Eat your veggies

Alberta’s greenhouse industry makes it easy to get your recommended 5 – 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

During January, planting season for greenhouse crops, Ron Prins, owner of TR Greenhouses, is run off his feet. While trying to get seedlings placed into the sawdust growing medium for his 2.5 acre English cucumber crop, Prins knows he has things well in hand, thanks partly to technology.

“We’re try to duplicate nature while looking after fragile plants,” he says. “The conditions have to be perfect. So we use computers to control the temperatures, irrigation, carbon dioxide and humidity.”

Alberta has many of the right environmental conditions to help greenhouse growing. According to Prins, sunlight levels and low humidity in our province are a bonus. Add the fact that his greenhouses recycle water, use clean-burning natural gas for heating and use up carbon dioxide in the air (good for plants), and it’s clear local greenhouses are doing a lot more for the province than just producing nature’s bounty.

“Our products have been well received by consumers, and that’s been positive for the industry,” Prins states.

Inspired by the competition

Over the 15 years he’s been growing long English cucumbers, Prins has seen big changes in the technology of greenhouse crop production. Much of the inspiration, he says, comes from global competitors.

“Some of the best greenhouse technology has come out of Holland and we’ve fashioned some of our growing processes after Dutch methods,” he says. “They do considerable research in varieties, media to grow in and especially, equipment. Their technology has certainly influenced the way we grow our crops, as well as the greenhouse structures and equipment we use.”

Plants that receive a higher level of CO2 than the average amount will grow better produce, faster. In Prins’ operation, they use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also harness CO2 emitted from the boilers that heat the greenhouse to enhance the CO2 in the greenhouse.

High-value foods in demand

“Consumers recognize the quality and value in greenhouse products,“ says Peter Dzikowski, research manager with the Alberta Agricultural Research Institute.

“How many of us appreciate a nice slice of cucumber or a fresh red pepper in our salad in the middle of winter?” he asks. “Chances are, an Alberta greenhouse producer grew the food you’re enjoying.”

Dzikowski notes there are three areas of greenhouse production: vegetables, bedding plants and flowers.

According to the Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association, the industry generates $95 million each year. The percentage of growing vegetables to bedding and horticultural plants is about 60/40. Each aspect of greenhouse production, in Prins’ view, has potential for growth.

Says Prins: “The appealing thing about greenhouse produce is that it’s fresh, clean produce that’s handled responsibly. Although technology helps the natural biological process, it doesn’t take away from the health and nutritional content of the food.”