Spring will be here before you know it, which means people will soon be ready to plant their gardens and update their landscapes. For greenhouses, getting ready for this busy season is crucial, but it can also be time-consuming and labor-intensive work—especially if you don’t have a game plan.
Here are a few tips that will help you prepare your greenhouse for a successful busy season while maximizing speed and efficiency.
Use a Conveyor System
A greenhouse conveyor system can significantly reduce the amount of time and manual labor required to prepare your greenhouse. Just think about how long it takes to carry each bag of dirt or each potted plant to its designated spot. A greenhouse conveyor would dramatically reduce the time and physical strain required because it transports these materials for you.
For instance, the Rapid-Veyor is a portable, modular conveyor system that can be customized to fit the speed and length that you need. It’s perfect for loading or unloading materials from a truck or for transporting materials throughout the greenhouse. It can also be customized to bend around corners or over inclines. And because Rapid-Veyor has an aluminum frame, it is durable while also being lightweight for easy setup, teardown, and storage.
Importantly, a conveyor system like the Rapid-Veyor can reduce injury and human error because workers have less direct contact with the materials and don’t have to carry heavy bags of soil or mulch.
Integrate Technology for Scheduling and Inventory Management
Computer software can be extremely beneficial in promoting effective greenhouse management. A variety of software options exist to help you manage production, scheduling, inventory, and sales.
Some software systems allow you to enter information about a particular crop and the desired shipping date, and the software will then create a schedule for each step of the production process. This ensures the product is ready on time. It also allows you to manage orders and keep track of inventory.
Stock Up on Greenhouse Supplies
As the busy season approaches, you can reduce stress and potential delays by having enough production and shipping supplies on hand. This is an easy thing to overlook in the daily routine of caring for the plants, communicating with customers, and organizing and tracking orders.
Before you know it, you’re out of materials you need for packaging and shipping. Even more problematic is the reality that many suppliers begin to run out of important packaging materials as the season progresses.
Perform Routine Maintenance
It’s almost a guarantee that your most important equipment will break down at the worst possible moment, which is why it’s important to complete inspections and perform necessary repairs before problems arise. This includes damage to the facility itself, such as broken glass or cracks in the greenhouse structure. It also includes necessary maintenance and repairs to hoses, pumps, lights, vents, shading materials, and any other vital equipment.
Train New Staff
Having a trained, knowledgeable staff can be the difference between a greenhouse that runs smoothly and one that doesn’t. Give yourself plenty of time before the busy season emerges to hire and train new employees. Be sure to communicate clearly about daily responsibilities and processes and give new hires time to get into the routine. It might also be helpful to give them an overview of other important roles, in case they need to fill in for someone else.
With current labor shortages, many greenhouses are struggling to find and train the right amount of staff. If that sounds familiar, check out this helpful article on 4 Strategies to Overcome Greenhouse Labor Challenges.
Clean, Clean, Clean
Cleaning is never fun, but it’s an important step in getting your greenhouse organized, reducing waste, and protecting your plants from lingering diseases. Cleaning tasks would include washing and organizing any pots or plastic containers that you plan to reuse, sweeping away cobwebs and excess mulch and dirt, eliminating standing piles of clutter that need to be thrown out or put away, and cleaning window panes and gutters. Using a mild disinfectant to clean surfaces will help wash away bacteria or diseases that could damage your plants.
Always be Prepared with the Rapid-Veyor
Whether it’s transporting materials around the warehouse or the greenhouse, Rapid-Veyor is the assistant that you need. With a variety of product options as well as available financing, Rapid-Veyor has the solution for your production and transportation needs. Contact us today for more information and to get a quote for your portable conveyor.
The material and information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making business, legal or other decisions.
