Greenhouses

The department is equipped with two single-span greenhouses, conveniently situated on the rooftop of the building. Each of the greenhouses has a floor area of 182 m2, which utilise natural ventilation accomplished by one inlet vent and two outlet vents. This creates sufficient air velocities (0.3 – 0.7 m s-1) for plant growth studies in a controlled environment. One of the greenhouses has a section with five compartments that have a strict mechanical ventilation system for the control of indoor microclimates to provide near-perfect temperature regulation for growth trials. The other section of this greenhouse is used to display nursery plant collections used for student practical demonstrations. The second greenhouse is divided into two larger areas and houses a specialised hydroponic system. The facility is mainly used for teaching and research purposes as well as exhibitions to visiting school groups over the vacation periods.

Contact person: Mr Thinus Fourie