That greenhouse is sucking the propane! Th 250 gallon tank is about half empty and the needle hasn’t even moved on the house tanks and they were all filled at the same time. I haven’t broken the news to Vince yet that early next month we need to get the propane guy out here to fill the greenhouse tank.
Everything in there is doing well. My favorites are the mini banana plants that I’m hoping will produce bananas.
Bananas
It’s so nice having the lemon trees in there. Last winter we had them in the wine closet and had to keep getting them out so they could get sun and they didn’t do very well.
Lemons
There are a couple of tubs of lettuce and I continue to replant. I’ve also replanted lettuce in the garden now that the grasshoppers are gone.
Lettuce
If I use compost, you can bet another tomato or two will pop up.
Volunteer Tomato
The tomatoes in pots are doing great and we’re getting plenty of tomatoes for salads.
Tomatoes
I’m not sure the few plants I have growing are worth the cost of the propane we’re using, not to mention the cost of the greenhouse but hopefully I can get all my spring garden plants started in there instead of buying seedlings at the nursery and that will help justify a portion of the costs. I have fun with it and I guess that has to count for something, right?
Julie Stocker says
As a home greenhouse user, I don’t think there is ever a break even point! The joy is in going into the warm space, smelling that lovely, earthy aroma, and getting a little dirt under one’s nails. Yes?
Sherrill says
Do you still have a lot of empty space in there? What else could you be growing? It would be nice having fresh tomatoes in the winter so bet that makes it all worthwhile!!
Theresa says
I’d be concerned about a propane leak in the line running to your greenhouse, so it’s good you’re having the guy come out to look.
JudyL says
There’s no propane leak! We’re just leaving the heat on more in there because there isn’t any insulation. The propane guy is coming out to refill the tank.
When we turn the propane heater on out there, it stays on and unlike the central heat in the house, it doesn’t cycle on and off . . it’s just ON, and since we turn it on before dark so we don’t have to go out there at dark, even though it may not NEED to be on til 2 or 3 in the morning, it starts running once we turn it on.
Propane has an odorant in it so we would be smelling a leak. There is no leak.
Penny from So CA says
I am so envious of your green house and what you are growing in it!
I am aware of the cost of propane because we’ve always used it in our RV & previously we had a propane tank for our barbecue but to me the use of propane in your green house is well worth it. Using propane in the green house in winter means you are growing fresh year round & you know exactly what you are getting & where it came from especially in winter.
I agree the fresh home tomatoes would be worth the propane use. Bananas are my fav fruit. Lately in CA it’s been so difficult to find goods ones that store more than one day so I’m very envious that you have banana plants in your green house! Eager to read what you will be growing in the green house next!
Joan says
Having just finished my first season with a greenhouse in a cold climate, I agree with you: It is definitely a labor of love! I cannot afford to run mine year around, so I wait until early May to fire up the heater (the same model as yours). I run through about $10 worth of propane every night for that first month, running the heater from just midnight until 6:30 am. Propane is expensive here, so I have considered supplementing with a ceramic electric heater, although electricity is expensive, too! Maybe that would be an option for you since you generate your own power?
Yes, it would definitely be cheaper to buy tomatoes in the store, but those $50 tomatoes sure taste great and they save me the cost of therapy!! 😉
PattiLynn says
Would it be possible to put a thermostat on your propane heater so it will cycle on and off as needed? Good thing propane is down now, I think my hub said the other day, it was 1.79 now.
If you don’t ever break even on the food costs, you get a lot of pleasure out of it. Hobbies are good!
Karyl says
Can you add some black bricks or paving stones , so that they absorb the sunshiney heat doing the day and slowly cool off at nite? When summer arrives flip over from the painted black side to plain light grey.
Janice says
On the idea as the thermostat could you put it on a timer so it would come on at midnight and go off at 3a.m.?