Hi,

This is my first season with a new greenhouse and I am wondering what to do
with it during the winter. This comes down to the cost of heating it. Does
anyone have any information about (or links to sites with information) about
the running costs of various electric heaters in the UK. (I am not really
interested in paraffin heaters).

Thanks for any information,

Jim

jimmy wrote:
:: Hi,
::
:: This is my first season with a new greenhouse and I am wondering
:: what to do with it during the winter. This comes down to the cost of
:: heating it. Does anyone have any information about (or links to
:: sites with information) about the running costs of various electric
:: heaters in the UK. (I am not really interested in paraffin heaters).
::
:: Thanks for any information,
::
:: Jim


http://www.greenhouse-heater.co.uk/g...-selection.htm
has a handy guide for working out which type is best.

http://www.cmsgardens.co.uk/heaters.htm
has a multitude of various heaters, although neither of these links will
tell you how much they cost to run, you can bet that it's a lot more than
propane!

HTH


BTW, if you do decide to use electricity, don't bother with a greenhouse
heater, any bog standard blow heater will suffice, provided it's supply has
a trip-switch fitted.

"jimmy" wrote in message
...
Hi,

This is my first season with a new greenhouse and I am wondering what to
do
with it during the winter. This comes down to the cost of heating it. Does
anyone have any information about (or links to sites with information)
about
the running costs of various electric heaters in the UK. (I am not really
interested in paraffin heaters).

Thanks for any information,

Jim

************

If you live up here in the North-west , - forget it
Of course, if you have real money and a regular surplus of it, well!,-
that's a different matter. I use my greenhouse in winter for preserving
frost-prone potted perennials. I have a survival glazed section but
nothing can raise the temperature anywhere above the ambient outside
temperature save for a degree or two due to occasional clear-sky conditions-
and that's pushing it. When the temp reaches zero it freezes water. That
boy a the back pay attention! -What has a plant got in its stem ?.
The situation today is that bought plug seedlings in spring are cheaper than
our own early spring sowing of seeds in a greenhouse.
Like everything else ,the supermarkets, by sheer volume and cut-pricing
have killed off everyone else , butchers, cobblers grocers, corner shops
etc. etc, and soon it will be the Pharmacists, Doctors, Dentists
Physiotherapists, the whole lot. who will be sited under the sheds they call
supermarkets, The die is cast, the battle already over.
They even control who will grow what and at what price, and who's to
blame.?.
You and me, but we are helpless and the supermarket wallahs know it.
I say you and me because they have gradually trained us to accept that trash
is good and generations have grown up who know no other. Did the original M
& S ever dream that their later women buyers of a generation who know no
better would tolerate buying in bulk ladies dresses with the bottom hems
stitched with plain stitching that can be seen from the outside of the
fabric?. They just don't know the proper way to construct top class fabrics
and styles and the brainless teenagers purchasers know just nothing.
Mass hysteria and mass advertising keeps the cheapo "quality" pot aboiling,
but the spurious "high fashion" prices charged are a complete disgrace.
Doug.

************







Doug.

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Franz Heymann
writes

"Douglas" wrote in message
...

[snip]

When the temp reaches zero it freezes water. That
boy a the back pay attention! -What has a plant got in its stem ?.

A solution of various chemicals in water with a freezing point below
that of pure water.
Consider anti-freeze.

That is true, and some cold hardy cacti can be protected from several
degrees of dry frost provided that they are nicely desiccated and kept
dry with a thick sugary sap. Ironically some of the hardest cacti to
grow in the UK are also nominally cold hardy but they also need zero
humidity.

However, there are plenty of exotic tender plants that will croak at
temperatures even above 5-10C. Many succulent euphorbias and plants from
Madagascar are extremely temperature sensitive for instance.

Given the high cost of maintaining the entire greenhouse at elevated
temperatures most cactophiles I know keep a small warm box, a larger
chunk of greenhouse tepid and the rest only approximately frost free.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

*********
Problem solved!. At last! - it's a dream come true. I'm going to be a rich
man! (\:^)
I might sow some tomato seeds now to be ready for Christmas!. Imagine!,
freshly plucked chicken served with freshly plucked tomatoes, here in the
west of the north-western Lake District.. I'll make a fortune!.
All I need to know is the chemicals I have to mix into my watering can.
Ten percent for he who delivers the goods.
Doug.

