Newbie Needs Help, PLEASE. :)

Hi all, I am new to gardening, and even newer to having a green house. We just got it built and have the heater in it, which is keeping it nice and cozy, but now I am worried about moisture. This was put up quickly, and without much knowledge of what all needs to be done. I just wanted to protect the few plants that I have right now, and have the ability to get some tropicals "up and growing". :) I have read some of the "sticky's", but I just don't quite get it. If someone could help me figure this out I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks in advance! Misty

Hi Misty,

Are you worried about too much moisture or too little? This time of year, people are usually worried about too much moisture.

For a detailed explanation of GH humidity, read here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/660217/ and here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/791285/

Get a simple thermostat and hygrometer. For the temps in most greenhouses, as long as you are more or less in the 60-85% relative humidity range, you will probably be OK. It may be normal to have condensation on the inside of the GH. Watch the temps and RH in your GH during different times of the day and different seasons. You will "get it."

SB

Thanks SB! I am worried about too much moisture at this time. I bought a thermometer, but I forgot to buy the RH meter! Some of the plants are loving the moisture, but others aren't quite as fond of it. Dh just told me that he has a couple small fans that we can try, then get the meter that shows the RH, then go from there. Thanks for all your help!
Misty

The fans are a good idea. You need the air movement for several reasons. First, it helps eliminate cold spots in the GH. Second, it moves the plants a little bit. Without going into details, this movement, or perturbation, results in stockier, shorter, stronger stems and probably some measure of disease resistance. Third, it improves plant growth by helping to replace carbon dioxide in the boundary layer of air next to the leaf. Finally, it reduces foliar diseases by reducing moisture. You are on the right track.

SB

SB you are just awesome! I will see if I can get DH out there and get the fans hooked up tomorrow! :)
Thanks a million! Misty

I finally got that hygrometer and it is reading just under 85 % humidity, so guess I am good for now at least! :)

Oh wow I see I have alot to learn and figure out now.
I have a portable greenhouse (flowerhouse) now and have it set up and have a very small amount of seedlings in it just to give it a try.
Hubby was willing to put some outside x-mas lights in it for warmth at night since they were saying we might get down to the low 30's (he wanst' real hip on using a heater) and so far I have checked everyday, opened it up when it has been warm for air circulation and to reduce some of the moisture and everything is doing okay but I see if I plant on really using it I need to do some serious reading here.
What are good links to follow to do my reading and learning from?
I want to be able to start seeds for sowing outside and have some that will stay in the greenhouse.

I think your best bet is to locate stressbaby's threads as there is a TON of info in them! How portable do you mean? I have a couple portable ones on wheels, but I didn't even try to do anything to protect anything inside them. Maybe should have as most of the plants made it til it got down to the teens, which I thought was great! Tonight it down to 11º with a 'feels like' -5º! Be glad it is warmer where you are, and good luck with info you are looking for!

it is not on wheels, the one in the banner if it shows up for you kinda reminds me of mine just that mine has stakes you put in the ground to keep it in place along with ropes at each corner but you can pull those up and move it.
here is the link to what mine is
http://www.4seasongreenhouse.com/flowerhouse-springhouse-greenhouse-p-368.html

I've put it in the yard where it gets sun from morning till late afternoon since we are in the winter months.
tonight and weds night we are suppose to get into the 20's but in the upper 40's and 50's in the day.

If I can make this greenhouse work good then I might have luck in getting DH to build me a bigger nicer one.

Hey that is just pretty darn cool! If it is in the sun most of the day and your temps stay higher than here, you should do ok with very little heat. In my first one that is probably a bit larger than that, I have an oil filled electric heater that is set on #3 on the low side and it keeps it right at 60º. I went out and checked it earlier and it was down to about 40º, but I had forgot to turn it back up from #2. The newest one was down to 20º with no heat, but we haven't gotten the trim and what not up on it yet, so still a few drafts. I bet you will just LOVE your green house and have so much fun with it! You could try putting some black rocks in your drain pans to draw in some extra heat, and even some bottles of antifreeze painted black. Anything that will help in drawing a natural heat source is of course always better. Now that you have one green house, you will want another, and another! LOL I still have one more, then I should be done! HA HA HA

well I have to get DH worked into the idea of heating it with more then just lights but I know I can do things to bring in the natural heat I have jugs I can use.
I figure since he made a bamboo head board I can get him to take some more bamboo and make me a bench to put plants on too since all I have in it right now is a small metal stand.

I figure a nice sized permment one then a sun room on the house would do me good LOL by then maybe I'll be able to quit one of my 2 jobs and enjoy it even more. haha

Good luck getting DH motivated! LOL If it is anywhere near as cold there as here, I don't have ANY today! 7º with a feels like of -5º BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The Flowerhouse type greenhouses with the thin plastic coverings don't tend to hold heat very well--if you do try to heat it you'll be wasting a ton of energy in the process. If you're at the point where you really want to grow things that require you to keep the heat up more than your lights are capable of, you'd be better off looking into a real greenhouse. You can pick up a 6x8 Harbor Freight pretty cheap--looks like right now they've got it on sale for $299. It's got twinwall PVC which is going to hold in heat a lot better than the flimsy plastic on the Flowerhouse.

Oh we are in the 30's here so far today.

as for a real greenhouse yeah I would love one but for now this one has to do.
so I have to do the best I can with this one