Greenhouse heaters?

Jumpy

Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent greenhouse heater?

Unfortunately its too far for electric, so its down to gas or parafin.

Im new to greenhouses though so I dont know much about heating.

Corsendonk

How big is the greenhouse? Gas burns cleaner and you get CO2 as an added bonus but there a bugger to fix.

Jumpy

About 5x8 and plastic.

Its one of the LIDL jobs.

bmaxi

Not familiar with the Lidl one, is this a rigid plastic or just a plastic cover draped over tubular poles? If the latter then, assuming it's still there after the first gale, you might as well try and heat the street.
Generally, electric is best of all as it can be regulated and is a drier heat. Gas is next but burnt gas gives off a lot of moisture which can cause fungal diseases and the house would need to be well ventilated. Paraffin is probably the least effective, along with gas it gives off a lot of moisture and, if the wick is not kept trimmed can give off gases which are actually noxious to plants (and humans for that matter).

Jumpy

bmaxi wrote: »

Not familiar with the Lidl one, is this a rigid plastic or just a plastic cover draped over tubular poles? If the latter then, assuming it's still there after the first gale, you might as well try and heat the street.
Generally, electric is best of all as it can be regulated and is a drier heat. Gas is next but burnt gas gives off a lot of moisture which can cause fungal diseases and the house would need to be well ventilated. Paraffin is probably the least effective, along with gas it gives off a lot of moisture and, if the wick is not kept trimmed can give off gases which are actually noxious to plants (and humans for that matter).

Its the latter. Its also weighted down by about 50 kilos of ceramic tiles.

Corsendonk

Sounds like more of a hot box than a greenhouse. Most greenhouses lose 80% of there heat at night. Problem with small size if the heating cuts out there isn't much of a hot air buffer so the temp drops quickly.

mp22

I use one of these in my greenhouse (glass 8x4)there not bad if you use the better quality lamp oil in them.http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/0424284/Trail/searchtext%3EGREENHOUSE+HEATER.htm

Jumpy

Its this

bmaxi

What exactly do you want to do. Grow plants during the winter, overwinter tender plants, start plants early?
The house you have is not suitable for any serious long term growing, because of it's very nature it will heat up and cool down very quickly and unless you are prepared to go out and turn the heater on and off every hour or so, is a waste of time. It will also suffer high levels of condensation.
Most tender plants will tick over at about 45F starting into growth at about 55F, in a "normal" Irish winter it's normally enough to cover these with fleece in a cold greenhouse.
If you are seriously thinking of growing plants over the winter, I would consider getting a better house.

Jumpy

Grow winter plants, keep existing plants alive until spring.

Corsendonk

Its way too light weight for this climate, even with it weighed down. Your greenhouse will get ripped to shreds. I would take it down for the winter. If it was glass you would have a chance of maintaining temp but even they get damaged in winter.

Jumpy

I ended up getting the paraffin heater.

Its a bit too weak for how fast a plastic greenhouse loses heat.
Even over the past few chilly nights its barely made a dent on the internal temp of the greenhouse.

bmaxi

Jumpy wrote: »

I ended up getting the paraffin heater.

Its a bit too weak for how fast a plastic greenhouse loses heat.
Even over the past few chilly nights its barely made a dent on the internal temp of the greenhouse.

I hate to say, "I told you so" but...........

Corsendonk

Thats whats gardening is all about!! Learning from your mistakes!:)

mp22

Jumpy wrote: »

I ended up getting the paraffin heater.

Its a bit too weak for how fast a plastic greenhouse loses heat.
Even over the past few chilly nights its barely made a dent on the internal temp of the greenhouse.

if you get some bubble wrap, line the inside of the green house with it, you will get a reasonable ammount of insulation, and the light loss will run about 15 to 20%

Jumpy

Thanks.
I will give it a try. I have stones on the bottom of the greenhouse too. I am thinking about switching it for woodchip.

peter4sks

Would you need heaters to grow tomatoes in Ireland? Have a nice Greenhouse. Plastic not glass. Have the seedlings out there now but there is talk of snow and Ice early next week.

Is the greenhouse enough or do i need a heat lamp or burner for night time?

Supercell

I've taken my tomatoes in for the next few days, too persistently cold for young tomato plants.