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Dec 31, 2014 9:43 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol Texas
Central Texas (Zone 8b)
"Not all who wander are lost."
Bookworm Region: Texas Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Herbs Greenhouse
Garden Art Fruit Growers Dragonflies Composter Cactus and Succulents Gardens in Buckets
Here in Central Texas we are having freezing nights. So glad I added the solar pool cover. Makes a huge difference. Still using the mylar blankets too. They make quite a difference. Using small Delonghi heater and a couple strands of rope lights in the 6 x 8 and it's staying 62 daytime and 56 night, with lights off nights. On patio my 4 x 6 temporary zip up GH is staying about 56 with the mylar blankets tented over the plants, two 65 watt light bulbs and rope lights for heat. My first year with GH and I'm happy to not be running all over the yard covering things every time it freezes. Looking forward to sunshine by the weekend.

Appreciate all the great mentoring and advice from all the greenhouse garden sages on this site. P Hurray! Thank You!
Www.carolmedfordart.com
My passion is painting but gardening is running a close second.
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Jan 1, 2015 10:04 PM CST
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
My heat bill is up $100. But that's ok. It will be better next year. I have big plans for insulating it the right way that will help keep the heat bills down.

In the meantime, my plants are not only safe from the cold, they are growing and blooming! But we have the worse of winter yet to come. Dh thinks I should drop the thermostat down some. It won't get any warmer than 15ยบ above the outside temps anyway. Shrug! It's only money.
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
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Jan 1, 2015 11:56 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol Texas
Central Texas (Zone 8b)
"Not all who wander are lost."
Bookworm Region: Texas Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Herbs Greenhouse
Garden Art Fruit Growers Dragonflies Composter Cactus and Succulents Gardens in Buckets
@shadygreenthumb do you grow to sell, or just for you?

I'm thinking about eventually selling at farmers market but not sure if it will pay off or not. I'm trying to be all organic.
Www.carolmedfordart.com
My passion is painting but gardening is running a close second.
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Jan 2, 2015 9:36 AM CST
Name: Sam aka 'Rosie'
Post Oaks of Colorado Co. (Zone 8b)
Region: Texas
We're maintaining mine at 65 & Mrs. Ranch's at 75 (orchids). When I start germinating the spring garden seeds in mine, I'll kick it up to 75.
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Jan 2, 2015 11:51 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
Garden Art Dog Lover Cottage Gardener Butterflies Vegetable Grower Garden Ideas: Master Level
I usually use a heat mat and domed trays. 10 degrees up here can be costly. Hilarious!
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Jan 5, 2015 9:52 PM CST
Name: Sam aka 'Rosie'
Post Oaks of Colorado Co. (Zone 8b)
Region: Texas
Eric, we're in an electrical co-op here so rates are pretty reasonable. Plus once a year, we get a 'rebate' check when they distribute the profits, which helps offset our costs. Each greenhouse runs about $30-35 per month on average for the 3 months that we need to heat them, which I think is pretty good. Thumbs up
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Jan 6, 2015 9:35 AM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
Garden Art Dog Lover Cottage Gardener Butterflies Vegetable Grower Garden Ideas: Master Level
That's very good $. With the oncoming polar blast I've considered putting a couple of lanterns in the GH, as further backup.
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Jan 6, 2015 10:03 AM CST
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
I have a feeling that $30-$35 per month is cheap! I am heating each of my two greenhouses with two, 1500W heaters and two more on my enclosed porch. I don't know what the power consumption is during the fall/winter months, and probably don't want to know! Whistling
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jan 6, 2015 12:42 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
Garden Art Dog Lover Cottage Gardener Butterflies Vegetable Grower Garden Ideas: Master Level
Looks like your due a blast of cold in the south too. It's so cold here (20s) already that the snow is super fine and dry. I'm hoping we get some sun before we get winds. The drifting can be worse than the snowfall.
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Jan 6, 2015 12:46 PM CST
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
Ric, our forecast for Thursday AM is 15 F with a wind-chill in the single digits. Isn't it just great to live in the Deep South? Sighing!
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jan 6, 2015 2:33 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Carol Texas
Central Texas (Zone 8b)
"Not all who wander are lost."
Bookworm Region: Texas Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Herbs Greenhouse
Garden Art Fruit Growers Dragonflies Composter Cactus and Succulents Gardens in Buckets
They project we will get down to 24 tonight. Today is sunny and about 65. My zippered up small GH on the patio got to 93 and I had to open up the zippered door and vents. Tonight will be challenging. Last night was about 34 and I made a bit of a "tent" over the plants in the GH with the mylar blankets. That made a huge difference. The night before the GH got down to 48. Last night it was 55-- with heater at same temp. So I guess I'll be tenting the plants tonight and keeping the little heater under the tent - there's plenty of room between it and the top of the tent, so no fire hazard.
Www.carolmedfordart.com
My passion is painting but gardening is running a close second.
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Jan 6, 2015 4:01 PM CST
Name: Anna Z.
Monroe, WI
Charter ATP Member Greenhouse Cat Lover Raises cows Region: Wisconsin
-4 last night here in the tundra zone. I have a 125,000BTU heater in the g'house, with another as backup in case of failure. And yes, it HAS happened. I do have a very good furnace guy that comes right away when I call. He says "you can call anytime......even during the night. You're one of my good customers". I said "oh, you mean because I PAY promptly??" Yep!

