Protected Cultivation
High Tunnel vs Greenhouse Environment
High tunnels and actively controlled greenhouses both modify the crop environment, but their ventilation, heating, humidity control, automation, and pest dynamics can differ substantially.
Key concepts
- High tunnels often depend heavily on passive ventilation
- Rain exclusion changes leaf wetness and irrigation dependence
- Protected environments can favor pest complexes that differ from open-field production
- Management decisions must match the actual level of environmental control
What to measure or observe
- Document which controls are active versus passive
- Track inside/outside temperature and RH
- Record vent-opening patterns and rain exclusion
- Compare pest pressure with nearby outdoor crops where relevant
Common mistakes
- Applying greenhouse assumptions to a minimally controlled tunnel
- Assuming rain exclusion eliminates disease
- Ignoring rapid daytime overheating
- Treating a protected structure as pest-proof
Visuals this lesson still needs
- High tunnel versus greenhouse comparison
- Passive versus active ventilation diagram
- Rain-exclusion water balance
- Protected-environment pest pathway map