[Wink] heating the greenhouse

[Judi K.]

Has anyone tried using a ceramic heater for heating the greenhouse? They're suppose to be economical to use, especially on those coldest nights when drop lights aren't enough.

I read about people using barrels filled with water and painted white also to help maintain warmth. The white paint conducts the heat during the day.

You'll like this one.......Years ago (before the kids were born), I was truly interested in doing what I'm finally doing now.
Well, I was living in Virginia and wrote to UVa about building and maintaining a greenhouse. They responded with blueprints and using RABBITS for heat. They were putting rabbit cages under the benches. Rabbit's ears maintain a temperature of 95-100 degrees. Not sure how many rabbits you'ld need but, you could have all the fertilizer you need and another comodity to sell.

I hear rabbit and gravy is good eatin' !!!!!

[Steve Wheat]

Hi Judi
I am in northern central alabama. I just put up my greenhouse this year. I plan on using plastic 55 gallon drums. I read somewhere(can't remember where) to paint the drums black as the color black draws the suns heat. Well, I hope so anyway because I just finished painting them friday.
I haven't heard anything about painting them white, but if you try that let me know how it turns out..I may have to get some white paint..<g>
steve:)

[Kathy in GA]

Hi,

The plastic drum is so do-able! Cause we've got one! I'll just have to paint it, that's really easy cause we've got the paint to. Gee, what a great idea!

Thanks,
Kathy in Ga.

[Judi K.]

I'm sure it's black steve....sorry for that. i read to paint the benches, inside wood strutures white. it will increase the light inside the greenhouse.

[Log Cabin Pat]

Hi
I heat the big greenhouse 18x60 with hundreds of milk jugs filled with water. they warm during the day and keep it above freezing in the winter. I also have the drums but some how they get filled with old dirt and green stufft they are now composters that also hold the heat. If it gets below zero I use one kerosene heater set on low I don't really want to heat just keep it above freezing. I also open the doors during the day to keep it cold I try to keep the plants as dormant as I can. I plant tomatoes in the jugs in the spring. I heat the little greenhouse with propane and set the thermostat at 50 which is the lowest it goes I would rather have it 45 I find it is harder to keep them cool than warm.

Pat

[Kathypat]

Steve and Pat, how big are your greenhouses? I love the milk jug idea. My house is 48X22 -- I guess it will take a lot of jugs. I also don't have much room either. The house is FULL of plants. I really need a way to economically keep in the heat. What type of cover do you have? I put a four year clear cover on this fall. I was tired of replacing covers every season. I kept the shade cloth under the clear cover so I have 55% shade on top all year, sides and ends are clear. I also have black weed barrier on the floor and gravel under that. NO insulation at all -- so whatever the temp is outside at night it gets close to that inside. I will use my frost blankets in the greenhouse this year. They helped a lot last year.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[Steve Wheat]

Hi Kathy
My greenhouse is quite a bit smaller than yours. Mine in 11' by 40'. I have the 4 year plastic, haven't put up my shade cloth yet, my house is under a huge tree so it is shaded so what, but will get more sun this winter when the leaves fall . I have the black weed cloth on the bottom(dirt under it). I am still planning on using the 55 gal drum painted black..if algae grows to fast i'll jsut put a tad of bleach in it also may use the gallon jugs too...I have a gas heater also if I need it ..would have to use the fan though to circulate the air...but again I would use only on very cold days.
This is all new to me so I don't have much experience. Hopefully we will all survive the winter and will know more on how to handle out greenhouses next year ...and work out any kinks for next year.
good luck as I am sure I will also need some..
steve

[vicki]

Hi All,
What you all are talking about is passive solar heat. Everything has a k value. That is how good a substance stores and releases heat. Did quite a bit of research on annual passive heat storage. Cement, brick, water, have some of the best k values.
The water in the 55 gallon barrels absorb heat until the temp. falls and then slowly radiates it.
We're planning on building a house on a insulated cement slab, with dry stacked cement block walls with radiant hot water heat tubes in the floor. Doing it correctly you are supposed to be able to store the heat all year and then when it falls below 65-70 it (cement slab, cement block walls) radiate to keep the temp even.
Sound cool? We thought so. You can check out the idea on thenaturalhome.com. Bruce is a really nice guy.
Doesn't really have to do with gardening, but it's a cool idea.

Happy Growing,
Vicki in West Michigan

p.s. the color is definitely black.

[Kathy in GA]

Hi Vicki,

That was great info, very interesting too.
Maybe this is something we should all look into when we get our dream homes!

I'm gonna head over to the site in a bit!
Thanks
Kathy in Ga.