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Tech-Driven Greenhouses: Increasing Yield and Efficiency With Managed IT

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Managed IT services have transformed countless industries, enabling them to thrive in the digital age. Even agriculture has seen remarkable advancements through the integration of smart farming solutions. Farms and greenhouses that embrace modern technologies are reaping substantial benefits, like increasing crop yields by 20-25% while boosting energy efficiency by 15-20%.

Today’s greenhouses thrive because advanced technology, precision data, and automated systems power them. However, managing such sophisticated setups can quickly become overwhelming without the right support. You need strong IT management to maintain smooth operations and reach the full potential of a tech-driven greenhouse.

In this blog, we’ll explore how Managed IT services help in that area. Through real life examples of tech-driven farms, we’ll know how having the right IT support can increase yield, efficiency, and profitability. 

The Role of Managed IT in The Rise of Smart Greenhouses

Traditional greenhouses are structured to create a controlled environment best suited for cultivating plants. They are designed to allow sunlight to enter because they rely on manual interventions to regulate temperature, humidity, and ventilation. Today, advanced technologies are integrated to agriculture. This has led to the rise of smart greenhouses. 


Compared to traditional greenhouses, an advanced agricultural facility uses technology to its advantage. The most common ones are:

  • IoT sensors: specialized electronic devices that detect and measure parameters in the environment, like temperature, humidity, light levels, and soil moisture
  • Automated Climate Control Systems: devices and mechanisms that adjust heating, cooling, ventilation, and shading based on sensor data to maintain optimal growing conditions.
  • Data Analytics Platforms: Analyze collected data for better insights

While these technologies significantly improve efficiency and crop yield, managing them requires specialized expertise and continuous oversight. When farms lack the necessary skills or manpower to handle these systems, they often outsource these responsibilities to a third-party provider known as a Managed Services Provider (MSP).

In this context, the role of managed IT is to effectively collect and analyze data by:

  • Ensuring data accuracy: MSPs are tasked with implementing and maintaining reliable data collection systems. They monitor these systems to make sure it capture precise environmental metrics.
  • Data storage and management: Since IoT sensors generate large volumes of data, MSPs can help in providing a secure and scalable storage.
  • Advanced analytics: Managed IT Providers can also assist in integrating algorithms and machine learning techniques to help you interpret your data. They can help provide a way to ensure that patterns are identified and that data helps your overall decision-making. 
By partnering with a managed IT provider, greenhouses can focus on what they do best which is growing their yields. Working with an MSPs allows you to manage your farm wiithout the stress of managing complex automation, technology, and IT.


Why Does This Matter to You?

If you're having trouble with technology in your greenhouse, incorporating Managed IT services into your business can provide many advantages that have a direct effect on your productivity and profitability.

With Managed IT services, you can:

  1. Seamless Technology Integration
    With the presence of multiple technologies, working with a Managed IT service provider ensures that these are properly integrated and work harmoniously. You no longer have to worry about managing multiple things at once because they provide centralized monitoring and control. This allows you to manage all technology from a single interface.
  2. Real-time monitoring and automation
    Smart greenhouses depend on real-time data to adjust temperature, humidity, light levels, and irrigation automatically. Working with an MSP makes these necessary greenhouse functions automated. Through automation, you are maintaining constant conditions and eliminating manual intervention which translates to a lower risk of human error. Managed IT is responsible for monitoring these systems to provide uninterrupted functionality and avoid failures.
  3. Data Collection and Analysis
    Managing a greenhouse with limited resources means making sure that decisions are not made carelessly. The best way to do this is to make data-driven decisions especially on crop care, resource management, and operational efficiency. Working with a Managed IT Service Provider allows you to have access to accurate and reliable data collection. They make sure that IoT devices and sensors only get accurate data and monitor the environment precisely.
  4. Resource Optimization
    Smart greenhouses use technology to make the most of resources like water and energy. Managed IT helps by using data and automation to control how these resources are used. This means lower costs and less waste, making the greenhouse more sustainable.
  5. Cybersecurity and Data Protection
    Greenhouses today depend more and more on digital systems, making data security a top priority. Managed IT services put strong security measures in place to protect important information from cyberattacks and unauthorized access. They also keep systems up to date with the latest security patches, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities.
  6. Proactive Maintenance and Support
    Managed IT services keep an eye on your greenhouse systems around the clock. They make sure to spot potential problems before they even become big issues. By being proactive, managed IT services reduces your system’s downtime and ensures that it runs smoothly all the time.
  7. Scalability and Future-Proofing
    Through time, new technologies get developed, and your farm grows as well. Having the support of a managed IT service provider allows you to always be updated on these developments. Even if you’re not an expert yourself, MSPs make it easy to add new tools and keep everything running smoothly. This assures that your greenhouse stays up-to-date and competitive in modern agriculture.

Real-Life Examples and Case Studies

Have you ever seen a greenhouse that adjusts itself? Even without human intervention, it is capable of adjusting the temperature, watering crops, and analyzing data. This is how some modern greenhouses operate. To get a better glimpse of how this happened, here are some real-life success stories of tech-driven greenhouses:

  • Great Lakes Greenhouse Inc. (GLG) and Koidra
    As a prominent greenhouse operator in Canada, Great Lakes Greenhouse Inc. (GLG) faced a challenge in scaling its operations. They needed to increase their production by 50% within five years. GLG knew they had to use different technologies and sensors, but they struggled with integration.

    As a solution, they worked with Koidra to implement autonomous greenhouse management solutions. Through the help of Koidra's KoPilot system, GLG achieved a 28.5% increase in organic eggplant yield and a 19.6% increase in hydroponic cucumber yield. On top of that, their energy efficiency was optimized by 17%, showcasing the impact of integrating advanced IT services into greenhouse management.

  • Nature Fresh Farms and Dell Technologies
    Nature Fresh Farms is one of Canada’s largest independent greenhouse produce growers. They faced challenges with managing large amounts of data from sensors and video feeds in their greenhouses. To modernize its operations, it partnered with Dell Technologies and introduced advanced technology like AI, robotics, and automation, which significantly improved crop yields and product quality.

    With Dell’s PowerScale and VxRail systems, they monitored sensors and video feeds in real-time to control lighting, irrigation, and nutrients. This helped manage pests and diseases better, resulting in healthier crops and higher output.

Partner with ACS for Reliable Managed IT Services

Tech-driven greenhouses are the future of modern agriculture. By integrating advanced systems like automation, real-time monitoring, and data-driven decision-making, you can significantly increase yield and operational efficiency. However, managing these complex technologies can be daunting, especially without the right support.

Applied Computer Solutions (ACS) can help by providing comprehensive IT solutions tailored to greenhouse operations. We can help you with automation support, real-time data analysis, and cybersecurity. Our expertise in this field can ensure your greenhouse systems are always optimized, secure, and running smoothly. With ACS as your technology partner, you can focus on maximizing production while we handle the IT challenges.

Ready to take your greenhouse to the next level? Contact us today to start!