From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Butler, Ohio

I've head alot of growers talk about different ways of keeping heat in their hoop houses/cold frames at night time. I've heard everything from jugs of water to light bulbs. What do you use and why? Do you worry about overheating the new plants? What were the results? Mike

3/19/2005 7:52:51 PM

[email protected]

I'm using heat lamps and specifically Red ones. I really thing adding red at the early ages will help develop the plants faster, and in turn make them grow faster. I've researched this a bit and found that red is one of the first colors to be used up, and blue being the second.
It's worth a try anyway and I have the lights.
I am also using fans on thermostats to regulate the heat.
Eddy

3/19/2005 9:46:59 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

Ice-man, do you use any kind of special red lights? Or, are they just your run-of-the-mill red floodlights?

I've been racking my brain over what to use. But, I've already got some flood lights just laying around. So, if I could use those, it would be great.

On a slightly different note, do you use grow lights at all? Could they be used outside in the hoophouse, or would they blow? I've recently noticed that makers like GE and Sylvania make fluorescent bulbs and floodlights that fit into normal fixtures, but are made to give off a light which helps plants grow. I've got an unused 18" fluroescent fixture around. So, I may use that.

3/19/2005 10:41:07 PM

[email protected]

I use an actual heat lamp. The very same poultry producers use for their baby chicks. I keep the light a minimum of 3 ft. above the plant as not to burn them.
A standard flood light doesn't give off much heat.
check with Home Depot, lowes or even an Agriculyural store for actual heat lamp bulbs.
I get mine from a local Agri. Store.
I use grow lights a lot and only for vegetables (LOL)
I use 5 double tubed 4' florecents with growlux bulbs for all my seed starting, and for my Tomatos until I can put them out. My tomato plants are on their second transplant already.
Lots of humidity and warm temperatures and I haven't replaced a bulb in 3 years.
I have them on a timer to be on from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM. That will be our average sunlight when I put the Tomato plants out on or about the 20th of May.
Eddy

3/20/2005 12:53:41 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

underground heating cables and petroleum lanterns keep the hoophouses warm here in springtime...as well as a few candles. I use this method simply because I cant afford anything else. It protects from frost and is good enough for me.
Michel

Best regards to you ice-man and I owe you thanks for the awesome seeds pal! I may grow one of them this season but will email you in private soon.

3/20/2005 10:20:07 AM