Greenhouse Heating - What do you suggest

[Streetperson]

Hi
This is my first winter with a greenhouse and I am wondering what to do ( if anything) about heating it.

I do not particularly want to grow anything - just protect plants that in the past have died being left outside and getting frosted.

I live in Somerset - which is usually quite warm except last year - when like everywhere it was really cold.

My greenhouse is 10 x 6 - should I partition some of it off with bubble wrap and just try to keep that above freezing and should I use a electric or paraffin heater.

Any thoughts would be really welcome. Thanks

[lainey lou]

Hi Streetperson, it's my 1st winter with a greenhouse too so I'll be interested in peoples thoughts.
I wasn't planning on heating mine. I'm going to have a go at growing some little gem winter lettuce and maybe a few other bits and bobs in mine.

[Capsid]

I don't heat my 8x6 greenhouse, it can get quite expensive. I would try the bubble wrap first and then if the plants don't survive then upgrade to a heater. But if you do use a heater then I'd try growing some veg too so as to maximise on a warm winter greenhouse. What plants do you want to overwinter?

[Alison]

I put polystyrene insulation sheets up the bottom section of the walls (about 3' tall) and then bubble wrap above that. This keeps most things OK and means I can grow decent winter lettuce etc. Anything that is properly tender comes into the conservatory which is heated anyway as it costs a fortune to heat otherwise which I think is an totally unncecessary expense atlhough others will differ on what a fotune is!

[Streetperson]

Thanks for your ideas. BilboWaggins -that looks interesting but a bit beyond me I think. I will see what OH thinks. I think polystyrene up the sides looks good - then some bubble wrap. I really want to keep fuschias and daisies (marguerite types) frost free and we will try lettuce. We have grown winter lettuce outside in the past but didn't work last year.

Still got a lot growing in there - far too many peppers - not sure what to do with them all and last of tomatoes will be picked this weekend. We used maskotka in hanging baskets - brilliant - really good. Needed to be as most of outdoors ones got blight - not all though - most strange.

[Flummery]

I've never heated my greenhouse. I don't think it's 'green'. I do insulate pots with bubble wrap though.

[Two_Sheds]

I've never heated my greenhouse. I don't think it's 'green'.

Me neither. I over-winter fuchsias etc in an unheated plastic g/h, and tender pelargoniums on the windowsills indoors.

and Winter Gem lettuce doesn't need any heat ...

[bobleponge]

If I was to heat my greenhouse it would only be because it was full all over the winter, its the only way I could justify the expense.

I am very interested in that heating exchange thingy though, having had recent house guests I could easily fill a metre cubed hole with broken glass, and I am moving my g/h on this leave so will get the hole dug and start filling it up. Looks a touch complicated but have a mate who's a sparky, so I dont foresee any problems, I will let you know how it goes Bilbo

[smallblueplanet]

Sounds a fascinating way of heating a greenhouse (anywhere?), any idea how much heat it stores or whether it would keep a g/h frost-free?

How's your wooden g/h off ebay doing Bob btw?

[bobleponge]

The wooden g/h from ebay is a pile of wood in my garage, although I did manage to save all the Victorian bits and pieces that went with it, including most of the glass being Victorian as well. The wood isnt really useable except as firewood but made some good plans and took tons of pix, so will slowly make it out of new wood.
And now I know how I will heat it as well.
I am doing some reading now, and from what I can see, it would probably keep a g/h frost free if said g/h was well insulated and the outside temp didnt drop below around -6

[Flummery]

Good luck Bob, look forward to report & pictures (she says hopefully)

Flummery - would it be less non-green to heat the g/house if you were doing it with left-over glass, solar powered fan, etc.

Dunno. I've never found the need to heat it. I grow hardy lettuce etc in it in the winter and don't put my toms out until the day length is sufficient to stop them being drawn. If a frost is forecast I bring them in at night. that heats me!

[tonyreay]

brickin' it...

Here's one that I'm gonna try in my first winter for my plastic cheappie GH. Since my central heating is on and off several times during the day (We're home most of the day) I shall place four common clay house bricks on my downstairs radiator and cover them with a towel. At night, I shall move them into my greenhouse. I don't think they'll make it into a sauna or anything, but it should keep ol' jackfrost away for no extra money and just a little effort.
waddya think?

[solway cropper]

A long long time ago when I was a hippy I knew some people who heated their greenhouse with a huge pile of plastic drums filled with water and painted mat black. During the day the black drums absorbed heat from the sun (even if there was very little) and then slowly released it during the night. They reckoned it kept the greenhouse a couple of degrees above what it would normally have been...just enough to keep a lot of things alive.

[organic]

I was going to suggest the plastic tubs painted black thing too.
Another similar one I've heard of is concrete blocks painted matt black too.

[jayjay giant]

I am going to try making hot beds in mine this year but am looking for more information and for anyone who has had personal experiences of using them.