Greenhouse Heating

[JoeCocker]

I've just purchased agreenhouse and erected it over Christmas. It polycarbonate and i was wondering what is the bast source of heating it. I watched its not easy being green and was quiet impressed with heat sump. i was wondering if anyone else has fitted/dug one of these and was the results satisfactory. I live on the south side of a hill so we dont get alot of direct sunlight during the winter months, sio i don't know, being new to growing under glass if this would affect how the heat sump works?

Any observations would be welcome before i start digging the hole.

[JoeCocker]

[Robert_Brenchley]

What do you plan to grow? Unless it's something seriously exotic, you probably won't need heating at all.

[JoeCocker]

Just the usual salad stuff, but it would be nice to extend the growing season, ie lettece in December?

[manicscousers]

hiya, JoeCocker, welcome to the site  ;D
we grow overwintering salad crops during winter, late sown carrots, overwintering spring onions, winter radish..hope this helps  :)

[JoeCocker]

Thanks do you use heating

[GodfreyRob]

I've got an electric fan heater that can be set to 'frost guard' so it kicks in if the temp approaches 4C. However, it still uses a lot of expensive energy.

There are a couple of cheap ways of keeping the energy cost down:
Insulate the greenhouse with bubble wrap - garden centres often sell it in 2m widths.
Only heat a section of the greenhouse - again use a bubblewrap screen to keep the heat in.

Bubblewrap also keeps it a little cooler in the summer.

[the-goodlife]

try the "its not easy being green" method the heat sink!, for me im going to give it a go or i was thinking of getting an old coke fire wi a back boiler a solar panel and a pump got the pipes already and the pump and it works!! amaizing what you can find at a scrap yard and a friend the other side of the fence ;D.

The heat sink is a hole in the middle of the green house about 2ft in deep. they do have a website
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Greenhouse-Heatsink-Connection-Diagram.htm

http://www.newhousefarm.tv/project=Garden

give these links a try

[JoeCocker]

thanks, i'll start digging today

[manicscousers]

Thanks do you use heating

no, we just chuck some fleece over the carrots if it's freezing, everything else seems ok  :)