Polyhouse is a variant of the greenhouse farming method which involves the use of specialized polythene sheet as a protective covering material under which the crops can be grown in controlled climatic conditions.
Customarily, the greenhouses were mounted on wooden frames with glass slates used as a cladding material. However, the advancement of plastic technology led to it being a suitable replacement for glass. Modern-day polyhouses are built with steel frames affixed onto aluminium grippers and covered with plastic film. The plastic film used for covering possesses high-quality properties such as 200 microns thickness with about three years guarantee against degradation due to UV and weather. For irrigating purposes, a drip irrigation system is installed inside a polyhouse.
Polyhouses are convenient in both tropical and subtropical regions. The types of poly houses include the following; saw tooth polyhouse, maxi-vent polyhouse, fan and pad polyhouse, poly-tunnel. These types support plants and crops such as roses, carnations, orchids, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and, ornamental indoor plants.
In constructing a polyhouse, a minimum of 1000 sq. mt. of farm size is advised to be used for farmers intending to use the crops for commercial purposes. This is being complemented with a continuous source of quality water as it is essential to crop growth in those conditions. The site for the polyhouse should also be higher than the surrounding land while also being as pollution-free as possible. Finally, it will be highly recommended for the site to be in an area with good linking roads to allow for the easy transport of polyhouse produce to nearby markets.
A farmer who uses polyhouse stands to reap several benefits including the following; protection of crops from wind, rain, radiation, precipitation and other climatic factors; increase of production to maximum level due to higher concentration of carbon dioxide; growing of crops which are otherwise impossible in a particular climate; and the reaping of maximum profit in a minimum area. Despite these overwhelming benefits, constructing a polyhouse can be quite expensive and requires regular maintenance. Its delicate nature raises the need for technical or skilled labour in the daily running of the structure. Lastly, its enclosed nature tends to make farmers too dependent on fertilizers and pesticides.
A thorough technical knowledge, financial analysis, and marketing survey should therefore be done before going ahead with the project.
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