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Post by danyoh on Apr 25, 2016 10:44:14 GMT -5
1) I was wondering if an unheated greenhouse would be viable during the winter? I plan to build a greenhouse within the next couple of weeks but want to figure this part out..
2) Also, I am starting to build a mini-bog and was wondering how you all deal with rain? I plan to put a couple of holes 1/4 from the top and a tube in the centre to monitor water levels. Would it be enough? I don't want to put a tube at the bottom for releasing excess water (I think it's ugly & don't want to deal with maintenance after rain)
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Post by amanitovirosa on Apr 25, 2016 19:05:22 GMT -5
...from my experience, an unheated, uninsulated greenhouse is a useless greenhouse. Don't waste your time, I know, I built myself one. My two cents.
AV.
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Post by Apoplast on Apr 25, 2016 21:02:28 GMT -5
Hi danyoh - As much as I would enjoy giving him a hard time, I fully agree with AV! However, I'd also add that my first questions would be, where do you live, and what do you want to grow? If you are trying to grow a Nepenthes bicalcarata in Yellowknife in an unheated greenhouse, forget it! But if you don't want to pull in your VFT plants on the few nights it dips below freezing in coastal Vancouver, it might help. An unheated greenhouse works well if you are barely below the threshold for a plant. But barely. Anything beyond slim margins, it won't work. If you want my longer, nerdier explanation of why: ocps.proboards.com/post/80395/thread
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Post by pinhead on Apr 26, 2016 21:54:03 GMT -5
I'm in Vancouver and my greenhouse is unheated. I overwinter my Citrus, Cymbidium Orchids and other plants I don't want to risk leaving in the ground over a bad winter. I do move my Nepenthes inside.
One thing I do is have a wireless weather station sensor in the Greenhouse to so I can monitor the temperature. If the interior of the Greenhouse gets to close to freezing, I turn on a set of Christmas lights hooked up to a remote controlled wireless AC outlet. This is enough to keep the temperature above zero.
I am in the process of automating watering, misters and fans with an Arduino and may do something similar with the lights in the winter.
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Post by danyoh on Apr 26, 2016 22:03:43 GMT -5
Ah would love to see your setup if you have time I still need to figure out what I want
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Post by H2O on Apr 26, 2016 23:24:59 GMT -5
I think unheated greenhouses are great but I also live in great climate already. islandsarracenia.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/the-greenhouse/Greenhouse looks a little different now but it gives you an idea. Temperate plants work amazing in these greenhouses, My greenhouse plants are literally 2 months ahead of the outdoor plants. They're also much larger then they get outside. A tiny bit of sun can heat up a greenhouse a shocking amount. Like others have said, it really comes down to what you want to use it for.
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Post by stevebooth on Apr 27, 2016 14:14:13 GMT -5
In the UK I have an unheated greenhouse and it is great for over wintering the more tender carnivorous plants and any in pots, especially if you can keep it above 0C. I also use it in summer for one or two specimen Sarracenia as they appreciate the extra warmth they get from a greenhouse, but it is mostly full of chillies, tomatoes and sarracenia seedlings in summer. As far as your bogs go, people's theories on water levels are many and varied, I have some reasonably sized ones and they all need some from of drain for letting water out to allow oxygen to get to the plant roots, standing water for any appreciable time starts rot in rhizomes and no oxygen kills, although periodic inundation for short periods is fine. I built my bogs, half in and half out the ground (primarily to save digging time) and have a tube to look down to see what water level in them. I have and a series of corked drainage holes in the sides and one in the bottom, to drain water out to whatever water level I feel appropriate, or see fit to have, in view of up coming weather events. These also have the added benefit of allowing you to drain the bog in winter to keep it drier in dormancy, rather than cold and soggy. Cheers Steve
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Post by lloyd on Apr 27, 2016 15:59:50 GMT -5
I kept my garage at 0°C and above this winter. The Sarrs, pings and VFT's are much better.
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