no heat greenhouse

I talked to my states corporate extentions office----they said you can transplant your seedlings to unheated greenhouse after last frost date to be safe---drats----which most dont buy plants for a couple a weeks after the last frost date any way so i guess it will work out. I do have a small greenhouse that has one electric heater and heated germination tables for starting my seeds.
So i will be starting seeds 3 weeks before the last frost date---march 20th for my area. Im kinda disappointed---ill be 2 weeks late on the market. Wont have heating in big greenhouse til fall. Will use Electric commercial heat. Gas is much higher than electric.

BUT: what about those turbo heaters that takes karosene or disel------will the fumes hurt the plants if i need to use it on emergancy after my last frost date???????????

Hey CT. How many seeds were you planning on starting?
I'm in zone 6, and I usually start my mairgolds, tomatoes etc by the first of March. The bottom heat keeps the seeds/seedlings from freezing even if the nights are cold. An extra cover over the seedlings, inside the greenhouse, will protect them even if it dips into the 20's at night. Be sure to uncover them when the sun comes up so they don't get cooked.
Horseshoe shared this method with us last year(don't remember the name of the thread).

Not sure if this helps out or not, but we kinda made a redneck greenhouse this year. For heating we used a 75000 watt halogen light. We've had quite a few nights that have dipped in to the 20's and everything survived. I even have brugs blooming and tropical vines blooming.

Thanks sky----i was wondering about that.
gosh!!!! how many seeds--i havent decided yet. i know i want to grow 500 tomato plants in the field for myself. To sell the produce.
I used the halogen light last year in the back utility room cause it didnt have a heat vent---it helped heat the room and put light on the plants but i wasnt sure if it would do much good in the greenhouse hoophouse.
Bet those tropical vines are pretty.

I think we are undecided on what to do. Hubby has started a painting business and i dont want to over do it on expenses of 2 businesses. I think we have too many irons in the fire. I wanted a full size greenhouse business but i think hubby has put a damper on it. bummer. Guess ill have to stick with just growing tomato produce---and a few extras--like---eggplant, squash, and peppers.

thanks ladies
great ideas
cricket

I have started lots of tomotoes inside a greenhouse, on heated [with light bulbs] tables, I cover at night with plastic, to keep the heat from the light bulbs in side the little greenhouse created by covering the table with plastic. I was fighting sub zero temps outside- but the greenhouse inside the greenhouse worked so well I had to watch how hot it got and make little vents and turn off some lights when the nights were not so cold.The bottoms and sides of the tables were insulated with foil covered bubble wrap. I was starting plants the last part of Jan. to be transplanted in early march to the greenhouses.[ I was at 6000 ft elevation in S. Utah at the time]

CT, I totally understand the damper thing. I too, dream of having a comercial greenhouse, but $ are tight so progress is really slow. I did get half of my greenhouse up, and have a small electric heater and 2 heat mats. Last year I raised a bunch of marigolds, tomatoes, herbs, etc. and sold some perennials that I had started the year before. I sold to friends and neighbors, and had a yard sale.
It didn't go as well as I hoped, so wasn't going to try it this year, but now that it is planting time,I'll be starting a bunch of stuff again.LOL
My sister in law buys from me every year, and now a co worker has asked me to " grow up a garden" for her, so... hope springs eternal!

We start our plants in the basement under grow lights and move them to the GH after they germinate and develope their true leaves. They are transplanted into their finish containers before we move them and the system allows us to keep the GH slightly cooler (around 50F). We have been starting plants this way for years. This year we have equipment and room for about 22 flats. As we move those to the GH we will start the next ones.

If you are interested in unheated greenhouse production you might want to read Eliot Coleman's manual, "The Winter Harvest Manual"...It has lots of good info.

This message was edited Jan 22, 2005 12:07 PM

How about buying a portable propane heater to get you through the cold nights? They are very inexpensive at Home Depot.

SKY--we are in the same boat-----I just moved here last year---and of coarse the greenhouse didnt do so well the first year---but the second year is always better---each year gets better. I know how ya feel. And lots of luck to ya this year. crossing fingers for ya.

I have room for 16 flats( over heat cables)and my boxes are a foot deep so i can cover the box with plastic at night too.
And guess what----filed my tax return----gonna have enough to buy and put up a 16*96 greenhouse---im beside myself!!!!!!!total cost $1,600.00 for the frame, poly, ground cover, 2*4s.

I think our average coldest nights goes down to 18-19 degrees F. Once in a while in Feb it goes down to 10 or wind chills of -2 but not very often.
Feb is normally our coldest month. off and on.

My brain is going around in circles. lol

I do have a unvented propane heater and little tank. propane is expensive here.($1.86 gal)

I have two electric heaters--those small space heaters if i need extra heat. The seedling hoophouse is 12*15----just big enough to start all my seedlings and larger tomato plants for bigger pots.

MICHAEL---- did you just hang those lights above your seed flats with poly draped over the light fixtures. Floresant???? I have 3 sets of Floresant Light fixtures too----with the Grow light bulbs---4 ft fixtures.

And of all things---i want to try growing tomatoes in those 5 gallon grow bags in the greenhouse ---the greenhouse will have manual side curtains for air flow---the top will stay covered to keep rain off the plants---so i can control the watering and try to prevent the cracks they get. I'll be growing 240 plants in the greenhouse and 240 outside the house--- cant wait to see the outcome--hope im not disappointed. That should be profit of $6000 by it self after expenses.
And i sell alot of 6" better bush and better boy tomatoes for $1 each==$0.50 each is profit. Am i selling these too cheep?


Have i chatted your eyes off yet?

cricket

small sed house frame::::::in the back ground--uncovered back in the summer of 2004