Challenged by insects, rain, extreme heat and wind?
- Cravo News
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
New lower cost solutions for vegetable and berry growers helps you manage all this... and more!
Solution: Flat Roof + Auto-Dry™
This new low-cost solution combines our time tested retractable Flat Roof house with our Auto-Dry™ motorized rain shelter system. The Flat Roof + Auto-Dry™ systems each operate independently allowing for maximum control and flexibility. They are designed to cover large fields of crops without compromising cooling and ventilation that is typical in tunnels or multi span greenhouses.
The "Flat Roof" provides insect protection or maximum cooling depending on the crop
The Flat Roof house model is now over 40 years old and has withstood extreme wind and hail storms using water porous roof coverings that typically last 8-12 years. The roof is 6m or almost 20ft above the ground making it ideal for hot desert or tropical climates. When producing crops like berries that need to be protected from the strong sun radiation, white cooling roofs can be used and when producing crops like tomatoes, the flat roof covering can be insect net.
Retractable insect net allows growers to extend the harvest into the cooler fall and early winter conditions when light and heat levels are reduced.
Auto-Dry™ motorized rain shelter provides protection from rain, dew and cold
The Auto-Dry™ rain shelter system helps maintain yield and quality during the rain periods but also can maintain warmer temperatures and minimize dew in the winter helping to increase production and reduce disease pressure. The Auto-Dry™ system is located under the Flat Roof so that holds the heat closer to the crops at night and directs rainfall closer to the ground. The roof can also be closed partway under the insect net to provide for additional blocking of the sun radiation during the hot afternoon periods for sensitive crops like capsicum and cucumbers. Since the Auto-Dry™ rain shelter covering is less wind resistant than the Flat Roof coverings, the Flat Roof can be closed in high winds to protect the Auto-Dry™ coverings.
Strategies to maximize the yield and length of the harvest season
when growing vegetables using Flat Roof + Auto Dry
Managing heat, rain and insects is the most difficult combination of challenges
Net houses do not protect crops from rain, dew, frost or excessive heat and are susceptible to damage from strong winds. | Poly houses protect crops from rain but increase the challenges with summer heat and humidity. EC and nematodes build up in the soil causing growers to have to switch to more expensive hydroponic systems. |
With Flat Roof + Auto-Dry™, retracting both roofs make it is easy to solarize the soil and utilize the rain to naturally reduce EC levels in the soil which can allow growers to lower their cost of production by avoiding the necessity to grow hydroponically.
Protect your investment against hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones
Flat Roof + Auto-Dry™ is also ideal if the location is susceptible to hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons since hectares of roofs can be retracted in minutes to protect the structure and coverings from damage.
Lower your investment while increasing your
extreme weather protection and climate optimization
Prices for materials for the complete structure, with the motorized Flat Roof system and the Auto-Dry™ motorized rain shelter system start at US $200,000 per hectare for 5 hectares and $260,000/ hectare for one hectare.
For more information... see us at the trade shows listed below or visit www.cravo.com
• • • Trade Shows • • •
Greentech Americas, Querétaro, Mexico, March 25-27