Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Hotbed  (Read 3850 times)

Frieslandfilly

  • Joined Apr 2009
Hotbed
« on: January 30, 2012, 11:45:36 am »
I want to build a hotbed inside my greenhouse, not to use in the traditional manner i.e planting into it but rather to raise the temperature inside the greenhouse slightly without using fuel and possibly to cover with trays of seedlings that will get bottom heat. We have horses so plenty of raw material available. Has anyone tried this before and can anyone flag up any potential problems that I may not have thought about?

Hermit

  • Joined Feb 2010
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2012, 12:51:16 pm »
Apart from a hairs on your chest type of smell in there, cant think of one. Steam maybe thats all. Sounds like an experiment you should report back on!

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2012, 03:11:53 pm »
I know commercial growers of mushroom used to use horse manure ( pre-wood shaving days) to control the temperature i their sheds. Mushroom growers used to collect the manure in Newmarket for such but then the bottom dropped out of the manure market when stables switched to wood shavings.
I too would like to know outcome.
Seem to recall that indoor melons were started by hot beds as you describe ( Victorian Kitchen Garden).
I recall that an area was dug out and lined with straw then horse manure then straw then soil.  All under glass.

I hope others can help us on this one as i may give it a try..
www.cadeauxdelaforge.fr
Gifts and crafts made by us.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2012, 12:35:58 am »
The Victorians also used to grow pineapples with the aid of fresh manure.  It would be packed into brick lined squares set into the ground so most was below ground level and left for the temperature to drop to the right level - but not too much.  It was tested by one of the gardeners (probably the most junior) who would drop his trousers and sit on the manure to make sure it was warm enough.  The Lost Garden of Heligan in Cornwall still has them - pineapple beds, that is, not gardeners with sh***y bums (not that I checked, you understand).   ;)

hexhammeasure

  • Joined Jun 2008
    • golocal food
    • Facebook
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2012, 12:53:41 am »
It may be better to heat the greenhouse indirectly by running water pipes through hotbeds into your greenhouse. that way you have a heated greenhouse AND a separate hot bed
Ian

Sylvia

  • Joined Aug 2009
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2012, 08:37:02 am »
Enqire at Heligan in Cornwall. I'm certain they would be pleased to help :)

Frieslandfilly

  • Joined Apr 2009
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2012, 09:45:59 am »
Thanks for the replies, I am def going to give it a go and will report back with good and bad points

It may be better to heat the greenhouse indirectly by running water pipes through hotbeds into your greenhouse. that way you have a heated greenhouse AND a separate hot bed

This in theory is an excellent idea, and one we have considered in the past, however I need something simple that I can do myself, Hubby is a plumber but you know what they say about the Cobbler's childrens shoes!!!

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2012, 03:26:29 pm »
A plumer heh - then simples.
I plan to make a heat exchanger for the pool in the summer as the OH won't go in it unless the water is 30. I plan to run black pipes over a black heat absorbing surface and use the pool filter pump to circulate water. Not sure this is a good option to heat a greeenhouse though as when the sun is strong enough to heat the water in the pipes the greenhouse will itself be pretty hot due to all the glass.
Hotbed sounds ideal.
www.cadeauxdelaforge.fr
Gifts and crafts made by us.

anderso

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • brokenbrough
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2012, 09:25:14 am »
Hi have you thought about installing a heat sink in the greenhouse - Dick Strawbridge (before he went over to the dark side of TV)  built one in his greenhouse the plans are in his book (practical selfsufficiency ) or go www.instructables.com to see if there any plans there as this site has loads of ideas :wave:
when the revolution comes it will be a co-op

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: Hotbed
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2012, 12:37:28 pm »
Not something I have planned as we are a lot further south here and the  sun is warm even today. besides I have had enough of deep digging for a bit. We are no on mains sewers so I have dug trenches and 2 deep soakaways to take the grey water from kitchen, utility room and bathroom. YES - we have a bthroom.
www.cadeauxdelaforge.fr
Gifts and crafts made by us.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS