Greenhouse Heating

[TexasTim]

I live in Dallas, TC, zone 8.

I am assembling a Harbor Freight 10 x 12 green house.

Would like to know the most economical method to heat the greenhouse to maintain a temperature in Texas winter of approx. 60 degrees F at night.

Thanks!

[jkofferdahl]

I would think that you'd want to communicate with the manufacturer about this. If you're looking at the greenhouse I THINK you are, it's not designed to accomodate a heater and so you'll need to make some adaptations.

[dounoharm]

well, I am up north of you just north of Amarillo.....I have used propane and nat gas.....propane in north Carolina cost me 400$ a month, and I had to shut it down....it was 12 x 24, and lovely....but, here I am now....we started with a home built little gh, I enclosed a 5 x 10 porch....used electric and boy was that a mess! I did not kill my plants tho, they weathered the storm...

what you now have is better than my little teeny one, I think you should talk to your local nat gas supplier to see if you can do that.....take their advice!

build an extension for more space! I use cedar and polycarbonate, and its really easy......good luck!

[estación seca]

If you keep large amounts of water in containers under your benches, that will hold heat gained during the day, and release it at night. 32-gallon covered trash barrels make a big difference in my sunroom winter night temperatures.

[Optimist]

Being in Texas, you do have lots of good old sun. Why not consider passive solar power? This is an awesome unit made out of things like a pane of glass, black paint and a box: DIY Solar Heating with the Heat Grabber - DIY - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

If you explore this track of thinking, you might find something better.

I am sure insulating the greenhouse is a good idea too. How to do? Double wall in areas? Maybe coke bottles or large bottles filled with water, straw, dirt?

I'd say investigate the wisdom of the old hippies.

In victorian green houses, Chinese homes in the BC era, and of course Roman bath houses, they would raise the floor some what with stones, or slabs, and have a fire burning down in the floor. Kept the place warm!

Maybe a burried "pit barbeque" type affair with burning charcoal all night long?

[Optimist]

There are those ceramic "heat lamp"bulbs that heat but don't light.

[dounoharm]

funny, right now I am shopping for an evap cooler for my greenhouse.....its been in the 90's here for over a week....

[Jack1747]

I am in Virginia (zone 7). Successfully heated with 2 "milk house" 1800 watt heats for a few years.. Our temp's drop into the teens at time. Worried about sleeping thru a power outta all the time. Last fall I installed a "Southern Burner Company" heater. It's great!

[dounoharm]

if only we in the top of texas, worried about winter going down to the teens, lol....

Amarillo temps hit 0's for a couple days this year, and anyone with a greenhouse here better plan for that....PLUS our TEXAS GAS CO...let the lines plug up with condensate and SHUT DOWN ALL THE GAS in out town for 3 days in the worst weather we had in years!! I about had a cow!! I put my 5' heat mat on the floor and put the smallest plants on that, and grouped all the bigger ones as close as possible....our dyson heater had to heat inside as we were FREEZING!!
you just have to plan here in texas, heating and cooling are not gentle and easy topics....
oh, btw, I only lost a bloom spike on my cymbidiums! I was so happy it worked!

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by dounoharm

if only we in the top of texas, worried about winter going down to the teens, lol....

Amarillo temps hit 0's for a couple days this year, and anyone with a greenhouse here better plan for that....PLUS our TEXAS GAS CO...let the lines plug up with condensate and SHUT DOWN ALL THE GAS in out town for 3 days in the worst weather we had in years!! I about had a cow!! I put my 5' heat mat on the floor and put the smallest plants on that, and grouped all the bigger ones as close as possible....our dyson heater had to heat inside as we were FREEZING!!
you just have to plan here in texas, heating and cooling are not gentle and easy topics....
oh, btw, I only lost a bloom spike on my cymbidiums! I was so happy it worked!

Glad you did so well by your orchids.