Now that the greenhouse is up and running, I've started migrating my indoor plants back outside, and into its heated environment.
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| From outside you can see that it is starting to fill up. |
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| The view through the door -- it will probably never again look as tidy as it does right now |
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| A single electric heater turned up full is keeping the temp in the mid-60s during the day, and mid- to low-50s at night, while the temps outside have been just above freezing. |
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| There's not much room left on the table |
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| 'Red Tiger' Abutilon is starting to flower |
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| A Bromeliad hangs in a birdcage |
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| My Brugs have been released from captivity in the garage and are now getting both light and warmth |
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| Three Bromeliads sit under the table, where I'm hoping they won't burn if the sun comes out |
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| There's more room on the left-hand side, where I have a few plants on metal stands. |
I hope now that my Musa sikkimensis is getting more light that it will straighten
up. It had started leaning over in my dining room, maybe trying to catch the light from the only south-facing window. I'm trying to decide if I want to put a chair and a small table inside. It would be lovely to be out there with a cup of coffee, while it's cold and rainy outside. While moving plants from inside the house, Nigel and I paused a few times to listen to the patter of rain on the roof, a strangely comforting sound. Nigel says it's starting to smell like a greenhouse, the smell of soil and green growing things.
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| It hasn't taken long for Macho Mocha to start getting some of its freckles back |
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| You can see into the greenhouse from the Folly |
I'm on a steep learning curve with the greenhouse. I'm not sure a single heater is enough. Is mid-60s during the day and mid-50s at night warm enough for these tropical plants? I haven't put all of my Bromeliads out there. I still have a few inside the house, where they've been thriving all winter in the high-60s and low light. We've actually disabled the automatic vents for the time being, while I see just how hot I can get it. They were opening as soon as it hit the mid-60s, which probably wasn't good for that heater.
Do you have a greenhouse? What do you use it for? Starting seeds? Overwintering tropical plants? Do you have any advice for me?
