I have one of those small tentlike greenhouses; about 6'x8'x6'. It has zip doors & windows, and due to some dahlia bulbs getting ahead of themselves, it is already full of 6" plants, as well as trays of my veggie seeds. My questions are a bit fuzzy, but any comments about using personal green houses are welcome! Mainly: It is still dropping to near freezing at night here in Michigan, what is the lowest to go within a greenhouse before heating is needed? Does it vary by the plant's maturity? The soil in the seedling pots must be kept wet, and the greenhouse is a bit drafty- does windchill apply to plants roots and to seeds? Thanks much in advance, folks!
I really don't have much to offer in the way of personal greenhouse knowledge (i wish i had the luxury) but i do know plants ability to tolerate cold is certainly dependant on how they are conditioned, not necessarily just age. A plants maturity helps by extending out the root system, but even an 'adult' plant that isn't adjusted to the cold can be affected. My peas for example, started out by shriviling terribly at just a mere 50*. I followed my normal procedure for adjusting them to the cold and within a week they were able to handle 38-40* without a problem. If you are worried about greenhouse temps, get an extra thermometer so you can keep track but also do your best to patch up those drafy areas; that's the quickest way to keep the temperature up. Best of luck! -Luke
Thanks for the advice! I got it for a little over $100, and I really use it for lots of things- it gets up to 60º when its in the 40s as long as the sun is shining, altho today we had 3" of unexpected snow, burying the hyacynth and others just blooming. Another thing about the greenhouse- you can't get sunburned in it, at least not easily...
