Notes for 01/18/00

Nelson's book Greenhouse Operation and Management is placed on reserve in the library.

Hummert's Handy Helper: largest greenhouse supplier in the US

History of Greenhouses

 What is a greenhouse?

·        It is a structure covered with transparent material that utilizes solar radiant energy to grow plants.

·        A greenhouse has one purpose: to provide and maintain an environment that will result in optimum plant production under adverse climactic conditions for pleasure, profit, education and research.  (I might add my own particular interest: life support!)

I.                    5th century BC

·        Greek writers describe the Gardens of Adonis:

a.       Seeds, exotic plants, etc, were "placed in these gardens acquired in 8 days a development which cannot be obtained in as many months in the open"

II.                 1st century AD

·        Romans grew fruits and vegetables in simple structures similar to cold frames, and were covered with sheets of talc or mica

 

III.               Pit houses

·        Simple houses (A-frames) with walkways dug into the ground

a.       Humans could stand up

b.      Little plant exposure to the cold

·        Pompey had greenhouses with air heating systems!

IV.              Prior to the middle houses, pit houses were raised, mostly for human comfort.

V.                 Middle ages: greenhouses were virtually unknown. 

VI.              16th - 17th century (1500-1600): Renaissance

·        Age of great plant explorers

·        Great botanical gardens in Italy, England, Holland

·        Universities, botanical societies pushed research

·        Rich amateur botanists

a.       One-ups-man-ship thing

·        Invented Wardian Case (terrarium) for transporting tropical plants to harsher environments

·        Kew Gardens started.

VII.            End of the 19th century

·        Private expeditions to bring back more exotic plants

·        Botany becomes a legitimate science

·        Gardens now support science

a.       Plant growth

b.      Herbs

c.       Herbal medicines

·        Orangeries (greenhouses for oranges) become a fad in England

·        Interesting note: at this point people did not know that light was needed for plant growth!

(Slides)

·        Orangerie

o       Outside

o       inside

VIII.         Through Elizabethan Era

·        Few concepts of plant growth understood

·        Nobody knew the importance of light

·        Orangeries

a.       Little direct sunlight

b.      Sun was assumed to be needed for warmth only, not for light

IX.              End of 17th century

·        Stoves with chimneys in general use

a.       In England Stove = greenhouse!

·        John Evelyn

a.       17th century British writer

b.      coined the term greenhouse

c.       invented first hot air heating system for greenhouse

d.      included idea that air exchange is needed for good growth

1.      not generally accepted for another 100 years

2.      nobody knew about gas effects on plant growth

X.                 18th century (1700's): "Age of Reason"

·        light accepted as prime factor in healthy plant growth

·        almost all principles for greenhouse growth were invented during this century

·        Mostly Dutch inventions:

a.       Glass roofing

b.      Sloping glass walls

c.       Curtains or shutters for energy conservation

d.      Primative double glazing system

1.      glass on outside

2.      Oiled paper on inside

·        Mid 1700's: Philip Miller

a.       Head gardner at Chelsea Apothecaries ('Apothecaries' = pharmacy)

b.      He designed the first ground heating system for greenhouses

·        (slides of elaborate heating system)

·        1790

o       steam heating was invented

§         More efficient than coal or wood

§         Higher temperatures

§         Cleaner for the greenhouse environment

XI.              19th Century: refinement and improvement of 18th century ideas

·        Victorian Era: Great conservatories

a.       Experimentation with size and shape

b.      Melon houses

c.       Strawberry houses

d.      Peach houses

e.       More orangeries!

f.        Pine pit: pineapples

g.       Conservative wall: grapes

h.       Espaliered (really fancy pruning) fruit trees

i.         Frigidarium: cold house for alpines

j.        Caldarium - hot for tropicals

k.      Tepidarium - hot and dry for cacti

·        Because of all the work involved in greenhouses , lots of effort was put into making it efficient.

a.       1816: "automaton - gardener": the first thermostat

b.      mid 1800's: H2O circulates by convection

·        J. C. Louden: Horticultural engineer

a.       First ridge and furrow greenhouse

b.      Wrought iron replaced wood

No handouts for today!

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However if you want to use portions of it feel free to do so, though I would appreciate it if you would acknowledge my authorship.

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