Winter Greenhouse Help

[CoopCrazy]

Hey folks my mother is really wanting to setup a winter greenhouse.. Is it feasible to grow veggies and fruits inside in the winter time??? Also what types of plants, herbs or fruits would do best?? And can I keep my chickens in there during the winter months.... Also with temps below freezing in the winter what would be the best ( reasonably priced) material to use???

 

[Cluckin'Along]

Hey Coop crazy!

Those are a lot of questions that could get a lot of different answers.... First, where (approximately) In the US is your mother? Does she intend to heat her green house, or leave it cold? Also, how many chickens? There is a great book out right now, by Eliott Coleman called "Four season Harvest", that would be a good start. Also, try this link for some good info: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Greenhouse.html

He keeps chickens and worms in his greenhouse! Good Luck!!

 

[CoopCrazy]

Thanks for the link.. We are in southern Indiana, definitly not gonna heat it ( she is a nazi about using electricity.. The chickens were more of an ofter thought... I just figured that would be way nicer for them and hopefully for me to care for them as well... Thanks for the reply..

 

[flgardengirl]

I have to heat my greenhouse in the winter and I live in NE FL. In fact, I lost a lot of tender tropicals like some of my potted cacao trees and dwarf papayas when it dropped below 40 in the greenhouse because I forgot to light the propane heater and our temps got into the teens one night. For tender vegetables like tomatoes and peppers it seems like you would have to have heat of some sort during your colder winters.

 

[justbugged]

I have a greenhouse in Western Washington State that I keep heated to just above freezing over the winter. I bought a temperature sensitive power socket that turns the space heater off and on, so that it doesn't either freeze or over heat. I have successfully wintered over geraniums. I figured what I spent on heat I saved on plants. Of course the plants are now larger than what I would normally buy. We had a very cold couple of weeks in December and I covered the green house with blankets for a couple of weeks to help insulate a little more. We normally have very mild winters here, so I don't know that anything I could add that would help you with a greenhouse.

What about hydroponics? That you could do that in the house with grow lights, and the temperature at what ever level is normal for you. I have a garden window in my kitchen that has a grow light on all the time and I am able to grow a lot of different plants.

 

[BC_Farms]

I know some people switch to growing in their basements in the winter with light stands.

For a greenhouse if you are going to heat it during the winter I would make it as small as possible. Keep it big enough for everything you need, but don't make high vaulting ceilings or something if you don't need them. I worked in a larger (glass) greenhouse that we heated during the winter that was 10,000 sq ft and cost around $1,000 a month to heat at around 45-50 degrees.

The good thing is that plants do need a rest period to over winter...so you won't have to heat the house to 80 degrees. If you can't end up heating it this winter you could always use to to house perennials and bulbs.