Do you have a greenhouse or want a greenhouse and not sure just the best way to heat it? I would like to share with you the way that I have found that works best for my little greenhouse.
Types of heating
The two ways to heat are either passive (thermal mass) or forces systems.
The passive sources or using a thermal mass are systems that collect the heat from the sun and slowly release that heat over times. For instance...
Rain barrels - You can place your rain barrels inside the greenhouse and the water inside those barrels will hold heat that gets heated up during the day.
Stone flooring - If you choose to put your greenhouse on stone, brick, concrete or any other stone like substance it will produce thermal mass. We did not do this we build a greenhouse with a wooden floor that is off the ground.
Compost - Again if you have a greenhouse that can accommodate the space of your compost bins they can give off a lot of heat and double as a heat mat as well. This is a great idea to produce passive heat for your greenhouse.
The other type of heat is a forced heat. This is a heat source that can be regulated and changed immediately by forcing the control.
Electric heaters
Propane heaters
Rocket heaters.
There are so many options on the market now for heating sources for greenhouses.
When we chose the Wood stove I was looking for something that was cost effective and wood was the best option for us. Since the greenhouse is an 8ft X 8ft greenhouse it is rather small for a normal sized wood stove so we researched and found on that fit perfectly it is normally used for tent camping but it was perfect for out little greenhouse. We later supplemented with the Kerosene heater because the small wood stove needed to be stoked about every two hours and I was losing a lot of sleep. So now we use the wood during the day and evening and over night the kerosene heater is turned on and runs through the night to keep the temp at an even temperature.
How do you heat your greenhouse?
Passive heat sources
Forced heat sources
Both
Monitor the Temperature and Humidity
When growing in a greenhouse the temperature should be right around 65 - 75 degrees with the humidity around 80-90%. I feel that this is a very important part of growing to help prevent disease pressure.
Tools used to monitor
Outdoor thermometer with humidity guage
Digital thermometer
This is what I use it's very simple and cost effective. There are expensive tools and thermostats that can be added on to your heat sources, but If you're not a professional grower I do not see the need in buying these expensive tools.
You will be in your greenhouse frequently, so it is just at easy to observe the thermometer and gauge and regulate manually.
Cultural practices to regulate humidity
The imbalance of humidity can cause a lot of fungal issues and create a breeding ground for fungal spores, so it is good to utilize certain practices to help keep the humidity levered out.
Proper watering
When I water my seedlings I usually bottom water, which means I will have a tray for my seedlings to sit in and soak up as much water in the soil as needed and then I remove the seedling from that tray and dispose of the excess water. Removing the tray of excess water will help reduce the amount of water left behind. If you over head water it is best to do that also in the morning to help reduce the amount of water that is left overnight.
Adequate spacing
Just like in your garden the greenhouse seedlings need adequate spacing to help provide good air flow. When doing this you ensure that your plants will be dry our properly between watering and help prevent any areas that can culture fungal spores.
Ventilation
This practice is one that I use frequently. We use wood heat so the inside temperature can get hot quickly, when the air is heated it collect and holds water vapor which is called evaporation. It is held until the night air cools and then it will release this is called condensation. It will usually collect on the coolest parts first like the windows, door knobs but will eventually settle on the foliage of your seedlings.
The process that I use is more like a heating and ventilating process, I will crack a vent or window and heat the temperature inside the greenhouse and this will create an air flow pushing the hot moist air out and pushing the the cold dry air inside.
Find what works for you
All of the steps that I have done is learned through a process of elimination and experimentation. Every greenhouse will need different methods to best suite your plant babies needs so as long as you are present and watching your seedlings I am sure that you will grow happy healthy plants.
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