Heating a greenhouse is a difficult endeavor, to say the least.
At the moment, I am able to heat a 4' x 40' section of greenhouse bench with just a small electric space heater. The cost is maybe $1 per evening. I put hoops over the benches, cover those hoops with plastic each evening, and place the heater underneath. The middle bench is about a foot higher than the others. The heater is under it, and the warm air flows upward out each end, and then fills the plastic tunnel of benches. I'm getting about a 20-30 difference in temperature, which is huge in terms of greenhouse heat. To make the entire greenhouse that warm would take a colossal amount of energy.
I do have to make sure to get up in the morning and remove the plastic, especially on sunny days, so I don't cook everything. And this method does not work as well when my plants get bigger, because the leaves really hate touching the plastic, but it will get me through March, when I have my coldest spring weather. I will have plants to sell this Saturday, March 24th, at my first market of the spring.
|