Designing and Building a Greenhouse maximizing Heating and Cooling

This past Spring my husband built me a greenhouse from recycled windows and wood. So far it's been amazing. I'm very happy that we kept it small as it is easier to heat in the Winter. Not to mention to maintain and clean. It's a 8' x 8' x 8' lean to, which in itself has provided many benefits. 

When designing a greenhouse, heating and cooling of the space and providing good ventilation are crucial. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the best and cheapest way to heat a greenhouse.

We positioned it south / east and the house blocks the hot Summer west sun at the end of the day, helping it not overheat. 

Several design decisions have helped with saving heating costs. Our house exterior wall is brick so there is no worry of rotting siding or other damage to the house. It also retains a little heat as the sun shines on it during the day and it's one less exposed wall that looses heat during winter. Inside the greenhouse is a window that connects to the laundry room. In Summer we can raise it and insert a window fan when the greenhouse gets too hot and in Winter open it during the day to let the heat into the house. A stagnant locked up space will cause your plants to burn up or mildew in the Summer and Fall high humidity. 

On the greenhouse itself, we installed 2 windows and a door that can be opened for air flow. During the hottest of Summer months, we have an electric computer fan mounted up near the roof that I plug in when the temperature starts climbing. It moves just enough air to not burn up my plants on 100 degree days. I also have a table fan that I turn on for a few hours each day year round.

To heat the space, initially I tried a 1200 watt heater fan that we had on hand and it did little to keep the temperature up during the coldest part of the night. I immediately gave up on using it at all. Several other small greenhouse owners recommended a smaller heater that used only 200 watts. It put out just as much heat using a lot less energy to run compared to my 1200 watt heater. It is my initial "cheap" blast of heat as the sun sets in Winter months. It provides enough heat in the Fall until very late in the morning. At that time another stronger heat source needs to run in tandem to keep the heat up around 50 degrees. 

My secondary and main heat source is a portable electric oil heater that I had on hand. It has 2 settings, so far I've only needed the 600W setting but I can add another 900W if temps drop below 20 degrees. Last night was the coldest night yet, getting down to 23 degrees and I kept my greenhouse a cozy 47 inside. My set up keeps it typically 20 degrees higher than the outdoor temperature. Because it was going to be so cold, I did hang an old wool blanket over part of the front windows and a temporary strip of bubble wrap over 1/2 of the side windows where my sensitive plants are located.

A must have is an automatic temperature driven dual outlet plug. I have both heaters plugged into this device so during the night when the temperature drops the units operate separately and come on at different temperature levels. It's a way to save $ and not just manually turn on units as night approaches and run all night. They turn off and on at temperatures that I have set. It also displays the current greenhouse temperature. It has worked magically. 

When you build your greenhouse, keep in mind that any sort of crack or draft is going to be really hard to keep heated unless you don't care how much money you toss at it. A lot of people suggest insulating with greenhouse grade bubble wrap. I have used stiff removable packing bubble wrap sparingly so far because my cucumbers are still coming on (I do not want to block the light during the day). I might eventually need to lower the roof area closer to plants with bubble wrap as January nears when I expect the cucs will stop producing. It would help save heating costs and keep plants cozier.

~Rebecca 

For the Birds

Just a Brown Bird ?  Think again, a Yellow-rumped Warbler

Did you know there are over 10,000 bird species in the world?  I've discovered that viewing birds through a strong camera lens or binoculars is a necessity for identification.  A small brown bird looks totally different magnified.  I was thinking we only had White Throated Sparrows at our suet feeder but after magnification, I discovered actually both Sparrows and the Yellow-rumped Warbler were dining at our feeder.  More common birds become brilliant through the camera lens. 

Pair of Red Bellied Woodpeckers

A pair of Red Bellied Woodpeckers has finally gotten together and were enjoying the suet in the snow today.  I've heard drumming on our gutter now for a solid month.  I'm glad they have finally hooked up for the season.  I can hear my favorite Woodpecker, the Pileated, on Forsythia Hill but have only gotten glimpses this early in the season.  A Cardinal pair was ground feeding together in the snow.  It was predicted we would have .1" and it looks like 6" is more like it!

