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As stated, having one built so it attaches to your house would be the best option and if done right, would probably reduce the gnats (you can also spray plants before bringing them inside).
Harbor Freight makes a plexiglass one that people on forums seem to like, especially after they customize it a bit.
I have used those pop up ones. They "work" but eventually deteriorate.
It depends what you want to do, but imho this is not something done on the cheap. I sympathize with budget constraints. But they can be very labor intensive without automatic equipment. You have to watch the weather and make sure you open the vents on a sunny day or the plants will cook, even in mid February. Then you have to close it after sunset and turn on the heat. Go away for a day or two and you have to get someone else to do it.
Needless to say, the more space the better. A crowded greenhouse becomes a germ factory.
I would sit down, work out a savings plan, and have one built that is a mini addition to the house. Not just for plants- some people chill out and read in them during Winter.
Reading the reviews someone mentioned an electric radiator type heater as well as it was mentioned here also. Is there a reason for this heater over a standard electric heater.
Reading the reviews someone mentioned an electric radiator type heater as well as it was mentioned here also. Is there a reason for this heater over a standard electric heater.
Yes, they are called oil heaters, they have fins like a water radiator except they contain oil which warms up and radiates heat. They are much safer, more efficient and more economical than standard electric heaters. I use small, affordable oil heaters around plants because they won't dehydrate the plants and soil the way other other types of space heaters can do, and I keep a separate rotating fan in the plant room or greenhouse to circulate and direct the warm air to where I want it to go. In the pictures that Three Run posted you can see that his wife has a good finned oil heater in her plant shed.
The little greenhouse you posted above should be adequate for your wife's needs. If you think it won't stay warm enough in the winter months there are several types and sizes of bubble wrap designed specifically for greenhouses that you can use to insulate the greenhouse. That combined with a little oil heater for that small size of greenhouse should do quite well enough for you.
Reading the reviews someone mentioned an electric radiator type heater as well as it was mentioned here also. Is there a reason for this heater over a standard electric heater.
Zoisite is correct about the heater.
Do some research on the Harbor Freight. I have seen posts in forums where people modify and improve them.
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One thing to consider with the oil-filled radiator heater is that it can take over an hour to get up to temperature. If you have it off, and get a sudden cold snap you could be too late. You have to keep a good eye on the weather forecasts when it gets to cooler weather, and get it turned on before the cold hits. I did use one in my greenhouse last spring after planting in May when we were expecting a late freeze. They are the safest for a place where water is being used.
One thing to consider with the oil-filled radiator heater is that it can take over an hour to get up to temperature. If you have it off, and get a sudden cold snap you could be too late. You have to keep a good eye on the weather forecasts when it gets to cooler weather, and get it turned on before the cold hits. I did use one in my greenhouse last spring after planting in May when we were expecting a late freeze. They are the safest for a place where water is being used.
We have ours plugged into a wireless thermostat so it's automatic. Works great. The interior picture I posted shows the gizmo plugged in and the remote is sitting on the window sill above and to the right of the heater. In the winter/early spring we move the remote farther away closer to the door.
Those radiator heaters do suck some power though. My wife's potting shed is fully insulated so that helps moderate temps.
One thing to consider with the oil-filled radiator heater is that it can take over an hour to get up to temperature. If you have it off, and get a sudden cold snap you could be too late.
Yup, very true, but "sudden" cold snaps wont be like the movie Day after Tomorrow where everything freezes within seconds.. You'll have notice before it hits and the greenhouse should hold any warmth in there until few hours after the cold hits. Depending on wind and temps of course. It's a little pain to control temperature with space heaters but can be done if you're on top of things.
If she's going to having living plants in there during the cold season then you'll need to install a small thermostatically controlled electric space heater with a fan.
You didn't answer whether or not you will be building the greenhouse yourself or installing a kit.
You can't do much with $300 unless you're building something cheap out of plastic over a lightweight frame, and that won't hold up well to freezing temperatures or high winds.
I'm thinking if your budget is $300 max you're going to have to build it yourself out of old used or scavenged materials for the structure and place it against one wall of your house for added stability and insulation. I think you and your wife BOTH need to do some research together online about greenhouses, the materials needed, what they cost and what is entailed in the construction of a sturdy enough greenhouse that will stand up to the elements and can maintain an even temperature inside during the cold season.
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I can attest to the high winds. I bought a 'cheap' one, and a good wind came through and blew it onto my patio, and it got completely mangled.
Then my husband made me one, and that worked for a bit...but he didn't completely enclose it...by that, I mean he built it on a wooden surface...like a deck kind of. So the deck had slats. And he used plastic sheeting...and that only lasted one season. The sheeting couldn't hold up to the wind and extremes of temperatures.
If I were going to attempt it again, I'd definitely use a wooden floor, but one solid piece of plywood, and I'd use plexiglass or something like that for the walls.
I would think a pallet would get it off the ground, and then a sheet of wood covering the pallet.
If you live north of the Mason- Dixon Line, a passively heated structure won't allow you to start seeds or let established plants grow in the winter. You'll need an artifical heat source, and that won't pay for itself.
You can also consider a Walipini-- basically a high tunnel built over a pit several feet deep to take advantage of the warmer temps under ground-- works best in mountains or high desert where temps may be cold but there's plentiful sunlight. https://www.prepperfortress.com/how-...ni-greenhouse/
I can attest to the high winds. I bought a 'cheap' one, and a good wind came through and blew it onto my patio, and it got completely mangled.
Then my husband made me one, and that worked for a bit...but he didn't completely enclose it...by that, I mean he built it on a wooden surface...like a deck kind of. So the deck had slats. And he used plastic sheeting...and that only lasted one season. The sheeting couldn't hold up to the wind and extremes of temperatures.
If I were going to attempt it again, I'd definitely use a wooden floor, but one solid piece of plywood, and I'd use plexiglass or something like that for the walls.
I would think a pallet would get it off the ground, and then a sheet of wood covering the pallet.
The high winds comment and after reading how to install the HF greenhouse has changed our minds back to use my existing shed for her plants. The ground here is very rocky and sloped. It would take a lot of shovel work to get a location level which my bad back hates. I can put a radiator type heater in it along with some grow lights for this year. The primary goal is to keep her current plants alive through the winter. Last year they were put in a spare bedroom with a window. But the gnats were terrible.
Last edited by reubenray; 07-17-2022 at 06:13 AM..
Consider "passive solar", too. A few garbage cans full of water will help moderate temperature; they warm up during the day, but cool down only slowly at night. But if your area stays cold all day, it's probably not going to make enough difference.
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