Grow Y'own Winter Heating Tips
Baby its cold outside, but its nice and snug inside your Grow Y'own raised bed when the covers are on! Here
are a few of the ways which people are keeping their crops warm during the coldest parts of the Winter!
1) By using the Summer cover, with the Winter cover on top of it, a 'double-paned' window effect has
been created. The Summer cover serves as an insulation layer, while the Winter cover keeps the
snow, hail, freezing rain, frost, and wind on the outside of the unit. Each layer you put on lowers
the 'Zone' rating 1-1/2 times. Some people even put a layer of the Summer Insulate cloth draped
over their plants inside.
2) Several clients have spray painted 1 gallon plastic
milk jugs, black, filled them with water, and put them in the sun during the day to heat up. At
night, they put 2-4 inside each 4'x8' unit. During the night, the jugs radiate extra warmth.
3) Many people have used the light bulb inside the
upside down flower pot method. Run an extension cord, (we use a work light with a basket on the end
that we remove), through the side of the unit. You'll have to drill a 1-1/4" hole to get the plug through
to the outside from inside the bed. I then fill the space around the cord in the hole I've drilled with
a small piece of metal lath, wire, steel wool, or insulation. Using a 100 watt light bulb on the
cord, simply set it upright inside a 10" upside-down clay flower pot, with the small drainage hole
of the pot on top. The flower pot heats up almost to the point that you can't put your hand on it, and
radiates the heat through the night. In the morning, you can either unplug the extension cord, or leave it
on until the ambient temperature outside reaches about 45 degrees. If it stays super cold outside, simply
leave it on.
We also use an 'Easy Heat EH 38 plug' to automatically control the heat. It has a sensor built
in that kicks the power on to the cord when the temp outside hits 38 degrees. In the morning when it gets
to 45 degrees, it kicks off. You plug the EH 38 into an outside receptacle, and the cord into it. The plug
costs about $25, and they are available through our website, or, possibly through your local hardware store, or
electrical or plumbing store outlets. This is the most popular way to automatically control the temp inside
your units.
4) Lining the outside of your bed(s) with straw bales keeps
the soil temperature warmer, which also translates into
a warmer ambient environment inside.
5) Locating your grow bed against a south-facing masonry
or stucco wall helps tremendously. During the day, the
wall absorbs the Winter sun heat, and then radiates it
during the night back towards the unit. And it doesn't
cost a thing! This coupled with the black water jugs, has
given people the ability to heat and grow profusely with-
out any additional , supplemental costs.
6) I've been experimenting with soil-warming,
self-regulating cables, that are used to speed up germination and seedling starts,
and to promote plant growth. The cables heat up and cool down according to
the ambient temperature inside the grow beds. You simply put them 3-4 inches
under the soil in loops at about 1' of cable per 1/2 sq ft of bed. You can get the cables
from TekSupply.com
I hope these tips help, as the main reason is to be able to grow year round, rather than
just one Spring to Fall season.
I'd love to hear about other methods that you've tried, that work, and can be passed
on to all our 'farmers-in -arms'!
