banana, vegetables, Cocoa, Cashew etc, I can install drip irrigation for you at a very low cost, with fertigation you may get over 20 percent more yield. 3 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 5:26pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Please contact me through innovationpro001@yahoo.com 2 Likes
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| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by Lesgupnigeria(m): 6:56pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Nice work. Will be working with you soon. |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 10:03pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Thank u Legsupnigeria |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by cava: 6:41am On Jan 27, 2015 |
@ op this is really informative and an eye opener. thanks for sharing. sometimes what you are looking for might just be under your nose and your go too far to fetch.@ seun thanks for this forum. God bless nairaland 1 Like |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by senato123(m): 7:05am On Jan 27, 2015 |
Please confirm if ur material is galvanized,is d covering an ultra violent ray? How long can u guaranty it.becos if we want to circumvent cost we should also be mindful of quality. |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 10:30am On Jan 27, 2015 |
@senato123 This is why I have put a price range. The Iron rods/pipes you see on the pictures are galvanised. UV resistant plastic cover is an issue in Nigeria but if the pricing is good, I can get that from Asia into Nigeria within days. I have also seen a UV resistant cover that was totally destroyed within 14 months. A net house will save you a lot of money and the yield is almost the same with plastic polyhouses. You can grow cold climate vegetables like Brocoli, strawberry etc using 50 percent shade nets in Nigeria. 3 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by obstead200(m): 12:24pm On Jan 27, 2015 |
OP, nice post. some good piece of research too. I however have 2 comments; 1. would u mind telling us the location of ur demostration (trial) greenhouse so that we can come and check it out? 2. would u also mind informing us when u are about to harvest so that we can come and see the actual yield of ur greenhouse? you see my brother, talk is cheap, posting pictures is also cheap. we want to see the actual work and also the results, output and outcome of the actual work. Only then can u definitely count me in. money is not so easy to make this days. I personally cannot throw it into the bush just because someone showed me pictures or even showed me an actual greenhouse when i have not seen the yield. 5 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by AreaFada2: 12:38pm On Jan 27, 2015 |
ok nice |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by innovationafrik: 1:09pm On Jan 27, 2015 |
@ obstead200 If you read throught the comments you will see me complaining about produce marketing issue and bad members of staff. The Greenhouses shown were installed last year and several harvests were made. At the moment, they are not in production because of delegation issues and marketing palaver. I have decided to concentrate on building for others who have all the time to manage it themselves and do the marketing legwork. However, one of my team member is starting a cucumber farm and a Demo Greenhouse in Agbara shortly. We are also opening an outlet in Lagos where people can visit to buy drip irrigation, rain guns, peats, nuursery trays etc. You can visit the greenhouses you see in the pictures in Lotogbe Ondo Nigeria, just tell any okada man to take you to the canopy they plant stuffs. 1 Like |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by obstead200(m): 1:19pm On Jan 27, 2015 |
innovationafrik:please dont get me wrong. i am not demarketing u or ur products. I am only telling u to give us more confidence in ur business by showing us the actual crop yield from a greenhouse u built. because i am personally interested in agriculture and ur greenhouse write-up catches my interest as a possibly more feasible option for me to cultivate tomatoes, cucumber and water melon given land constraints. i am sure u will agree with me that the yield from ur proposed greenhouse is the bottom line in making decision. 5 Likes |
| Re: How To Set Up A Cheap Greenhouse by omonnakoda: 4:01pm On Jan 27, 2015 |
obstead200:I am afraid I agree with you. The advertising is not subtle at all and honestly a bit irritating. He is even offering a "Package" with Training. It is not clear what qualifies him to train anyone or who he has trained before. That is why white people always come and rip us off because we try to be too clever and nobody trusts anyone. He just interjected on the other thread and next thing we are hearing I sell this ,I sell that. What people want is expertise from a genuine practising farmer with a clear and VERIFIABLE TRACK RECORD. I have not seen any convincing reason why I should buy a tunnel through him whether on the basis of price,quality or testimonials from satisfied customers Is that how easy it is to get money?? If you want to chat chat otherwise spend money to do your advertising 5 Likes 1 Share |
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