Heater in Greenhouse?

[keylime]

i have a small greenhouse, and as the weather is getting cooler, I am wondering what the difference would be if I were to put a heater in there. Presently the high is no warmer than 65, often times less. Lows around 50 right now. The plants look healthy but they also look like they just started budding.

Will a heater increase yields?

keylime

 

[simos]

I am wondering what the difference would be if I were to put a heater in there.

Will a heater increase yields?

Keylime:

I think any positive gain would really depend on how cold your nighttime lows will be come october/november, as the temperature range you've listed is still acceptable (although not optimal).

If you're going to be seeing a lot of nights around (or dipping below) 40 degrees, then a heater might help keep them going strong, particularly if they're looking like they might finish late.

On the other hand, the onset of colder nights often acts to speed up flowering and induce resin production, as the plant's internal clock recognizes the quickly-approaching end of the growing season.

In the end I'd say it probably won't make that big of a difference, though I'm not speaking from personal experience...

Frankly, I think the addition of a heater to your GH would probably make a bigger difference at the beginning of the growing season when maintaining strong vegetative growth is desirable, and a week's stall-out resulting from cold stress could be a major bummer.

Good luck!

 

[emerald city]

if the temps vary more then 20 degrees ,use a heater....It will help stop condensation/high humidity.

 

[keylime]

Thanks guys, that relieves my mind a bit....

 

[DHF]

Hey Keylime.........Way way back in the day when big companies got into hydroponic growing veggies in greenhouses , they figured out after awhile of keeping records that their winter crops were actually their most productive in yield as well as health of said crops............

The only variables different from the other 3 seasons of growing was the propane/natural gas heaters controlling the climate throughout wintertime...........

Didn`t take long for em ta figure out that the byproduct of propane/natural gas heaters is Carbon Dioxide , and almost overnight the CO2 generator was born ......

Along with all the compressed tanks of said gas and the expensive bells and whistles hydro manufacturing companies could come up with for more profit out of the original simple byproduct from a damn heater..........

CO2 generators are no more than propane or natural gas heaters...........period........nothin more , nothin less.......some got more bells and whistles , but they`re still just heaters......

So........To your original question , Yes.......it would be most advantageous for you to add a propane heater to your greenhouse for the added benefits of the CO2 byproduct while helping to control your environment and most surely help your bottom line yields come harvey from the heat supplement alone .......

Not sure if the added CO2 will do alot for increasing yields at this point in the game , but it damn sure can`t hurt.......They only use so much during the day anyways and shit it out at night......

To the post above about resin production from the cold temps.......Plants flower and swell at night.....they expel and get rid of any CO2 not assimilated during lights on ........Cold night time temps late flower kills chlorophyll and colors em up , but not much else besides slowin down growth , and that`s a bad thingy if they`re not the size yas want em at when cold lights off temps hit..............

They pump resin lights on/daytime as a defense mechanism to protect the leaves and flower clusters from drying out.........period........

If these plants just started flowering then they`ve got the stretch ta go through before real budset and swellage begins and that in and of itself will help increase yields from the increased foliage growth .....The temp control will help yas Bro....guaranteed.......

Set your heater up with a propane rental tank from Lowe`s or Home Depot Keylime......Wallyworld`s got em too.....Any greenhouse supply company will sell yas a cheap propane heater and you`ll have a cheap CO 2 generator in the process......You might can find one at the same place yas get the gas tank....dunno.........

Takes some copper line and compression fittings....or get a flaring tool and some nut an ferrule setups with the other needed fittings if you know how........

Good luck...DHF..................

 

[hawaiiOG]

must keep plant no colder then 65 and no warmer then 85 and you will be good to go

 

[supermanlives]

^^^^ i have gone down to 50 with no probs

 

[simos]

^^^^ i have gone down to 50 with no probs

Yeah, 50 should be fine. My experience is that serious problems result when temps drop below 40 degrees at any time during the cycle - be it flower or veg.

 

[DHF]

Well Damn............Keylime never did come backta tell us bout his GH...........

Hope all went well KL.....DHF........

 

[kovert]

so dhf what your saying is if you have a propane heater and you don't vent it its ok?? its just gonna pump out co2 and vent the co2 out in the day??

 

[2 Legal Co]

Be sure that you don't have it in 'your' environment......it'll kill you, and your animals, and birds.

Anything that has an open flame will contribute to the temperatures, and the carbon will 'fertilize' the plants. Gas range, camp stove, a furnace from a camper?, anything with an open flame.

Just don't have your GH attached to 'occupied' living areas. It's Deadly.

 

[kmk420kali]

Be careful using heaters as a co2 generator--
Yes, it works, but if it is old, or adjusted wrong you can get carbon monoxide-- If it is burned completely, co2 is the by-product of propane...but if it isn't burning completely, carbon monoxide is also a by-product--
You want to make sure you have a good blue flame, and I highly recommend getting a carbon monoxide detector ($20 at Home Depot)--