Female Cardinal in budding Red Maple Tree

I love all birds, from our Chickens and Crows to the Nuthatch.  The White-breasted Nuthatch has always been my favorite bird.  Climbing on trees with that slicked back 50's Elvis style cap.  I've always referred to them as Little Elvis.  I've not yet gotten a good shot, they move so quickly.

You can see how I'm spending this snowy day... enjoying nature.

Happy Snow!

-Rebecca

Lewis Ginter BOGO

A great winter time deal at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia goes through the end of February.  Yesterday my husband and I enjoyed a day roaming the gardens for half off.

I love gardens no matter what time of year it is.  Lewis Ginter shows off their plantings best features year round.  My husbands favorite plant was a massive Loblolly Pine back in the Dwarf Conifer section.  I went to see the Daffodils.  It was a bit early but there were some early blooming varieties that were quite lovely.  Especially a patch of miniature yellows with a cup no larger than my pinky fingernail.

Also showing interest were multicolored Hellebore's, pink Cherry trees, Witch Hazel, Magnolia, various berried plants and shrubs, Daffodils, and Crocus,   Winter allows visitors to better view a variety of birds not only in the garden but in the ponds and lakes.  There were some beautiful Geese enjoying diving for fish and floating gracefully.  The Conservatory, a relatively new element at Lewis Ginter, is always in full bloom.  Currently showing are lovely displays of spring bulbs and a wing full of incredible Orchids.

There were also two impressive exhibits, one inside and one outside.  In the Library, Seeing Trees: Photographs by Robert Llewellyn (the last day was Sunday) and outside behind the Conservatory the massive,  Diamonds in the Rough stick sculpture by Patrick Dougherty; a Meadowmorphosis.  Children were especially enjoying the outside exhibit.

We had a relaxing day once again at Lewis Ginter.  This Tuesday the discussion will continue in Charlottesville concerning the possible addition of a Botanical Garden to McIntire East.  Let's hope it's a major part of this City owned park land.  Check out my NEW Garden Lovers Calendar on my blog for upcoming Charlottesville gardening related events.

-Rebecca

New Year's Day Nature Walk

White seed heads of Golden Rod dancing in the breeze.

On this first day of 2012, my husband and I headed out for a leisurely hike on the Monticello trail system.  We decided instead to walk the trails of the 215 acre Ivy Creek Natural Area because it is just a few miles away from Forsythia Hill.  It was fairly busy but most of our 1.5 mile walk was peaceful and relaxing.  I so enjoy walking in the quiet forest removed from the man made noise of the world.  You don't realize how much sound you have to contend with until you get in a totally isolated place where all you can hear is the rustling of leaves and chirping of birds.  Quiet has a certain sound to it that is very hard for me to describe.  All I can think of is "white" or sssshhhhh - a blankness but a sound that I crave.

Running Cedar or Clubmoss.

Being a plant lover and collector, I love walking the woods in the winter trying to discover what the forest is hiding beneath the layer of fallen leaves.  I tend to think that most people focus downward on the foot path and miss many of the plants that are less than a foot off the trail. 

Navite Wild Ginger, easy to spot.

I spotted a nice clump of one of my favorite woodland plants, Gound Cedar,  Diphasiastrum digitatum.  Quite commonly spotted along our walk was native Wild Ginger and Striped Wintergreen.  There were many pretty seed pods such as Golden Rod and one red berry that I could not identify.  Pine cones and tree fungus were a common theme.

The coolest of cool tree fungus.

As I write this I hear the wind picking up outside and the forcast is a deep dip in temperature.  It was so nice getting outside today exploring in just a sweater, in JANUARY.  Now there is no sound of "white" and more of a sound of howling cold dark winter finally approaching.

Dream of Spring! 

-Rebecca