Spokane Heat Effects?

i have had my 15' solar gem now for the second summer in rathdrum, Id (30 min from Spokane). I don't use a mister or shade cloth. The greenhouse does not get too hot here.

Although there is no direct sun light through the Gem green house, the 100 degree plus temps still hurt (fried) a couple of our indoor plants we are propagating.

I am now experimenting with a mist system to help control the heat in the green house. I rigged up a mister across one of the cross beams on one of the bench tables at the front of the green house and used our square portable fan to blow the misty water. The outside temp was 85 and the indoor heat was 98. After turning on my mist system the indoor temp dropped 8 degrees and brought the humidity from dry to normal, but the mist water dropped too much water on the lower bench table and it got the boards quite wet. Good thing we sealed the boards before assymbling. I'm thinking about getting one of those stand up "mist-fans" which I can set to one side of the front door and angle it towards the center aisle to avoid water landing directly on the wood bench tables. If that works, I will get a thermostat that will come on at a certain temp (90-95). Then have it wired to a simple auto-garden water pump and to the fan plug so they both will turn on-off at the same time. Stay tunned!!!
Pick-a-Lily Gardens
Ken
www.pickalilygardens.com

Flower Lady,

I have had my Solar Gem for two months and just went through the same setting up process you are going through now. I live in Oregon, Zone 8b. What seems to be working for me is a Stanley brand pivoting fan that I ordered from Amazon.com ($49. including shipping). It is a great versatile fan that can be moved around and pivots to many angles. It has 3 speeds and two outlet plugs on one side (you can actually plug something else into the fan). It circulates enough air for my greenhouse (8 X 15 size).

I did get a shade cloth, it does help a lot. Several people have pointed out on this forum that a shade cloth is not needed because of the diffused light. It is true that the light is diffused and that elliminates the sharp burning rays that glass houses have. However, for me to be able to work in there, I can't stand temperatures close to or over 100 degrees. Also, most plants have a growth range in a moderate temperature zone, and I believe that over 95 degrees they kind of go into a hunker down and survival state. Maybe cactus can continue to grow in higher temperatures, since that is not my specialty, the plants I have do great in 90 and under temps and in the reduced light state.

I know by having the shade cloth on I have given up some of my available light. This was a trade off for having a tolerable working temperature, and for me it has been worth it. I got the 50% shade White cloth and I only have it on the top and a few feet down. I got the 12 foot wide, so it goes over the peak and 6 feet down on each side. I still have the bottom area uncovered and I am sucessfully growing many vegetables directly in the ground under the benches. Some plants thrive with less light and appreciate the extra shade. I ordered two banana trees and the first week I had them in there they got sunburned. The following week I got the shade cloth and now they are doing much better. I tied my shadecloth down to rebar stakes, loosely, so that the automatic vents have room to operate underneath. I have several thermometers in there and it seems to have made about a 15 degree drop in temperature after the shade cloth was put on. I myself work in there everyday potting plants and it is a nice environment for me to work in. I also spray down the brick paver sidewalk every morning and sometimes again in the evening.

In the fall when it is cooler, I'll take the shade cloth off. I shopped online for mine at the greenhouse mega store. I had it in just a few days & they finished the edges with a nice strip and grommet openings for tying the rope through.

Good Luck setting up your greenhouse and I hope you like it as much as I do mine.

dear flowerlady,

110-115 is NOT hot for a greenhouse in the summer. Here in Medford, it is now in the 80's and 90's outside and in my greenhouse it is usually 10 - 15 degrees hotter than outside. My neighbor has a glass greenhouse and he has temperatures in the 150 degree range now and during the summer you can cook an egg inside. He has a number of his plants in my greenhouse.

The fan I use is a standard box fan that I think i bought at Walgreens. When the temperature in the greenhouse reaches about 100, the fan goes on.

For your plants, a lot of them like the warmer temperatures (tomatoes, peppers, etc.) As long as you keep them watered, they are fine. For watering, most books tell you that you should water less than outside. In most cases that is true, but you should check your plants. You water outside twice a day, some of your greenhouse plants will need the same in the warmer months.

We definitely have the most user friendly greenhouse on the market.

Hi Flowerlady,

In Medford Or we get temperatures at least as hot (if not hotter) than Spokane. It normally gets about 10 degrees hotter in my greenhouse than outside during the hot periods. I do leave a lot of plants in my greenhouse, even when it is 130. Just make sure you water very regularly.

For fuschias, it is the direct sunlight that burns them up, not the heat. You should have no trouble keeping them in the greenhouse - but why? They are better seen outside. Also it does depend on the type of fuschias you have. Some are much more hardy than others.

You do not need a shade cloth for this greenhouse, because there is no direct sun light inside the greenhouse. I just leave the back window and front door open when it is very hot. In fact, during most of the spring, summer and fall, I never close the back window. I leave it open 24/7. The front door I close at night, but with the window up.

I do keep a fan running when it gets over 100. I bought one of those heat plugs (I forgot the name) that you plug your fan into and it turns the fan on and off when it is too hot. They are about $ 10 at Home Depot.