Knocking Snow and Ice Collected On Top of the Hoophouse Greenhouse
Depending on the conditions snow can collect on top of the hoophouse. When it freeze/thaws it sticks so much better and doesn't slide down as easily on it's own. I can knock it off using the back of a rake carefully so that I don't pierce the plastic. I wanted to get it knocked off before the next freeze/thaw and before more snow comes and accumulates.
This is a gothic arch greenhouse rather than the standard round arch and apparently snow will slide off this greenhouse easier, but snow collecting is still an issue.
Does anyone know a better way to deal with this than bumping it off from the inside with a rake?
Btw if you do this on your greenhouse be careful to look down or close your eyes as condensation frozen as ice will come raining down in the form of shards.
I fire up the prophane heater.
We don't have one of those but seems worthy of consideration :)
Really makes the plants grow. Plants in a none vented greenhouse will use up all the co2 and suffer. A prophane heater will burn up the ox making the greenhouse co2 rich. They like this the same way outdoor plants do and why the planet as a whole is getting greener due to man made co2.
Wow! That makes perfect sense! Thanks for this info which wasn't already obvious to me. I suppose you could potentially put animals into the greenhouse to get a similar effect.
Quail would work well. I have raised them before in a hoophouse and in tractors. My issues is I have to drive hours to get organic feed.
Did a video of my small walipinni a few days ago you might dig it. I have 55 gallon drums in mine to act as a solar bank.
Awesome! Every little bit of warmth, protection and thermal mass adds up! I love it :) You're inspiring my future greenhouse.
Wow that looks rough! I think what you’re doing is probably best. I do wish we got some snow tho- even tho it can be a pain.
Maybe making a fire in a woodstove in the greenhouse ;) haha more season extension too- or a hot compost! Melt from the inside ~~~
Oh yeah nice ideas! @josephinky just had a similar suggestion with a propane heater. I really like the idea of a rocket mass heater in the greenhouse, with or without an attached hot tub - preferably with :P
Maybe my dream greenhouse would combine all of the above plus a solar battery a la Jerome Osentowski's 4 season greenhouse design.
ahhh you got it right there- rocket mass heater with attached hot tob #lifegoals !!!
we're installing a humongo high tunnel for which we got a grant in the next few months and want to really push season extension so we're generating the plan to put in a rocket mass heater (and the hot tub may be a must! also could help store heat!) ... Not familiar with Jerome's work you mention re: the solar battery - i'll have to look into that!
Check out the Forest Garden Greenhouse book. It's a must read for any type of permaculture greenhouse! I took his workshop at a permaculture convergance last year and he's a great guy and tons of knowledge. He grows tropical fruits in his primary greenhouse in Colorado at 7500 ft
fantastic! I have heard of him doing this, but didn't know there was a book. gracias!
By moving it to a warmer climate? jk ;-)
Not actually what I was looking for - but very valid! It's looking like a warmer climate is in my future this spring anyway!!
And global warming may help, too, in the future!
Oh geez yeah! I am counting on that to grow perennial peppers up here soon :P
I am growing Coconut Palms in zone 10A now. They are supposed to be in 11A or warmer climate. It's sad that I am counting on global warming :-(
Yeah we need to keep planting on and just beyond the edge of the zone for future resilience! Nice going with the coconuts.
Nice! I love seeing you push through the cold. We are hoping to move to a cold climate and this is encouraging.
Thanks @freedompoint! This is my second winter in a cold climate - that's why I'm posting these type of homesteading discoveries, that might be obvious to some but totally new to me, so others can benefit :)
Great! I appreciate it. We have so much to learn about homesteadimg im general, et alone homesteading in the cold!
There's lots of great resources here on steemit for learning and sharing! Maybe I'll do a post on some cold climate gotchas that occurred to me during my first winter in Washington in the near future.. you're inspiring me :)