********

jimmy wrote:
:: Hi,
::
:: This is my first season with a new greenhouse and I am wondering
:: what to do with it during the winter. This comes down to the cost of
:: heating it. Does anyone have any information about (or links to
:: sites with information) about the running costs of various electric
:: heaters in the UK. (I am not really interested in paraffin heaters).
::
:: Thanks for any information,
::
:: Jim


http://www.greenhouse-heater.co.uk/g...-selection.htm
has a handy guide for working out which type is best.

http://www.cmsgardens.co.uk/heaters.htm
has a multitude of various heaters, although neither of these links will
tell you how much they cost to run, you can bet that it's a lot more than
propane!

HTH


BTW, if you do decide to use electricity, don't bother with a greenhouse
heater, any bog standard blow heater will suffice, provided it's supply has
a trip-switch fitted.

in theory geothermal energy ought to be able to heat a greenhouse. you bury
a few pipes down where temperatures are higher and circulate the water to a
radiator in the ghouse. I've only just started looking at this, but some
folk say temps a yard down are a constant 50 odd degrees regardless of air
temperature above, others tell me in the uk you'd have to dig much deeper.
Anyone know anything about this? I'm sorely tempted to try an experiment
cheers
Jon


"Douglas" wrote in message
...

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Franz Heymann
writes

"Douglas" wrote in message
...

[snip]

When the temp reaches zero it freezes water. That
boy a the back pay attention! -What has a plant got in its stem ?.

A solution of various chemicals in water with a freezing point below
that of pure water.
Consider anti-freeze.

That is true, and some cold hardy cacti can be protected from several
degrees of dry frost provided that they are nicely desiccated and kept
dry with a thick sugary sap. Ironically some of the hardest cacti to
grow in the UK are also nominally cold hardy but they also need zero
humidity.

However, there are plenty of exotic tender plants that will croak at
temperatures even above 5-10C. Many succulent euphorbias and plants from
Madagascar are extremely temperature sensitive for instance.

Given the high cost of maintaining the entire greenhouse at elevated
temperatures most cactophiles I know keep a small warm box, a larger
chunk of greenhouse tepid and the rest only approximately frost free.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

*********
Problem solved!. At last! - it's a dream come true. I'm going to be a
rich
man! (\:^)
I might sow some tomato seeds now to be ready for Christmas!. Imagine!,
freshly plucked chicken served with freshly plucked tomatoes, here in the
west of the north-western Lake District.. I'll make a fortune!.
All I need to know is the chemicals I have to mix into my watering can.
Ten percent for he who delivers the goods.
Doug.

********

".......... but some folk say temps a yard down are a constant 50 odd
degrees regardless of air temperature above .........."

I doubt this.
When we lived in Hastings we had a borehole for our water, and it came up at
a temp of aprox. 43f all year round.
I have been reading an interesting article about a project in Holland where
they are drawing water from the Aquifer and using it to cool Glasshouses
during the Summer months, this is then pumped back down, then in the winter
it is drawn up and used to supplement the heating, it is holding to a temp
of around 50f.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

In message , Douglas
writes

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...

That is true, and some cold hardy cacti can be protected from several
degrees of dry frost provided that they are nicely desiccated and kept
dry with a thick sugary sap. Ironically some of the hardest cacti to
grow in the UK are also nominally cold hardy but they also need zero
humidity.

Problem solved!. At last! - it's a dream come true. I'm going to be a rich
man! (\:^)
I might sow some tomato seeds now to be ready for Christmas!.

Perfectly possible. I have seen tomato plants that are several years old
and have cropped continuously for their entire life. They become huge!

All I need to know is the chemicals I have to mix into my watering can.
Ten percent for he who delivers the goods.

The Icelanders do it too and have bananas in some greenhouses. But then
they have heaps of low grade heat from free geothermal energy to spare.
I suspect artificial light it crucial in winter though.

Even in my greenhouse tomatoes in November is quite possible. They tend
not to ripen properly after that due to lack of sun and rot due to damp.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
".......... but some folk say temps a yard down are a constant 50 odd
degrees regardless of air temperature above .........."

I doubt this.
When we lived in Hastings we had a borehole for our water, and it came up at
a temp of aprox. 43f all year round.
I have been reading an interesting article about a project in Holland where
they are drawing water from the Aquifer and using it to cool Glasshouses
during the Summer months, this is then pumped back down, then in the winter
it is drawn up and used to supplement the heating, it is holding to a temp
of around 50f.
David Hill

Hi David,

Could you perhaps post an URL for the above ??
I'd be very interested and I know my cousin from the RHS would be too.
TIA
Jenny