The calculator will allow you to work out how much it will cost to heat your Greenhouse to maintain a desired minimum internal temperature and provide a heating estimate based on the size of your structure . The calculator offers approximate heating cost guidelines incorporating how insulated your Greenhouse is . To use the calculator , please visit : Greenhouse Heating Calculator | Hartley Botanic ( hartleybotanic . co . uk )
2 / IDEAS TO REDUCE THE HEATING YOU NEED …
TAKE THERMOMETER READINGS In a Hartley Botanic Wisley 8 , six pane Greenhouse , a 2.5 kilowatt electric fan heater can be set to minimum , so that heat comes on only when the temperature falls
dangerously low . You will need to take a few days to work out the ideal setting on the dial of the heater and to match this with overnight minimum temperatures . To do this you will need a reliable ‘ max and min ’ thermometer placed among plants on the staging or fixed about a metre above the ground , well away from the heater .
MAINTAIN A COMFORTABLE MINIMUM A night minimum of 4 º or 5 º C is a safe temperature to maintain if you want to be safely buffered against severe snap frosts . Spread horticultural fleece over vulnerable plants during excessively cold spells .
SOIL-WARMING CABLES One of the most economical heating techniques is simply to warm soil ,
GARDEN DESIGN
either in a bed , or propagation bench . Soil-warming cables provide heat where it is most needed , at the roots , so even if top-growth is cold-damaged , the roots will survive . Cable is safe and easy to install and , with a thermostat , lets you control soil temperature more accurately . It is particularly useful for protecting young plants in cold times of the year .
Its performance depends on the cable type , prevailing temperatures and how the system is installed , e . g . a 6m cable consumes 75 watts , and correctly installed will sustain temperatures between 15 ° C and 25 ° C per square metre of covered bench . Cover plants with fleece or a canopy of translucent sheeting to retain heat .
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