January 2025 - 46

SGAFT
fabric rode and sat during the night.
The edge of the curtain routinely
slipped or fell off the apron due to
insufficient overlap, allowing cold
ceiling air to drop into the heated
space below. As stated above and
on cue: poly to the rescue. A wider
apron was cut from a 6 mil sheet of
poly and mounted 6 inches higher,
which created the base needed
for the curtain to slide across and
remain atop while closed.
Another challenge was that the
loose sheet of poly insulation draped
along the sidewall wasn't sealed
along the ground, allowing cold air
from the isolated area above the
curtain and outside the sidewall
drape to tumble down and infiltrate
the heated greenhouse space along
the ground. Again, as my first
experience with an energy curtain
unfolded, it became clear how all
the pieces needed to fit together
to achieve maximum energy
use efficiency.
TWIN WALL'S EVEN BETTER
So, being a poly guy for most
of my career finally took a back
seat to a better alternative for
insulating the sidewalls. This time it
was twin wall polycarbonate. I had
become comfortable installing it
on this house's end walls, and that
experience allowed me to visualize
using it to upgrade interior insulation
of the sidewalls. Figure 2 shows
the finished project with the energy
curtain closed.
In the picture, from top to bottom,
is the energy curtain closed and
sitting on top of the poly apron. Next,
the poly apron is secured behind
the upper rail of the polycarbonate
insulation, forming a tight seal. At the
bottom, the polycarb is buried in the
crushed stone gutter to prevent cold
air from entering the heated space
along the floor.
Voila! Challenges solved: cold
ceiling air completely separated
from heated air and roll up
sidewalls insulated to the max. An
integrated, sealed envelope of cold
air completely separated from the
heated space inside. And holding my
hand an inch away from the sidewall
now felt toasty instead of cold.
CONCLUSION
As suggested in the opening
statement, sidewall management is
not a passive task once a greenhouse
is operational. The integration of
this house's sidewalls with the rest
of the house to maximize energy use
efficiency was a process of growing
into the structure, trying different
things and leveraging experience.
Shoulder season ventilation in
March-April and September-October
is accomplished by removing (spring)
and installing (fall) one or more
polycarbonate panels. Details of
the installation process and costs
continue at sgaft.com.
Figure 2.
Peter Konjoian is president of Konjoian's
Horticulture Education Services Inc.
His career spans four decades as a
commercial grower, researcher and
consultant.
SGAFT was
created to serve
the unique
needs of small
greenhouse and
farm operations.
Konjoian can
be reached at
peterkfes@
comcast.net.
46 JANUARY 2025 GPNMAG.COM

http://www.sgaft.com http://www.GPNMAG.COM

January 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2025

Table of Contents
Editor's Report
Intern of the Year | Theodore Salgado
Technology | When are the robots coming?
Labor | Must-have heat safety measures
Trends | A rosy outlook for foliage
CEA | USDA grants for energy efficiency in your greenhouse
Management | Bring on the dragons
Big Grower | Walters Gardens
SGAFT | Sidewall winterization for small greenhouses
Culture Report | Poinsettia 'Red Ribbons'
Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Irrigation at a large container farm
AmericanHort | Top 10 ways you can thrive in 2025
Product Marketplace
Industry News
Events
Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2025 - 1
January 2025 - 2
January 2025 - Table of Contents
January 2025 - Editor's Report
January 2025 - 5
January 2025 - Intern of the Year | Theodore Salgado
January 2025 - 7
January 2025 - 8
January 2025 - 9
January 2025 - 10
January 2025 - 11
January 2025 - 12
January 2025 - 13
January 2025 - Technology | When are the robots coming?
January 2025 - 15
January 2025 - Labor | Must-have heat safety measures
January 2025 - 17
January 2025 - 18
January 2025 - 19
January 2025 - Trends | A rosy outlook for foliage
January 2025 - 21
January 2025 - 22
January 2025 - 23
January 2025 - 24
January 2025 - 25
January 2025 - 26
January 2025 - 27
January 2025 - CEA | USDA grants for energy efficiency in your greenhouse
January 2025 - 29
January 2025 - 30
January 2025 - 31
January 2025 - Management | Bring on the dragons
January 2025 - 33
January 2025 - 34
January 2025 - 35
January 2025 - Big Grower | Walters Gardens
January 2025 - 37
January 2025 - 38
January 2025 - 39
January 2025 - 40
January 2025 - 41
January 2025 - SGAFT | Sidewall winterization for small greenhouses
January 2025 - 43
January 2025 - 44
January 2025 - 45
January 2025 - 46
January 2025 - 47
January 2025 - Culture Report | Poinsettia 'Red Ribbons'
January 2025 - 49
January 2025 - 50
January 2025 - 51
January 2025 - 52
January 2025 - 53
January 2025 - Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Irrigation at a large container farm
January 2025 - 55
January 2025 - AmericanHort | Top 10 ways you can thrive in 2025
January 2025 - 57
January 2025 - Product Marketplace
January 2025 - 59
January 2025 - 60
January 2025 - 61
January 2025 - 62
January 2025 - 63
January 2025 - Industry News
January 2025 - Events
January 2025 - Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2025 - 67
January 2025 - 68
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