I pre-payed $2800.00 of LP in August.
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Jan 6, 2015 4:38 PM CST
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
Whow. that's a lot of LP, Anna.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jan 6, 2015 4:45 PM CST
Name: Sam aka 'Rosie'
Post Oaks of Colorado Co. (Zone 8b)
Region: Texas
Ecscuba said:They project we will get down to 24 tonight. Today is sunny and about 65.


Same here, except 1 degree warmer... We must be pretty close to one another...

Spent the day getting ready... Since the greenhouses are open today, I watered everything & will close them up & turn the heaters back on in a little bit. I also feed the cattle, put out a few rolls of hay, brought up more firewood & picked another 5 head of cauliflower.

We'll be hunkered down for at least a couple of days, so we can blanch & freeze the cauliflower for amusement. Rolling on the floor laughing


Thumb of 2015-01-06/WRRanch/d30dfd

Thumb of 2015-01-06/WRRanch/8341a7
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Jan 6, 2015 4:51 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
Garden Art Dog Lover Cottage Gardener Butterflies Vegetable Grower Garden Ideas: Master Level
Golly, I thought a third of that was awful and prompt payment didn't help get LP delivery. The LP company stated a residential emergency. AnnaZ how big is your GH?

Beautiful cauliflower.
Ric of MAF @ DG
Last edited by Eric4home Jan 6, 2015 4:53 PM Icon for preview
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Jan 6, 2015 6:24 PM CST
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Ecscuba said:@shadygreenthumb do you grow to sell, or just for you?

I'm thinking about eventually selling at farmers market but not sure if it will pay off or not. I'm trying to be all organic.


My greenhouse is new and I built it to help protect my tropical plants from harsh winters. After years of torturing them in my dark damp garage, it was time for a change. Looks like I got it up just in time! But I would love to start my garden annuals from seeds in the greenhouse and be ready for spring. Maybe next year. I got my plants in the GH just in time for the first cold snap. They are organized but not organized enough for me to have room to start seedlings. I know a better way to do it now. I will do better next fall.
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
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Jan 6, 2015 7:54 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
Garden Art Dog Lover Cottage Gardener Butterflies Vegetable Grower Garden Ideas: Master Level
Cheryl, If you want to start seeds, I've found it more economical to use heat mats and domed trays than trying to raise the temp. After germ. slowly add air (vent the domes) to harden them, just as if you were setting plants out. After transplant you may want to increase the temp. a bit for 3-4 nights to help them along, then slowly return to reg. overnight temps.
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Jan 6, 2015 8:22 PM CST
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Thanks for the tips, Ric. I will get back to you soon on that new venture. But do you have a good source for seeds? I always plant imptiens and begonias. I would like to try that first.
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
Image
Jan 6, 2015 8:55 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
Garden Art Dog Lover Cottage Gardener Butterflies Vegetable Grower Garden Ideas: Master Level
We've had a terrible bout of Impatiens downy mildew in the North Atlantic and Northeast areas. I'm hoping it doesn't reach you. No one here grows Impatiens now, until a resistant variety is found it will be "verboten". It was a great loss to us who use shade annuals for color. I've always used bottom heat for imptiens and begonias. I have not started either since I've left commercial GH. Most of my seeds now come from seed swaps, or our own collection. I do still order heirloom seeds once and again or pick them up at the Philly Flower Show. I still think creating you own microclimate for germination is the most cost effective way to go.

We can still grow impatiens in containers of sterile potting mix, but they may still become infected, the mildew can be wind borne.
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Jan 6, 2015 9:10 PM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
I don't grow Impatiens anymore either. Took me two yrs to figure out it wasn't my gardening habits, but the mildew spores already left in the soil from the year before.

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