# Heating A green House



## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Here in N Florida the weather is about to start cooling off .We can get down into the single digits and warm back u to the 70s in just a few days .
We had a cold spell and it dropped the leaes on all the plants,this pass few weeks they are starting to leaf back up just to fall again this week.
So controlling heat here has its problems .The cold spell last month taught us that heating the lean to green house would not be economicle,it cost us a 20lb.tank of propane in just 28 hours. So we went back to electric space heater,which was a jump in ou power bill.
I'm considering the best way to deal with this is to bring in all the plants during nights and cold days and put them back outside when the sun heats the GH back up.
At least it won't be as far as the last green house was,now that we have it up against the house.
What do yall think about this ?


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

I have seen where people use large rocks painted black or 2L bottles filled with water to store some daytime solar heat. I have some lanterns that were made for keeping greenhouses warm but, you still run into the problem of having to buy fuel.

Do you think you might be able to get used restaurant grease to burn?


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

JustCliff said:


> I have seen where people use large rocks painted black or 2L bottles filled with water to store some daytime solar heat. I have some lanterns that were made for keeping greenhouses warm but, you still run into the problem of having to buy fuel.
> 
> Do you think you might be able to get used restaurant grease to burn?


 After the short cold 2 day spell last month we put a samll green house inside the larger one. Both re covered in green house poly film.But it still gets cold at night even with windows from house open and small fan blowing house heat unto it.Also we don't like to use much heat in the house in winter,seems to make us sick if we get house too warm,about 60 is ok. But 60 inside is like 50 in GH.
Some people are moving into their GH's.One like Calrice has is plenty big enough to live in with wood burning stove and solar from daylight.
We have been using grow lights too on the plants up till lae at night,they are not expensive to use.
So far the best bet is to bring thme inside. if tshtf this will no help though.We have woods and plenty of oaks but no wood burner stove or heater.


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## Dixie (Sep 20, 2010)

*Meerkat, if heat goes to cold, then I would ditch the fan and like JustCliff said, use rocks or warm water bottles. The ancient Indians in Peru, used water troths(sp?) to keep the frost off of their gardens.
You could try putting a metal container with sand in the bottom (protection from fire) and setting candles in it. Jar candles would be safer or canned fuel or make your own like Buddy Burners use. A metal platter of tea candles would throw off some heat but will not last 6-8 hours like you would need. *


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## Frugal_Farmers (Dec 13, 2010)

Here a couple of thoughts:

Love Apple Farms: Manure Compost as Passive Greenhouse Heating

How to Compost Wood Chips for Heat in a Greenhouse | Garden Guides


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Dixie said:


> *Meerkat, if heat goes to cold, then I would ditch the fan and like JustCliff said, use rocks or warm water bottles. The ancient Indians in Peru, used water troths(sp?) to keep the frost off of their gardens.
> You could try putting a metal container with sand in the bottom (protection from fire) and setting candles in it. Jar candles would be safer or canned fuel or make your own like Buddy Burners use. A metal platter of tea candles would throw off some heat but will not last 6-8 hours like you would need. *


 Thanks all of you for all these good ideas.
Dixie I may try this along with other ways,this is an experiment so I need all the help I can get.:wave:


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Frugal_Farmers said:


> Here a couple of thoughts:
> 
> Love Apple Farms: Manure Compost as Passive Greenhouse Heating
> 
> How to Compost Wood Chips for Heat in a Greenhouse | Garden Guides


 Hi Sonny,where ya been? Thanks for the websites I can't visit...LOL. but thats my fault for not getting a real computer.
Well yall hubby is telling me its time to get back to the movies he rented.:wave:


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## Kenny78 (Jul 12, 2011)

Have you researched a rocket mass heater? I dont know what your situation is but I plan to build one when I assemble a greenhouse.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Meerkat said:


> Hi Sonny,where ya been? Thanks for the websites I can't visit...LOL. but thats my fault for not getting a real computer.


put $1 a day in a jar, by this time next year you'll be able to buy an adequate new laptop

:congrat: :congrat: :congrat: :congrat: :congrat:


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

The_Blob said:


> put $1 a day in a jar, by this time next year you'll be able to buy an adequate new laptop
> 
> :congrat: :congrat: :congrat: :congrat: :congrat:


 I'm savng all those for taxes so the gov will allow me to stay on this land they control and own . I'd get a solar panel before I would a laptop.
This is frustrating piece of work I agree,this scrolling back and forth every 6 words and some keys are not workign right,but it still works good enough to post.


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

Make a simple solar water heater from pvc pipe and circulate water into 55 gallon barrel. Once water is warmed in barrel will stay warm for a day or two with no sun. Used in for years in CA. Worked well.

Jimmy


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