Sunday, December 04, 2016

Greenhouse update

I realize that I might have gone outside to take a better photo of the new greenhouse, but I didn't. So this shot from inside will have to do for now. We've been moving plants inside for the winter, mainly from the deck, but also from our heretofore winter storage place: the glassed-in front porch/entry. Now that space will be much less crowded with cold-sensitive with plants.

On a sunny day it can feel downright balmy in there.

It's all a big experiment, of course. We don't know how much the greenhouse will protect the plants from the cold, especially if it gets really cold. The glass is single-paned and there's no heat except for the winter sun. Still, it should protect from wind and ice (like sleet and freezing rain), so that's a good thing. There's a thermometer in there that we check nearly every day to get a feel for how cool it is. So far it's been a few degrees higher than the lowest of the morning temperatures outside. That could make a difference.

7 comments:

  1. It looks beautiful. I hope it works to as a way to winter your plants.

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  2. A tip: when it gets really cold (freezing) cover the plants with sheets of old newspapers. That's what my mother used to do when she still lived in her house and kept the outdoor plants in the veranda (where the temperature never went below 0°C) during winter. She never lost a plant due to 'frostbite'. Good luck! Martine

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  3. Not that I have plans to ever have a greenhouse, but I am interested in following your experiment... interested to see how much temperature difference there is, and if it's enough to keep those plants out there all winter. Walt, what is the coldest it has ever gotten in Saint Aignan, since you've lived there?

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  4. The difference between the entry porch and the green house is that the porch is protected from the cold on four sides, having only one with glass, whereas the green house is protected on only one side, the four other being glass. Big difference, in my opinion.

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  5. Those on the ground will be happy ( the gravel won't get frosty) and unless it is sunny all the time ( ?) those on the shelves may need some protection if it goes below 0

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  6. The plants looks happy for now and the greenhouse is a bit of cheerfulness for the coming of winter in a few weeks.

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  7. mitch, thanks. Me too.

    martine, interesting! Thanks.

    judy, the lowest we've had since I've been keeping records (2005) was -10.9ºC (about +12.4ºF). That happened in January 2009. We don't see that very often.

    chm, true. It's probably going to be colder in the greenhouse.

    t.b., we'll be watching! We can always pull some plants indoors if we need to.

    evelyn, it's also a nice buffer/transition between outside and the utility room.

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