My Cold (Green) House

JudyB

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Thought I would make a post with links to current things I use for winter storage house as this time of year I get questions about the products I use.
First are the light units I use,
temperature controllers
heat mats, there are several different sizes. They are expensive but bombproof, you'll never have to buy them again... Google around for the best pricing.
solexx greenhouse covering panels.
make sure you get a fan and an automatic electric louver setup to draw cold air in during sunny days, I don't have a link to that, and I use an infrared heater for air heat (only needed during the coldest days, I keep the air temps in the upper 20's to low 30's. The heat mats are what I really use to keep from having winter damage.






 

JudyB

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coh

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So where do you have the heaters in your greenhouse? I'm wondering if any plants are directly in the "line of fire" and how much heat these throw. Also, have you had to replace any of the emitters yet? Website says rated for 5000 hours,

I use a standard small space heater in my 10x10 shelter (plastic covered inside the barn). I set it up so the heat rises up in the middle without directly hitting any of the plants.
 

JudyB

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So where do you have the heaters in your greenhouse? I'm wondering if any plants are directly in the "line of fire" and how much heat these throw. Also, have you had to replace any of the emitters yet? Website says rated for 5000 hours,

I use a standard small space heater in my 10x10 shelter (plastic covered inside the barn). I set it up so the heat rises up in the middle without directly hitting any of the plants.
I only have the one heater, here are a couple photos. It's above the lights mounted to the ceiling. The fan is up in the corner to the left of it, so it blows the warmed air through the house. I have never had to replace any emitters as of yet and have had it for years. I suppose since it's only used in one season it takes a while to add up the hours. The fan at the center next to the white fan is the exhaust fan that pulls the cold air across the house when the temp gets above 40, there are automatic louvers in the opposite side, that open at 40 as well. It's worked very well and now that I have digital thermostats, things run a lot less than the original dial type.
IMG_2242.jpgIMG_2243.jpg
 

JudyB

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Really helpful. Thanks for posting. What temperature do you set on the thermometer for the heat mats?
I keep the air temps around 28 and the heat mat temps at 36. That way the roots never freeze. I get great root growth all winter. The caveat is that you will need to water regularly and it's important to do humidification as well. If the heater runs it can dry the air out, so I keep 3 humidifiers in there, they sit on the heat mats so they don't freeze either. I keep them on timers, they all come on at the same time, 4 times in 24 hours, for 15 minutes each time.
 

Carkybones

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I keep the air temps around 28 and the heat mat temps at 36. That way the roots never freeze. I get great root growth all winter. The caveat is that you will need to water regularly and it's important to do humidification as well. If the heater runs it can dry the air out, so I keep 3 humidifiers in there, they sit on the heat mats so they don't freeze either. I keep them on timers, they all come on at the same time, 4 times in 24 hours, for 15 minutes each time.
Thanks! One other question. How often do you water during the winter?
 

JudyB

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Thanks! One other question. How often do you water during the winter?
When they get dry... It is dependent on the tree, but on average I'd say every 12 days or so for trees with no leaves. Some azaleas keep more leaves during winter, they might need more often, as well as some of my other trees that keep leaves.
I should also say that my cooling (fan and vent) system is set to come on when it gets above 40.
Thank you for sharing! How do you water in this space? In place? At a sink?
I have a "spot sprayer" 9 gallon unit that is battery powered, and rechargeable. I use this to water in there and also in the summer. It's just like the one I linked, but if you look around you can get these a bit cheaper than this one is listing. Think I paid 150 for mine. I have a rain barrel in the greenhouse so I use the water it collects in this sprayer. I have a couple more rain barrels outside during summer to fill it in season.
 

Carkybones

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@JudyB do you use the bayite thermometer with the mats? I read that there is a spot to stick the probe into in the mat. Just want to see if the bayite will work to control the temp for the mats. Thanks!
 

JudyB

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@JudyB do you use the bayite thermometer with the mats? I read that there is a spot to stick the probe into in the mat. Just want to see if the bayite will work to control the temp for the mats. Thanks!
I use the probe pushed down into a pot. That way I'm regulating the temp of the soil, not the surface temp of the mat. I usually choose a mid side pot for this probe.
 

