Greenhouse project consulting, engineering and supply coordination worldwide
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Crop Solutions
Greenhouse design should start with the crop. Gutter height, growing system, climate capacity, irrigation strategy and labour model all follow from what you intend to grow and which market window you are targeting.
Overview
Each guide covers growing requirements, recommended systems, climate management and expected commercial benefits.
Tomato
Tomato is the most widely grown protected crop in the world and the benchmark for greenhouse investment returns. A greenhouse for tomato must deliver high light, generous internal height, precise humidity control and a substrate system that supports a nine to eleven month high-wire cycle.
Strawberry
Protected strawberry production has moved decisively to elevated gutter systems under glass and film. A strawberry greenhouse extends the season, protects fruit quality and cuts harvest labour cost per kilogram — the three variables that decide profitability in soft fruit.
Blueberry
Blueberry has become a high-value protected crop because early and late fruit commands premium pricing. A blueberry greenhouse is fundamentally an acidic-substrate irrigation project: water chemistry, pot volume and pH control matter more than structural sophistication.
Lettuce & Leafy Greens
Lettuce and leafy greens are the fastest-cycling greenhouse crops, which makes them the most sensitive to throughput and labour efficiency. A lettuce greenhouse succeeds on cycle discipline, uniform light and reliable root zone temperature rather than on maximum technology.
01
| Crop | Gutter height | Typical system | Annual yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | 6 – 8 m | High-wire substrate gutters | 40 – 100+ kg/m² |
| Strawberry | 4 – 6 m | Elevated coco gutters | 6 – 12 kg/m² |
| Blueberry | 4 – 6 m | Acidic substrate pots | 2 – 5 kg/m² |
| Lettuce | 3.5 – 5 m | NFT channels or DWC | 40 – 80 kg/m² |
02
A 4 metre gutter height cannot support high-wire tomato, and an 8 metre glasshouse is wasted capital for lettuce.
Lettuce needs heat avoidance, tomato needs humidity steering, berries need cool nights. Each drives different equipment.
Blueberry needs acid dosing, leafy greens need root zone cooling, vine crops need drain-based steering.
Picking height, row spacing, trolley access and packhouse flow determine operating cost per kilogram.
FAQ
Direct answers to the questions investors and growers ask most often.
Profitability depends on local market prices, energy cost and labour rates more than on the crop itself. Tomato offers the highest yield per square metre and reliable contract demand, berries offer the highest price per kilogram in shoulder seasons, and leafy greens offer the fastest capital turnover with the shortest cycles.
It is possible but rarely optimal. Different crops need different gutter heights, growing systems and climate strategies. Where a mixed programme is required, we recommend separate compartments with independent climate control rather than compromising a single block.
We work backwards from the market: available sales channels and price levels, local climate and energy cost, water quality, labour availability and the capital ceiling. The crop is chosen where these intersect most favourably, then the greenhouse is engineered for it.
Continue
Explore the connected technical and commercial topics for this project stage.
Send your location, target crop and planned growing area. You will receive a technical response with a suitable greenhouse configuration and an indicative budget range.
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