50 years ago they had cold houses where they dug trenches about 5 ft deep and 8 ft wide and lined the sides with block with about 2 ft above ground level and a glass roof. They served to keep somewhat tender perennial shrubs like azaleas and other rhododendrons safe over winter. I tried burying 4" black poly drain line 2' underground in a greenhouse and blowing the hot air through it during the sunlight and harvesting it at night. The concept was good but the design was about an order of magnitude too small. The greenhouse still got over a hundred on a sunny winter day and froze at night. Tim On Mon, Jan 11, 2021 at 6:43 PM Mark Mazer via pbs < pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > I bet Jane could supply you with references better than I. There were > several in NW CT back in the day. See: Rock Gardening by Linc and Timmy > Foster... it's in there somewhere. > m > > > On Mon, Jan 11, 2021 at 5:56 PM The Silent Seed via pbs < > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > Mark, > > I, for one, didn't know about them, and I live in what you might > consider a > > frigid climate. > > Tell us about this type of greenhouse. I've never heard of it. > > > > > > On Mon, Jan 11, 2021 at 3:31 PM Mark Mazer via pbs < > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > > > No one has mentioned the "pit' or "Walipini" type greenhouse for those > in > > > frigid climates. > > > > > > Mark Mazer > > > Hertford, NC > > > > > > Three greenhouses the past 30+ years... fancy house attached curved > eave > > > insulated glass on concrete slab and 48" footers in CT; disaster > after > > 10 > > > years. Aluminium and twinwall polycarb also in CT.... best growing > > > conditions so far for a wide variety of frost free plants with propane > > > heat Currently in NC; a 1000 sq ft single layer poly with roll up > walls > > > and propane heat.... meh. > > > > > > On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 7:51 PM Luminita Vollmer via pbs < > > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > > > > > Dear all > > > > > > > > Thank you to all that wrote re: the greenhouse subject: invaluable > > tips, > > > > experience hacks and just awesome stories. I think I will compile all > > of > > > > that in a handbook or a cheat sheet! Outstanding advice, tips, > > innovative > > > > ways to look at the problem, just awesome! I definitely was not > > expecting > > > > such a response! > > > > > > > > I live in MN - and for a gardener in this area - everything is so > much > > > > different than for most gardeners. Even the length of the growing > > season > > > is > > > > different, let alone the conditions. I look to the Canadian friends, > > and > > > > use a lot of Zone 1-2 techniques, but my heart goes towards > EVERYTHING, > > > > and many of the plants come from many other zones, plants that need > to > > > > come indoors during the winter. > > > > > > > > At this point the reality is that my decision starts like the song: > > > Should > > > > I Go or Should I Stay! Either direction will include a greenhouse. > My > > > city > > > > currently does not allow any greenhouse that through its size could > > imply > > > > commercial agriculture. For this reason alone I will have to move > to a > > > > different city. > > > > > > > > And then the music starts - stay here or move to warmer climate. > > > > It will be an adventure, most certainly. And I am looking forward to > > > having > > > > a greenhouse, the most important aspect. > > > > > > > > Apologies for all that had other questions or subjects to write > about. > > > > Thank you to all, I will be back with questions! > > > > > > > > Luminita > > > > MN at the moment, snow and cold > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > pbs mailing list > > > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > > > > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > > > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > pbs mailing list > > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > > > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > > > > > > > > > -- > > The Silent Seed > > Rare and Unusual plants from around the world. > > thesilentseed.com > > _______________________________________________ > > pbs mailing list > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>