Greenhouse Heating

magpie

I have been reading about increasing the temperature in your greenhouse by a few degrees overnight. This involves steel drums filled with water, concrete slabs, rocks etc. Does anyone know if you could use an old radiator filled with water and sealed and painted black. Would this serve the same purpose. Any help or any ideas would be greatfully received. Thanks

rustyjemma

Im not sure but I dont think the volume will be great enough to store enough heat to keep the frost off.

Lord_Gardener

It would, but filling it with oil or sand would be even better at holding on to the 'solar' heat - they retain heat better!

Bangerchick

Its probably worth considering laying slabs in the base, as they will store the heat in the same way but won't take up space in the greenhouse. You would need to consider how much additional ventilation you might need in the height of suer if you do that though.

nottingham13

Hi

Has anyone tried making one of the above? I saw it on Its not easy being green and wondered whether anybody has tried.

What outcomes? Is it really worth it? Etc etc

Cheers

KAAT_LADY

what are you on about

Lotus-eater

If you go to the INEBG website there was a whole discussion about it.

After reading it all and thinking about it myself, I didn't think it was worth it. It would have to be so big to make a difference.

Early on in the year, when we had sunshine in the daytime and freezing temps at night, I tried putting lots of large rocks in the greenhouse to keep the temp up at night, not sure it made much difference, but I suppose if the greenhouse was wrapped in bubblewrap it might have made a slight difference.

Lorence_2

I would like to share a cheap and easy method I use for heating and germinating seeds in my greenhouse.
I have one of those zip up plastic tents which you can buy for around £10 in most d.i.y. stores. Mine stands around 5 foot high and has 4 shelves. I plant my seeds in trays or pots and then cover them with cling film and place them in the plastic zip up tent. I now use a lit candle which I place on the bottom shelf and zip the tent up. The heat from the candle keeps the temperature in the tent at around 65-70F which is just about the right temperature needed for most seeds to germinate. Once germinated I remove the trays out ready for the next batch. The candle size I use are around half an inch in diameter and around 6 inches long. This usually lasts around 5-6 hours. If it's a sunny day the tent temperature is around 70F without using a candle and so I don't put one in till evening time. Otherwise I have one lit in the morning and then an other in the evening. This methods costs very little and the results are great.
Hope this helps and happy gardening :rotfl:

jimbo007_2

I inherited a heated greenhouse (a frost protector but I can turn the thermo up and it gets quite warm) a couple of years ago when I moved house. First year I grew cucumber, basil, peppers, lettuce, beans without heating and planted in spring in an unheated green house and all went well. Second year I was too busy at work and didn't do anything. This year as my company is a victim of the 'bankers' I find myself between jobs and with more time. So as an experiment I have bought loads of seeds - bedding and veggies from Alan Romans, planted as per instructions and turned the heating in the greenhouse on. Trial and error I suppose, I will see what works - if a plant works this year I will do it again and if it doesn't I will try something else next year.

kazwookie

Just had to have a fiddle with my wicks when refilling the heater



Go back the floowing lunch time to see how things are going



Green house is covered in black soot, heater is out



Had to spend the weekend power washing it out



Moral of the story, don't fiddle with your wicks.



:rotfl: