How Warm Will A Greenhouse Stay In The Winter?

A greenhouse is the best bet for many plant enthusiasts to keep their green friends alive during the winter. A greenhouse promises that it creates a bubble of sorts for plants to thrive despite the outside temperature. So, how warm will a greenhouse stay in the winter?

A greenhouse can stay up to 30 degrees warmer during the winter. The temperature inside of a greenhouse can still fall below freezing if the outside temperature is below zero. You can increase the temperature retention in a greenhouse if you improve the insulation with horticultural bubble wraps and recycled polystyrene boxes.

Greenhouses are the perfect investment for homeowners that don’t want to sacrifice their plants during the winter. You can ensure that your greenhouse stays warm enough during the winter if you beef up the insulation. Follow along as we explore how warm a greenhouse will stay in the winter.

A greenhouse will generally stay warm enough in the winter to sustain plant life. It all comes down to external temperature because greenhouses can stay up to 30 degrees warmer inside. The heat stays within the greenhouse if you keep it sealed which can help plants survive.

However, the temperature can still drop below freezing in a greenhouse if it is extremely cold outside. Sub-zero external temperatures can cause the temperature in your greenhouse to fall below freezing. This is uncommon unless you live in a climate with extremely cold fall and winter seasons.

Sunlight is the key to keeping a greenhouse warm in the winter. The sun is still present during the winter whether it’s cold outside or not, and you need to use it to your advantage. Place your greenhouse in a location that gets plenty of sunlight during the daytime.

You may need to prune trees or even cut them down entirely if they block the light to your greenhouse. Anything that blocks the sunlight to your greenhouse can and will lower the temperature within it. Careful planning is important before you build a greenhouse so that you can maximize the sunlight exposure.

Add thermal mass to your greenhouse to release warm air throughout the night. The nighttime is when it is easiest for the temperature to drop within a greenhouse. You can minimize that if you fill black barrels full of water and place them in your greenhouse.

The barrels will absorb heat from the sun during the day and release it in the greenhouse at night. This will prevent heat loss and even increase the temperature inside during the day. Choose black barrels if possible because they can absorb the most heat.

Compost is one of the best ways to generate and retain heat within a greenhouse. Chemical reactions occur within compost that raises your greenhouse’s temperature. It may not sound appealing, but you can place a pile of compost in the center of your greenhouse to generate heat.

The ingredients within the compost decompose throughout the day and raise the temperature. This concept is similar to using barrels of water as a thermal mass. Not only will you keep your greenhouse warm in the winter, but you can use the decomposed compost to feed your plants.

Another good way to keep your greenhouse warm enough for winter gardening is using germination mats.

These mats aren’t designed for all purposes but are perfect if you are only trying to get a head start on next year’s gardening projects. For example, if you want to lay seeds down during wintertime so you can have your first round of harvest early.

Germination mats can provide a healthy, warm and encouraging rooting environment so your seeds can grow. This is a much more affordable method compared to heating up the entire greenhouse, especially if you don’t need the whole space for winter.

Then, of course, there is the ultimate solution. If your power lines are properly laid in the greenhouse, you can definitely put in a heater for winter purposes.

Nowadays, there are space heaters specifically designed for greenhouses. Also, profane heaters are also a good option, especially if you don’t want to run extension cords to the greenhouse.

If you do consider installing heaters to keep your greenhouse warm, make sure you also install some fans. You would want the heated air to be evenly distributed across the entire greenhouse.

Potatoes are wonderful to grow during the wintertime, and they’re perfect for winter recipes for stews and soups.

Plus, they grow in abundance so you’ll have plenty to last you when it comes time to harvest. For the best results though, you should fill your container with one part compost and two parts garden soil.

The downside is that potatoes are susceptible to frost so you will need to keep your greenhouse warm if it gets too cold outside.

But if you plant them early in the winter then they’ll be ready for you in March! Still, plenty of time to enjoy Grandma’s potato soup, as well as a nice baked potato and steak!

In conclusion, a greenhouse should stay at least 30 degrees above the outside temperature during winter times. If everything is done right, you shouldn’t need to worry about your plants feeling cold or slowing down growth.

The most popular ways to keep a greenhouse warm over winter include adding insulation, creating compost, utilizing sunlight, and even adding a heater directly to the greenhouse.

It is recommended that you at least combine two of the above-mentioned methods to guarantee you have a warm greenhouse over winter, just in case if the weather gets too extreme.