Greenhouse Heating?

[Knnn]

I've been able to make it through this winter using a ceramic space heater, I have a 220 line run out to the greenhouse now
and am looking for better ideas for next winter. I was thinking of a hot water system using a hot water tank & circ. pump. or would propane space heaters be the way to go?

( only a 12 x 12 but we can drop to -15F here)

Thanks,
Steve

[Pazuzu]

I can't help you, there is no comparison in our climates. We arrely get below 20 here and I have a 1730 sq ft greenhouse that uses a 200,000 BTU Modine propane heater. I maintain a "tropical" zone 11 house, that is, above 40 yearround. Actually in winter I am a zone 12-13 as I maintain 55-60F. Its expensive, my propane bills are about $2500 a year, but I make that in plant sales so it offsets.

[Knnn]

My goal this year has been a 36F min. That seems to keep the citrus going and the palms & cycads happy (well..at least alive ) The Pinangas, Licualas, and the more tropical items do overwinter in the house tho.

It sounds like you have your greenhouse operation set up nicely. I'm just starting out with some of this and learning as I go.

-Steve

[Kansas Tropic Man]

Have you given consideration to electric infrared heat? This is very energy effecient and is often used in commercial greenhouses. Last year I used a combination of electric and propane heat, I liked this set up as it gave me redudancy in the heat system just in case we lost power during a winter storm. You have to be careful with propane and use a very high effeciency heater unless you vent. The ethylene gas that is produced from the combustion can be deadly to all plant life.

[Knnn]

Last winter, I used a 240V, 5000W, forced air unit that worked out well, and have a kerosene heater ready for the next ice storm




The ceramic heaters are probably the cheapest to run, but they only seem to last me 1 - 3 months before the BTU output starts dropping? I've heard good things about the infrared ones, my winter strategy is to keep as much air circulating as possible.


BTW ~ Welcome to PalmsNorth! I'm north of Salina in Ottawa county.


Steve

[Kansas Tropic Man]

Thaks for the welcome. I love the site and have been into what I call extreme gardening now for about 2 years. I am familiar with the country north of Salina as alot of my family is originally from Smith county. It gets alot colder in that neck of the woods than it does here in southern Kansas.
I have seen some zonal charts that now list Wichita as a zone 7, I guess because of the city heat (asphalt/comcrete). Anyway I am continuing to push the envelope on what species of plants I can successfully get to survive a Kansas winter.
Have you seen the research that the University of Miami (Ohio) is doing on cold hardy palms? They have an interesting website with some cool pictures of their plants. They are getting into genetics and trying to develop the genetic traits of palms to even make them more cold hardy.
If your ever in Wichita give us a shout.