The Definition of a Hothouse
- A hothouse is a building used for the purpose of growing plants that can't tolerate the effects of cold temperatures or variable climates. Often called hot greenhouses,hothouses are different from greenhouses regarding temperature. While greenhouses can be either cold or hot, hothouses are always warm.
- A hothouse is designed to maintain a constant temperature that's around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This higher and more stable temperature is suitable for cultivating exotic and tropical plants such as peaches, melons and even orchids.
- Hothouses are made out of a cheap yet tough material known as polycarbonate. Previously they were made from glass. Hothouses work by artificial heating so the temperature is controlled, creating optimal conditions for growing plants. The polycarbonate material or glass keeps heat in the hothouse by trapping the shortwave solar energy. As the plants absorb the heat, they're able to grow.
- Irrigation systems placed in hothouses enable plants to be properly watered. Hydroponic growing is used in some hothouses which use minimal water for producing a consistent and plentiful harvest. The plants in a hothouse are protected from evaporation of water due to wind, in addition to other external weather conditions.
- Hothouses can suffer from various insect infestations. For example, plant lice (aphids) can be housed in the walls of hothouses, as well as in the trellises fastening up vines and various wall fruit trees, mostly during winter months. To destroy these pests, wash the walls using common soapsuds in early spring. Once soap suds have been applied the walls will have a pale red color, indicating the insects are successfully destroyed.
