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Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

Any good ideas out there to heat the hoop houses to get past the cold spring nights, without using electricity.

Thanks, Ray

4/13/2004 6:46:32 PM

[email protected]

Large hoops can be heated with Kerosene or Propane heaters if properly vented. But electric would be safer & cheaper. How about a small generator?

4/13/2004 7:33:46 PM

C N Y

think about this...put anything that is black near the plants and that will radiate the heat once the sun is gone for the day----some good-sized little boulders!----they do have black plastic jugs for something like ANTIFREEZE...i know i've see some other posts on this site that had about a dozen gallon jugs of
water around the young seedling that seems to have worked---also, you could look into the Wall O' Water (3/$9.99) at your local FARM SUPPLY........they work for peanu....
errrr, i mean, they work for peanu....err, i mean,
they work for
TOMATOES! why not pumpkin seedlings? in the beginning...
okay, time to go home.

4/13/2004 8:07:58 PM

Key West, FL

Black milk jugs full of water

4/13/2004 8:11:20 PM

Norton, MA

I don't know about Washington but where the heck can I find black milk jugs here? Not in Stop and Shop! LOL. Alex.

4/13/2004 8:22:23 PM

Key West, FL

spray paint

4/13/2004 8:44:33 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

uhhh...black plastic inside and surrounding the outside, hot water jugs inside at night? works just fine for lots-o-folks.

4/13/2004 8:54:03 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

fill the milk jugs with a dark dye color.

4/13/2004 8:56:07 PM

Indiana

how about some black plastic 5 gal buckets?
Steve

4/13/2004 11:04:54 PM

Sauk City Wisconsin

I'm going with a small electric space heater on a timer so it will only run at night.I like the black plastic and water idea but what if its cloudy and cold? My biggest consern is trying to keep the temp down on hot days if I'm not around.

4/13/2004 11:40:34 PM

Indiana

I am going to use small propane heaters. Something like this link on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16036&item=3671314125&rd=1
Tom

4/14/2004 12:08:15 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Make a fire outside in the evening over several medium size stones and let it light. When going to bed, take the stones (with an iron tool, of course) and put in in the green house all around the plants, but a safe distance (not much far away). They will protect the plants all night long.

Carlos

4/14/2004 3:01:28 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Hey Carlos that sounds to much like work...I think I'll just grab my little blue blankey and a flashlight and camp out in the hoop house with my dog Snoopy..who always hogs the blankey.

4/14/2004 6:11:10 AM

Norton, MA

lol!

4/14/2004 6:31:36 AM

Ljubljana, Slovenia

What about sleaping in the hoop?

4/14/2004 7:33:20 AM

Ljubljana, Slovenia

... sleeping :)

4/14/2004 7:34:26 AM

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Linus, I see that you already got the idea..

4/14/2004 7:40:18 AM

Brillion Wisconsin

Try using one of those small electric ceramic disk heaters. The kind that office workers use under their desks to keep their feet warm.

If you go with the jugs of water idea you can supplement the radiant heat by using an aquarium water heater.

Propane lantern, Mr. Heater, camp stove or gas grill set on low. Be sure to vent the area with fresh air.

I'm just going to wait a few more weeks for warmer night time temps. before starting.

4/14/2004 8:54:46 AM

derry n.h u.s.a.

I guess it would depend on how far away from a power supply your hoops are? and how large they are.For me electric is the way to go less then 100' from my home and my hoops are 6x8' so i use a couple small quartz heaters and some times a portable stove burner.of course these would not heat a 20x40 mega hoop thats where i'd use propane.hot rocks,jugs of heated water,and black plastic would also work fine.

4/14/2004 9:29:40 AM

[email protected]

Tom,

Do you suppose that Propane heater will generate enough CO2 to benefit the plants? Hmmmmm....

Steve

4/14/2004 10:03:43 AM

Oz

yes,but watch your water loss and heat pooling.

4/14/2004 11:21:09 AM

Wood River, Nebraska

I get by with one or two 60 watt light bulbs.

4/14/2004 4:12:00 PM

Eveleth MN

so far in my testing a Single 100w lightbulb is heating my 64 cubic foot hot house to about 7*f above what it was with no lightbulb. You could run one off a 12v car battery and small inverter (for portability)

4/14/2004 4:47:20 PM

C N Y

now, there's an idea...depending on how long it will last, and i am quite sure that 2 batteries can be connected in parallel, NOT SERIES!, for even longer usage...warm idea!

4/14/2004 5:21:58 PM

Ohio

could u use like one of them propane two burner camping stove to heat it up with?, or would that be to hot? just leave the bruners down as low as they can go.

4/14/2004 6:29:53 PM

Norton, MA

I think that'd be fine. Alex.

4/14/2004 7:58:13 PM

Key West, FL

That's what Tom said he was doing.

4/14/2004 8:11:32 PM

[email protected]

Ray said no electricity.

4/14/2004 8:58:32 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

My question is why are you heating the entire greenhouse for a little space? Take a 5 gallon bucket punch a hole in the bottom. Then take 2 15 watt light bulbs wire them seperate. Cover them at night with the bucket, plug in. Remove in the morning.

4/14/2004 8:59:31 PM

Mulino, Oregon

I think one of the best ideas is to use the red brooder lights (250) watts. The bulb only puts off heat, the light from the bulb will not cause the plant to get leggy or grow to the light.

4/14/2004 11:01:25 PM

C N Y

do i dare???
ohhh, i guess so. the more light the better!
the LACK of light is what causes the plants to become "leggy". they need to grow more quickly to get "to" the light, and whatever it has to do to get more light is the plant's only objective. a high-powered heatlight in combination with an average-wattage one (75-100) would be a nice way of heating a larger area, and preventing legginess, but the stipulation of no electricity has been lost....my hand is raised>>>>>>>>>>"GUILTY!<<<<<<<<<'pal2

4/15/2004 6:21:56 PM

Casscity Mich.

im using a heat lamp will it hurt being on all night its cold lately

5/2/2004 6:03:56 PM