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Best /cheapest electric heater for 6x10 greenhouse

Jamie 4Jamie 4 Posts: 7
in Problem solving
HI we built our first greenhouse in the summer, its only 10x6 and a little late due to lock down but it was a good start and we enjoyed it a lot.

We are having an electric supply installed, question is whats the best way of heating over the early months next year, is electric better / more costly? how big would it need to be as its only to take the edge off seedlings etc.. would you leave it on a thermostat or just a timer to come on a couple of times a day??


Posts

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    If it's just for seedlings think about an electric propagator it will use a lot less power.  For wider  heating a lot will depend on what you want to achieve.  Is it a wooden house or Aluminium? What temperature are you aiming for. For low level background heat electric tubular heating is supposed to be good &  not expensive to run.  Even though it is a small house you can partition off a section &just heat that.
    Lots to think about  :)
    AB Still learning

  • Jamie 4Jamie 4 Posts: 7
    Thanks for that, not sure really I guess it will just be for seedlings at this stage but into next year may be used for overwintering things, I used to use a family members greenhouse in the warmer months but have no experience of the cold.

    Greenhouse is aluminium with a good run of plastic shelving all around the edges.

    We have a small electric propogator but really wanted to scale things up and fill the greenhouse with as much as we can as early as is practical.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Don't forget that if you're growing tender things from seed, they'll need protection until maybe mid-late May depending on where you are (although generally less heat than they need to germinate), and they'll need more and more space as they grow and are pricked out and potted on, so a propagator or two full of seedlings could easily turn into a greenhouse full of young plants before they can go outside. You could start with just a propagator or two, and then see whether you need to heat the whole greenhouse - depends what you grow and how cold it is when it's time to move them out of the propagator.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I've used one of these in a 6'x 2' - Dimplex - Cold Watcher 1000w
    Fully variable thermostat with frost protection setting - and that worked well.
    https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/Greenhouse-Utility_Heaters/index.html
    It is splashproof also - I inadvertently watered mine several times..

    You can also consider these, but they're not usually powerful enough to keep 6 x 10 frost free in a cold winter
    https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/Tubular_Heaters/index.html

    Do remember though if you're considering an early start with seeds, they will need strong light for about 14-16 hours a day too to match the relative warmth or they'll end-up really leggy and useless

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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