Greenhouse heater.

I bought some plug plants today but daren't put them in the greenhouse yet as there's no heat in there.

I'm thinking of getting a greenhouse heater. (None electric)
Can anybody recommend one please.

My greenhouse measured 6 ft X 4 ft.

Re: Greenhouse heater.

Carol, if you go for a paraffin heater just a word of warning,
We had a paraffin heater a few years ago and lost most of our plants due to the heater wick burning right down causing it to soot the entire greenhouse, the fumes killed off most of the plants and the ones that we saved didn’t really flourish, if you can get electric to your greenhouse it will be much better, you can also bubblwrap the inside of the greenhouse to act as an insulator, it’s also a good idea to cover any plants with garden fleece as an extra layer of protection,

Re: Greenhouse heater.

What’s your nighttime temperatures carol?

Re: Greenhouse heater.

Below freezing some nights!

Re: Greenhouse heater.

I'm wondering if it might be enough if I just cover them with garden fleece at night?

Re: Greenhouse heater.

Risky then....I have my plugs out in an unheated greenhouse, but the temp is above zero on average outside at night, a couple of degrees higher in the greenhouse. Personally I would go for an electric heater after reading the above about fumes. Obviously you will need to seek advice about waterproofing your cable from the house to the green house.

Re: Greenhouse heater.

It’s what I do if I see that the temp is going to drop.

Re: Greenhouse heater.

Hi Carol,
We can have frosts here in the northern Black Forest until the middle of May. I have two different types of gas heater, this one here just takes the chill off the air. I use it for temps down to -4°c.

https://www.amazon.de/Bio-Green-Fros...stw%C3%A4chter

This one is a heater which I use if I think it's going to be a really bad frost. Sorry it's all in German.

https://www.amazon.de/Tepro-Gewächsh...ro+gas+heizung

Re: Greenhouse heater.

Carol, I think it also depends where you got the plants from.
Also, have you got a thermometer in your greenhouse to be sure of the temperature?

It might sound silly, but did you see them before you bought them? e.g. a garden centre or shop, or were they mail order ones you sent for?

I ask because if you saw them yourself, what conditions were they kept in? Were they outside, inside, in a greenhouse, or what?

If they came straight out of a warm greenhouse or indoors anywhere without being hardened off, then No, I would not plunge them into a very different temperature yet.

But if they have been hardened off, they may be alright in a cold greenhouse.
Also, what are these plugs? Are they tender bedding plants, or hardy perennials?

I ask all these things because it can make a difference to whether you need buy a heater or not.

Re: Greenhouse heater.

Hi Mups - they're geraniums.

I've decided not to bother with a heater as winters almost over. I may get one next year if I want to set seedlings in January/February.

I've put my geranium plugs inside a huge storage tub with a lid (Gravel in the bottom for drainage) and put this inside my cold greenhouse. At night I put the lid on the tub & throw a blanket over it.
In the daytime I've been standing them outside for a few hours.

One week on and they're looking healthy.