Japonicus

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Nice, really nice setup @JudyB I used controllers on my reef tank for sequential firing of my lights
across the reef (as well as lunar phasing simulation) to simulate Sun travel, + fan on thermostat as well.
However I'm not going to get as elaborate, in fact, my lack of elaboration may be a downfall
for such use, but I have to pick your brain here a smidge...
Outdoors, no supplemental heat besides a mat for the roots, wouldn't it be a trial and error correction
trying to dial in the proper temp to overcome below zero temps? Maybe not, but perhaps 120ºF would not be enough
to overcome frigid outdoor temps enough to keep the root zone from freezing, would make me want to mulch
the pot on the mat. I understand the probe goes into the soil, then if the soil does freeze, the Phytotronic mats
suggest it will overheat, damage and void warranty. I guess a bucket turned over onto the plant would be
a better option than mulching.
I'm pricing the 21"x5' model a no brainer based on cost difference of the smaller 12"x 5' size.
Guess I should call their number tomorrow and see what they have to say since I'm not using it
in a controlled environment as you are. Sorry for bouncing between threads, I did hope you'd
be able to see the damage I was dealing with, with the Seka.
 

JudyB

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Nice, really nice setup @JudyB I used controllers on my reef tank for sequential firing of my lights
across the reef (as well as lunar phasing simulation) to simulate Sun travel, + fan on thermostat as well.
However I'm not going to get as elaborate, in fact, my lack of elaboration may be a downfall
for such use, but I have to pick your brain here a smidge...
Outdoors, no supplemental heat besides a mat for the roots, wouldn't it be a trial and error correction
trying to dial in the proper temp to overcome below zero temps? Maybe not, but perhaps 120ºF would not be enough
to overcome frigid outdoor temps enough to keep the root zone from freezing, would make me want to mulch
the pot on the mat. I understand the probe goes into the soil, then if the soil does freeze, the Phytotronic mats
suggest it will overheat, damage and void warranty. I guess a bucket turned over onto the plant would be
a better option than mulching.
I'm pricing the 21"x5' model a no brainer based on cost difference of the smaller 12"x 5' size.
Guess I should call their number tomorrow and see what they have to say since I'm not using it
in a controlled environment as you are. Sorry for bouncing between threads, I did hope you'd
be able to see the damage I was dealing with, with the Seka.
Yeah I did see the damage, it's sad, as I love Sekka, and can't seem to find one. I don't think they do so well in a lot of climates, so not a lot of them out there. Good luck to you, will be interesting to see what the mat folks tell you. I didn't realize you were doing this in an outside area. You may want to try heat cables instead of a mat. I've done those in an outside config. before I built the house. I zip tied mine in a serpentine pattern to a square of hardware cloth and buried it in mulch under the pots. then mulch around the pots as well. They have inline thermostats in them if I remember correctly. Maybe look into that idea.
 

Japonicus

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Yeah I did see the damage, it's sad, as I love Sekka, and can't seem to find one. I don't think they do so well in a lot of climates, so not a lot of them out there. Good luck to you...
I would LOVE for there to be more info on this Hinoki out there and more folks using them.
Bill V. should have some for sale this Spring.

You may want to try heat cables instead of a mat. They have inline thermostats in them if I remember correctly.
1579215995671.png
How about heat tape? I can get that at Lowes or HD any time.
Thanks for the idea, never even crossed my mind :)
DSC_3874.JPG
Supposed to be 22º tonight. Here in the rural area maybe upper teens.
I've never done this before.
 

JudyB

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I would LOVE for there to be more info on this Hinoki out there and more folks using them.
Bill V. should have some for sale this Spring.


View attachment 279101
How about heat tape? I can get that at Lowes or HD any time.
Thanks for the idea, never even crossed my mind :)
View attachment 279102
Supposed to be 22º tonight. Here in the rural area maybe upper teens.
I've never done this before.
never thought of heat tape, don't know how they'd do buried, but worth a tryout. I used to put a single 100 watt bulb in a tarp setup when it got super cold before I had good protection, much like they use in chicken coops...
 

Cadillactaste

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never thought of heat tape, don't know how they'd do buried, but worth a tryout. I used to put a single 100 watt bulb in a tarp setup when it got super cold before I had good protection, much like they use in chicken coops...
My friend does this down in Florida when they have those freak cold spells. The tarp and a clamp light.
 

substratum

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High today in Tallahassee was 78. I’m hoping winter doesn’t skip us, altogether. Sort of bums me out to hear the AC come on in the middle of the night in January, LOL!

We used a 100 watt bulb in the bottom of the roost to keep chickens warm on really cold nights, when we had chickens. It was completely adequate for N.FL.

For the last few years, my only protection for cold sensitive plants has been to throw a retired king size bed spread over them at night.

@JudyB - that’s a great setup!
 
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