frontiergirl53
Garden Ornament
What do you think is the best way to generate heat? (Besides greenhouses) Like row covers, heat caps, cold frames what are your ideas on the best was to generate heat?
Whats the best way to generate heat?
- Thread starter frontiergirl53
- Start date
Smart Red
Garden Master
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2012
- Messages
- 11,303
- Reaction score
- 7,395
- Points
- 417
- Location
- South-est, central-est Wisconsin
Welcome to The Easy Garden, @frontiergirl53! I'm glad you found us. Good question. We like members who jump right in and take part in discussions with us.
Caveat! I am a teacher. When you ask about generating heat, I think of rubbing my hands together very quickly, pulling my brother across the carpet, or setting a match to some kindling. What you want to ask is what are the best ways to retain heat or keep out the cold.
Depending upon where you live, some members have found row covers to keep cold weather crops growing. Occasionally they will add a blanket for added insulation on the coldest nights.
Hot caps -- because of their smaller size -- are usually used in the spring to get a faster start with seedlings rather than to extend the growing season.
Cold frames can be very useful for early starts and late season extending. By adding a thick layer of manure or hot compost under the planting layer, you can add heat to the growing plants. Be sure you are available to vent during the day if you want to try growing that way.
We all have different gardening challenges and we all have found things and techniques that work for us in our gardening situation. I am sure others will be able to help you with suggestions. Good to have you growing with us.
Caveat! I am a teacher. When you ask about generating heat, I think of rubbing my hands together very quickly, pulling my brother across the carpet, or setting a match to some kindling. What you want to ask is what are the best ways to retain heat or keep out the cold.
Depending upon where you live, some members have found row covers to keep cold weather crops growing. Occasionally they will add a blanket for added insulation on the coldest nights.
Hot caps -- because of their smaller size -- are usually used in the spring to get a faster start with seedlings rather than to extend the growing season.
Cold frames can be very useful for early starts and late season extending. By adding a thick layer of manure or hot compost under the planting layer, you can add heat to the growing plants. Be sure you are available to vent during the day if you want to try growing that way.
We all have different gardening challenges and we all have found things and techniques that work for us in our gardening situation. I am sure others will be able to help you with suggestions. Good to have you growing with us.
Chickie'sMomaInNH
Garden Master
if you're zone 9 i'm sure you don't have to deal with much cold. (or massive amounts of snow/Nor'Easter type weather) floating row covers will probably be the best thing in your area. you may have to deal with hot/muggy weather more so also keep in mind if you have a greenhouse you need to vent the warm air too.
Nyboy
Garden Master
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2010
- Messages
- 21,365
- Reaction score
- 16,241
- Points
- 437
Welcome from cold NY. A gas furnace, sorry we like to joke here.
canesisters
Garden Master
Sorry, can't help you much. The only thing making heat in my garden is the compost pile.
so lucky
Garden Master
I am trying out a low tunnel with one layer of Agribon 19, and one layer of plastic. So far, so good, but I am only trying to grow cool-loving greens. In my zone 6 area, that's about all I feel comfortable with right now. I may try to use it to get some plants started early this coming spring. Although I have lights in my basement where I start some things, so I may still find that easier to manage.
AMKuska
Garden Master
I've actually been thinking about trying to build one of those plastic bottle greenhouses. I just don't want to spend all that time collecting pop bottles only to discover they don't work! Still, it might be worth looking into if you want a cheap/free green house.
journey11
Garden Master
I've done a cold-frame with fresh horse manure buried 18" down, then a layer of leaves and good compost/soil piled on top of that. I'd still be using it if the wind hadn't taken the lid off and broken it. We regularly get high gusty winds in the winter where I live on top of a ridge. I've not come up with a good way to secure it.
Another thing I've heard of doing, but haven't tried is painting jugs black and filling them with water and lining the back of your cold-frame or mini-greenhouse with that (northern side). They are supposed to collect warmth from the sun shining in from the south/south-west then slowly return it into the trapped air of the cold-frame overnight. The only problem for me with that is that the sun may not shine for days on end here during the winter.
Heating cables buried in sand is another option, but can get expensive.
Another thing I've heard of doing, but haven't tried is painting jugs black and filling them with water and lining the back of your cold-frame or mini-greenhouse with that (northern side). They are supposed to collect warmth from the sun shining in from the south/south-west then slowly return it into the trapped air of the cold-frame overnight. The only problem for me with that is that the sun may not shine for days on end here during the winter.
Heating cables buried in sand is another option, but can get expensive.
majorcatfish
Garden Master
@frontiergirl53 with you in zone 9 personally i would think a low tunnel would be just fine. i'm up in zone 7 and the lowest it's been is 18 <so far>
and all the children have been fine under plastic a couple of the outer plants did get a bit frost bite, but heck not bad for 18*
this is the first year that i have done this and it has been working out excellent .
and covered
and yes i have to rub it in to the northerns once again........
a quick harvest from last night..
welcome to teg
and all the children have been fine under plastic a couple of the outer plants did get a bit frost bite, but heck not bad for 18*
this is the first year that i have done this and it has been working out excellent .
and covered
and yes i have to rub it in to the northerns once again........
a quick harvest from last night..
welcome to teg
Nyboy
Garden Master
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2010
- Messages
- 21,365
- Reaction score
- 16,241
- Points
- 437
Major rub away the other morning I got in my car it read 18 degrees.
