jim
New Gardener
Posts: 3 
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Post by jim on Jun 23, 2014 21:01:12 GMT
I Just built a green house and am planning for the winter months. I want to keep it warm with as little electricity as possible. One of my ideas is to line 1 wall with ten bails of mulching hay and encase them in black plastic. The idea is that they will collect heat all day and release it at night. Also if it goes well they will get so hot as to burn off any seeds thereby making the mulch hay better for mulching.
Any thoughts?
Jim
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Post by Tig on Jun 23, 2014 23:24:08 GMT
How did you construct your greenhouse Jim? Is it glass, polycarbonate or plastic sheeting?
Hay or straw are good insulators I believe but I'm not sure how much heat they would retain and release back into your greenhouse after a day without winter sunshine. We can have lots of grey winter days here in the UK, chances are it would never warm up enough to release much heat back!
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jim
New Gardener
Posts: 3
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Post by jim on Jun 24, 2014 1:48:48 GMT
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Post by Rosefriend on Jun 24, 2014 5:21:03 GMT
Welcome to GWD Jim..
Just watched the video Jim and that is a great piece of construction. May I ask what you are going to have in there in the winter that requires the heating that you are hoping to build up and also - will there be enough light with one side essentially blackened off with the plastic??
RF
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jim
New Gardener
Posts: 3
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Post by jim on Jun 24, 2014 17:59:24 GMT
Thanks Tig and Rosefriend
The goal for my gh is to have a place to start plants for transplant to the garden. I am in zone 5 in the U.S.A.. last month I went to buy tomato and pepper plants in 6 packs as I always did. Seems now they like to sell single plants in peat pots at $3.50 per. I used to pay that for a 6 pack. So now I will start all my own from seeds. Lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, etc.. I intend to start my seeds indoors and when they are ready for 6 packs move them to the gh. Most things will go into the garden on the second week of June.
The covering will be 6 mil clear plastic sheeting. My gh has one broad side facing east. and will get afternoon sun on the other broad side. The black plastic will only encase the bales of mulch hay on one long wall.
Thanks again.
Jim
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Post by Tig on Jun 24, 2014 18:45:25 GMT
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Post by Rosefriend on Jun 24, 2014 18:46:35 GMT
Thanks Tig and Rosefriend The goal for my gh is to have a place to start plants for transplant to the garden. I am in zone 5 in the U.S.A.. last month I went to buy tomato and pepper plants in 6 packs as I always did. Seems now they like to sell single plants in peat pots at $3.50 per. I used to pay that for a 6 pack. So now I will start all my own from seeds. Lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, etc.. I intend to start my seeds indoors and when they are ready for 6 packs move them to the gh. Most things will go into the garden on the second week of June. The covering will be 6 mil clear plastic sheeting. My gh has one broad side facing east. and will get afternoon sun on the other broad side. The black plastic will only encase the bales of mulch hay on one long wall. Thanks again. Jim Zone 5 is cold - I am zone 7 in Germany and have the same problem. This last winter was very mild, just for a change. That is a hell of a leap from the price of 6 plants to 1 plants. Lettuces etc can take more cold as you know and can be planted earlier - I tend to start my toms at the end of February, Peppers/Chillies I start at the beginning of January or a few of us sow seeds in Aug/September and overwinter them in the house as they are perennials basically. We then get an early crop and sow again later so that we mostly have an all round the year crop... The GH having one east side is at least good in that it will get the early sun and then all day...does the house stop the midday sun at all ?? Do have a look at the threads that Tig suggested... Rf |
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