A day in our Ville Saint-Laurent greenhouse from sunrise to sunset.

The days are getting longer, the sun is shining brighter, and our greenhouse vegetables are basking in its natural light. With summer right around the corner, there’s no better time to bring you through a typical day on our Ville Saint-Laurent rooftop. 

5:30 am. Our production manager Mahmoud starts each day by checking the weather. Given Montreal’s unpredictability, it’s crucial to adjust the greenhouse controls daily to create the most ideal conditions for our plants. On a sunny spring day, the HPS lights will stay off, while the curtains open gradually to let in natural sunlight. Additionally, to keep good airflow and make sure the temperature stays the same throughout the site, the fans run day and night.

6:00 am. The team arrives bright and early to wake up the plants. To keep pests at bay, everyone goes through a thorough process before entering the greenhouse - washing their hands, putting on gloves, and stepping in a soapy foot bath to clean their boots to keep everything squeaky clean. Once disinfected, they check the board to see which task they’ve been assigned for the day.

7:00 am. The curtains open gradually over an hour to mimic the sunrise and manage heat levels. Waking up to a burst of light is no fun for anyone, including the plants - in fact they’re at their best when woken up slowly and naturally. At the same time, Mahmoud conducts the first water and nutrient checks of the day, adjusting the irrigation systems based on the plants’ overnight feedback - aka how much they drank and absorbed nutrients. 

8:00 am. From lowering to harvesting, pruning, and clipping, the greenhouse is a hive of activity. Now basking in natural light, our team joins the busy bumblebees in the rows of vining crops. One group lowers the trellis to keep the plants at arm’s length for harvesters, who are readying their cart with crates and bags before picking the ripe vegetables, portioning as they go. On the other end of the greenhouse, team members are doubling up - pruning leaves that are crowding the veg to encourage growth while clipping the new growth along the trellis to hold the vines up straight.

10:00 am. Our rooftop crops receive their mid-day check in. Mahmoud opens one of the plant root bags not only to run another round of tests, but to get a feel for the humidity of the roots. With his years of experience, he can tell if something’s off based on touch alone.

2:00 pm. The workers put down their tools for the day and send off their harvests. Since the portioning is already done, all that’s left to do is stack the crates and bring them down to our distribution centre where they’ll be properly stored until packing starts the next morning. 

3:00 pm. As the day winds down and the team gets ready to leave. Mahmoud conducts the last tests, fine-tuning the conditions for the final round of irrigation. Meanwhile, workers clean and store their carts, disinfect their tools, and wish the vegetables a good night. But not everyone heads home…our greenhouse’s dedicated bumblebees and biocontrols continue their work through the night, protecting the health of our plants.

8:00 pm. From home, Mahmoud can adjust the greenhouse controls to match the next day’s forecast. With ARGUS, our built-in control and automation system, Mahmoud can tend to the rooftop from anywhere. Even on weekends when the weather makes its quick switches from a sunny day to a rainstorm (typical Montreal), he can hop online to save the day - like a true guardian of the greenhouse. 

As the seasons change, we must be extra vigilant of the adjustments needed, while inviting new methods to keep the rooftop veg thriving. Our days are heavily affected by weather, because like us, crops are at their best when aligned with nature. Watch our video below to have a look for yourself.