New Gutter-Connect Greenhouse to Cultivate 1 Million Additional Plugs

Cultivating genetically superior seedlings takes close care and consideration throughout every step of the growing cycle. From extensive germ testing to ensure the best seeds are used, to exclusively planting seedlings in Jiffy Plugs to provide 360 degrees of air root pruning, to integrating the latest technology and growing methodologies, everything that we do is to ensure that you’ll receive the highest quality product available to grow your business faster. But did you know that the type of greenhouse that seedlings are grown in also affects their quality?

To continue growing genetically superior seedlings, we’re excited to announce that we will be installing a new gutter-connect greenhouse. This greenhouse will give us around 21,000 square feet of increased growing space to cultivate an additional 1 million seedling plugs.

So, what’s so special about growing seedling plugs in this new gutter-connect greenhouse, you ask? Let us explain.

3 Ways the New Gutter-Connect Greenhouse Makes a Difference

1. New Horticulture-Focused LED Lights

In this new greenhouse, we will be installing horticulture focused LED lighting. Like traditional lighting, we will be able to extend the photoperiod to our standard 19 hours, in addition to supplementing energy at crop level. In theory, we should be able to deliver over 100 μmol at crop level. Doing so provides the seedling with optimal energy to push biomass growth rather than relying on the inconsistency of the weather patterns.

2. Better for Dormancy

Another key benefit of the new gutter-connect greenhouse design is roof ventilation. This will allow us to vent heat to create an environment suitable for hardening off the seedlings for dormancy, without subjecting the tender plants to heavy snow load as we have experienced with our Cravo style greenhouse.

3. Designed for Expansion

One of our favorite benefits of the design is the modular focus. To keep up with the staggering increase in demand year over year, the gutter-connect greenhouse is designed to be easily expanded both to the north and the west of our initial construction. This expansion can be done a single bay at a time. Ultimately, this allows us to increase our sowing capability in small increments as necessary without having to absorb a huge capital expenditure, such as with the initial construction.

Gutter-Connect Greenhouse Timeline

Construction on the greenhouse started in November of 2020, with anchors being driven and squared and the concrete pad for the headhouse poured. Phase 2 of construction will take place in February 2021. Barring any significant setbacks, our new greenhouse will be operational in March of 2021.

To learn more about Vans Pines Nursery’s genetically superior seedlings and how you can grow your business faster, click here.