How Warming UK Weather Affects Crops in Polytunnels

 


Commercial and domestic polytunnels provide a robust protective environment and an ideal growing space, but can pose unique risks when UK temperatures rise, due to poor management. The UK is experiencing warmer weather due to global warming, with heatwaves becoming more prevalent and severe. Current and future weather trends pose real challenges for agriculture and horticulture operators, but particularly for crops or plants grown in controlled and covered domestic and commercial polytunnels.

 

Poorly Vented Domestic and Commercial Polytunnels

Polytunnel coverings trap heat and humidity inside a protected space, creating a warm microclimate that supports and induces crop growth. Crops and plants can then be sown or potted.

During extreme or excessive heat, the inside temperature in small domestic polytunnels and much larger commercial structures can rise to harmful levels.  Heat buildup can cause stress to crops and plants, due to poor or inadequate ventilation and temperature control, stunting natural photosynthesis, stunted growth, and hindering fruit and bud production. Scorching and heat stress can lead to or cause poor development and crop exhaustion. The hot soil can dry out quickly, aiding water deprivation, heat stress, and nutrient imbalances, which can lead to failure.

 

Many crops and plants require controlled warmth and consistent temperatures, somewhere near 35 degrees. Pollination is also hindered, as pollinators become less active and with less pollen being produced, species and good harvesting viability decrease. This is a concern for domestic polytunnels and their users as well as commercial operations.

 

How Domestic and Commercial Polytunnels Help Protect Food Production

Despite these risks, small domestic polytunnels remain a valuable sheltered housing for UK growers. When purchasing professional small polytunnel kits, ensure they have good ventilation points, based on the size, and an access door shielding crops from sun, wind, rain, persistent pests, and diseases, offering more reliable yields. In a changing climate, where outdoor growing is increasingly unpredictable, operators of commercial polytunnels implement a high degree of temperature and watering control with automated systems in place that are not always required on small domestic polytunnels.

Although at certain times of the year, excessive rainfall and cooler temperatures limit crop variety and timing. By creating a more stable and suitable environment, domestic and commercial polytunnels can support local and industrial food production.

 

Heat Build-Up

Maintain optimal inside commercial and domestic polytunnels.

1. Good levels of ventilation and watering.

2. Shade cover nets tied to the inside or painting the cover with reflective paints.

3. Drip-fed and watering systems help attain correct moisture with soil monitoring. Spray and misting systems cool the air temperature, which helps raise the humidity and reduce plant stress.

4. Thermal screens contain heat loss better against a drop in nighttime temperatures and are adjusted during the day to control sunlight exposure.

5. Introduce crop varieties that better tolerate hot conditions and regulate planting schedules to suit harvesting times

6. Guttering for water collection and using storage tanks for automated watering times.

 

Conclusion

As the UK continues to become increasingly warmer with higher heatwaves, both domestic and commercial polytunnels will continue to play a vital part in protecting food production. Regular awareness checks, good management intervention and implementation can alleviate excess heat inside these structures, which is essential to ensure crops thrive rather than suffering from heat stress. 




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