If you need your greenhouse to protect frost sensitive plants over the winter then it needs heating through the cold part of the year. With the cost of energy spiralling through the greenhouse roof, many gardeners simply batten down the hatches, cover their plants with fleece and bubble wrap and hope for the best.
At a recent trade show I was hoping to find some kind of greenhouse heater that used wind energy or solar power to create a modicum of warmth for the colder winter days. I’ve heard stories of gardeners using some form of geo thermal heating in their greenhouses but this often means either installing it before you build your glass house or digging up half the garden. I like the look of the Energy Efficient Heater, it will meet the needs of most greenhouse owners (up to a 10×12) and so I think it is very exciting.
It’s a clever design that takes the warmer air from the top of the greenhouse, heats it up some more until it is at the right temperature and then recycles it back out into the lower realms of the greenhouse. To get the best out of it you need to position the heater fairly high in the greenhouse and then move the flexible outlet pipes so that the airflow is used to the best advantage. It’s on a thermostat so you can use it as a frost control to whir into action when the temperature falls below the level that you set. What’s more you can even use it in the summer to improve the airflow within your greenhouse by switching off the heating element and using the fan to move the air around instead.
Don’t forget that glasshouses built with stone or brick walls can radiate warmth absorbed by the walls during the day. Some gardeners advocate using water tanks inside the glasshouse to store daylight warmth like storage heaters. Maybe it’s time to introduce photovoltaic panels to greenhouses to power winter electric heaters and make our growing spaces more self-sufficient all year round. Until then the ‘Indiana’ greenhouse heater may suit your needs, or perhaps you have other heating tips to share.
