Re: [gardeners] greenhouse
angelika (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 26 Jan 1998 21:04:42 -0800
Hi Kay, If you don't mind, I have a few more questions.
>
>Angelika, I believe the solution to your problem is to open the vents...
>there are automatic vent openers available for a reasonable price that do
>the job without electricity when temps rise to about 70oF.
I already have automatic vent openers and they are set to open at the lowest
temperature. Should I manually prop them open a little every day, and/or
open the door, as well. The temperature stays so cool that they hardly ever
open. Unless the sun is out for quite a while and the wind isn't chilling.
>Mini roses generally survive in the ground in the Portland area with no
>protection at all... the ones in front of my house are still blooming. I
>know it tends to get colder on the coast than in the Willamette Valley,
>but most plants can take at least 35-40oF soil temps with no problem.
My problem isn't temperature, it is the damage that our heavy rains cause my
potted plants. These particular roses, are good for being potted deck
plants. But because of the heavy rains and sometimes damaging wind & hail
storms, I put them in the green house over the storm season. I think I have
more deck plants than potted in the ground. I move all the medium to small
size plants into the greenhouse.
>One way to increase the availability of heat in the evening while still
>opening the vents during the daytime is to add a bunch of closely-stacked
>jugs of water under the benches and wherever else you can find a place
>to stash them. Used milk jugs are fine... fill them up and cap them,
>and they'll store heat for you.
Will that help or hinder the mold?
>If you start seedlings in your greenhouse, I think you'll find you've
>got less of a problem with damping off if the vents are open now and
>then, too.
Oh, I had a horrible problem with damping off last year. But I believe my
biggest problem was that I started too early, if I was not going to use
lights or heaters. So this year I'll wait until the middle-end of March.
do you agree?
Angelika