Hey all, I just built my first little greenhouse, a 6×10 from Canopia. I’m using it to mainly grow orchids and some epiphytic ferns. I don’t plan to use it during winter, so it’s more of a season extender.
My question is: if I were to cover the interior with 6mil greenhouse film, will that improve my insulation and heat retention during the night? Will that cause other problems? What are the other ways to improve insulation? I have ordered some reflective films for the bottom half of the gh too.
Sorry if these are dumb questions. I have no previous horticultural/agricultural experience. And I’m learning as much as I can.
Thank you!🙏
by Neural_Toxin
4 Comments
Anything you add will help to a certain extent, just depends how much you want and your budget.
My recommendation is foam board. You can use any rating you like, and it’s easy to cut and fit. Can just be added and removed seasonally.
I use 2″ rated to R13.1 around my walls, and heat to 40F minimum during the winter. I add a foam board “roof” inside if the outdoor temps are ever 15F or below to make the job of the heater easier.
I’m in 8a with a similar size greenhouse. I wrapped my exterior with a solar bubble pool cover. That plus water storage heat sink, an infrared heater, fan, and ceramic heat bulb kept my citrus and epinendrum orchids alive throughout the past winter.
When it was coldest outside here, 26F, the greenhouse read 36F. We only had 2 days it didn’t get above freezing at all, and the addition of sunshine definitely warmed everything up more during the day.
I’m not planning on unwrapping it until next month, so my big issue now has been cooling it down during the day.
I think foam board 1”-2” would work and could remove when needed
Don’t bother. Set some ceramic heat lamps up and connect them to a switch that turns on when it gets too cold