greenhouse heating

[oldjerry]

That's good thinking as using a gas bottle wrapped in copper means you wouldn't have the grief of making a boiler to fit inside the stove,lucky you having access to seacoal.

Thanks for all the ideas.

[oldfella]

I have been growing lettuce a few peas in my tunnel by using half of one raised bed in the centre of the tunnel and using wire hoops covered with clear plastic.In the centre of of the bed. I used a very cheap paraffin round flat heater about £17 the name of which escapes me, and above it suspended a metal plate about 17 cm above the heater. So I have a growing area which is 3 mts by 1mt, and I have already started my Toms, Parsnip, and Aubergines. The heater burner is level with the soil and with one filling 1.5 lts burns for 14 days. The clear plastic is 1mt above the heater burner and 75 cms above the metal plate. Cheap and Heath Robinson just like me.

Eddy

[greenorelse]

I have been growing lettuce a few peas in my tunnel by using half of one raised bed in the centre of the tunnel and using wire hoops covered with clear plastic.In the centre of of the bed. I used a very cheap paraffin round flat heater about £17 the name of which escapes me, and above it suspended a metal plate about 17 cm above the heater. So I have a growing area which is 3 mts by 1mt, and I have already started my Toms, Parsnip, and Aubergines. The heater burner is level with the soil and with one filling 1.5 lts burns for 14 days. The clear plastic is 1mt above the heater burner and 75 cms above the metal plate. Cheap and Heath Robinson just like me.

Eddy

We want pictures! Well, I do.

[gregorach]

Given how mild it's been, it's hardly the year to be thinking about greenhouse heating... I'm pretty sure my capsicums would still be going strong if we hadn't had the wonderful combination of greenhouse-destroying winds immediately followed by the only snowfall of the winter so far, back in December...

I'd concentrate on decent insulation long before worrying about heating. And with some crops (e.g. lettuces) it's just a question of choosing the right varieties... I had lettuces growing quite happily all last winter, despite the extremely low temps and deep snow cover - at least until the snails got them. And that was without any extra insulation.

[Green Aura]

Just had another thought! (Cherish them they're rare these days )

What about a hot bed - it worked really well in our greenhouse (It was fairly small though - 12'x8'). It also stopped the greenhouse temperature dropping below freezing and the bed was fantastic for growing tomatoes.

[Odsox]

What about a hot bed

What about a hot bath ?

No seriously, I grew tomatoes 2 years running in a small hydroponics unit that has a small aquarium heater keeping the water temperature at a steady 20c and the tomatoes thrived in January with air temperatures below 8c in my unheated conservatory.
So I agree Maggie, keep tomato's roots warm and it doesn't matter so much what the air temperature is.

[oldjerry]

We used to make hot beds for growing melons.

(think I know what my adverts are going to be....)