Parafin horror!!!! Help!

[sweetcorn]

I have just bought a twin burner greenhouse heater and have been horrified to discover that it used half a container of parafin over two nights! I turned it off after the first night, but left it on overnight the next day and went to check it a 3pm and the fuel had all gone. At £7 a container and a possible cold spell coming up, I'm thinking I shall have to give up the idea of looking after plants over the winter. Anyone know where either a) you can get cheaper parafin, or b) a better way of heating (I have no electricity).

[Two_Sheds]

what plants are in your gh?

Mine's full of seedlings and tender perennials, but I won't heat it, just fleece the delicate things

[zazen999]

Why do you need to heat it?

My school greenhouses in the cotswolds are getting no heating and it's still warm in there now that the vents are all closed.

[Snadger]

A candle with a galvanised bucket over it will keep frost off a very localised and heavily insulated area within the greenhouse!

I have a cheap parrafin heater which takes a couple of litres of paraffin and runs for up to eight days. Doesn't throw much heat out mind but as with the candle can quite adequately heat a localised area.

[lindyloo]

mine doesn't use that much, how high have you got the wick turned up?

[PAULW]

Look for somewhere that sells the parafin "loose" oil/fuel merchants or old fashioned ironmongers, much cheaper to fill your own containers than buy it ready packed.

[Snadger]

I get mine from the local allotment association at little above cost price to them!

[sweetcorn]

I have put some geraniums in there that I hadn't the heart to throw out as they still looked so nice! and my container grown bay tree which is always knobbled by the frost. I have some herbs and salads apart from those .... I think a job lot of fleece might be the answer. Has anyone used the bubble-wrap insulation stuff? How do you fix it to the greenhouse?? Does it work??! Last year during the cold weather I lost everything ..

[lindyloo]

my geraniums survived well last winter, without any heat or insulation- they were just on the cement ground of a covered passageway. it would probably work, and save money, to put some layers of cardboard under your tubs, and then wrap some old blankets around the tubs

[Alison]

I put sheets of polystyrene inslulation sheet against the bottom panels of my greenhouse and then pin bubble wrap above that using those twisty fixings that twist into the aluminium supports. Works well. Have a leccy heater but not used it in years as I object to paying the price and to be honest most of the things I have can cope with a bit of cold so long as they're not waterlogged. Had a couple of pots of geraniumns survive last winter in dry pots so it does work.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Although your issue is clearly the quantity of fuel used in a short time, the real question is why is parafin so expensive in the first place.

[penny]

try using a hurricane lamp burns for several days turned down low and keeps frost out does not take much paraffin to fill up either.

[rana]

If you really need to heat then try to focus the heat to a specific area for the more sensitive plants, using just one of the burners and keep the wick burning at its' bare minimum.

I have cacti and succulents to care for and only heat if there is frost forecast and the paraffin heater is placed under the bench where most heat is required.

In Spring I use Snadgers candle method to protect seedlings. It is a very good way to focus any heat.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Dobbies £9.99 for 4 ltrs of paraffin. Now that is a shock.

[Bigmallly]

B&Q are selling it @ £6.98 for 4 lts if it helps.

Bartoline Premium Paraffin 4 Litres, 15135245