warm grenhouses in cold climates, designs?

[Buck Hemenway]

I lost four cacti in total Melos don't seem to like the cold.

Not to worry, they don't like a lot of stuff.

[Loph]

POC: Yes, you are right! i have been reading a lot lately about this kind of thing, and we will be building a compost GH as an experimental. there are some pretty neat designs out there!

Because we will be using a solar greenhouse and underfloor heatsink type setup i think I will keep the cactus in that GH as it will be part of the house and easy to heat in an emergency.

We also will be using solar, and are going to try our best not to put any oils into the land aside from cars. and electricity obviously gets SUCKED with heat, which is hard on solar systems in a cloudy area for winter.

Gallows, I will be moving about 1 hour from you. I used to live in Comox as well. It would be nice to get in contact you closer to the time i move back to there. sounds like you have a system that works well for you! on a side note, you know of any cactus group/clubs/shows in the area?

[Gallows]

I don't know of any cactus groups, clubs or shows on Vancouver Island. However there is a very good cactus nursery in the Comox Valley called Valley Succulents. Google it for more info.
When you move back here are you bringing your collection with you or starting a new one?

[daiv]

POC: Yes, you are right! i have been reading a lot lately about this kind of thing, and we will be building a compost GH as an experimental. there are some pretty neat designs out there!

I would love to hear how this goes and even try it myself!

[Loph]

thanks for the tip Gallows. Funny how when i lived there i had no idea it existed! We will be bringing all our plants back except the large trees/wines/cacti etc. anything small, and cuttings/seeds of the big stuff. we will still have land here in Taiwan as well, so nothing will be really lost.


Daiv, there is some excellent stuff. this one is a good starting point which made me start to look into it in a serious fashion. we are 100% decided on trying one greenhouse like this, probably 10x20 to start. we will be making a lot of compost for farming anyway, so figured why not harness the energy that is already there...those people are real thinkers.

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Su ... ompost.pdf

[GreenFern Cactus]

Hallo peoples! Just thought i would let you know my experience. I have 3 GLASS houses 4.2x3.8, 3.8x2.8, and 12m x9m. This year I have dropped to -2 a couple of times. In the small glass house wet potting mix ie. winter growers froze. In the middle size Glass house just the water in the strawberry trays froze and in the large glasshouse nothing froze. it seems to me the concrete floor and the large rocks in the land scaping keep the temperature up just enough to stop freezing [/left]