Bubble Wrap the Greenhouse for Insulation

And another shot of a larger frame..

My internet is really Sloooo to day ???

This message was edited Feb 6, 2010 1:31 PM

My greenhouse is a 8 x 16. Water tension simply is using water to create adhesion. All I did was take a spray bottle and fill it with regualr water. Spray the inside of the polycarbonate well to really wet it. Take the bubble wrap with the bubble side facing the glazing and place it on the the wet surface. I use my hand to smooth and press it against the glazing.

I have some on my ceiling that has been there for over a month. If I tug at it, it will come off no problem.

I will try to take some pics.

I did not want to litter my greenhouse with small spots of 2 sided tape. So I tried water as a test and have been thrilled.

I used 2 sided tape on the north wall. The north wall has refelectix insulation.

The bubble wap makes a huge difference in heat loss. I have twin wall polycarbonate that is opaque. The bubble wrap does not seem to diffuse light to a unacceptable level.

Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the reply and your help.


Wow I am impressed with the idea of no sticky tape or glues or velcro.

I am going to certainly try your way.

Could you please send your pics so we can see?

Thanks again

Amos

Sure. I will take some today.

Please keep in mind that some of the greeenhouse kits have the panels with UV protective film on the inside of the panels. If you stick bubblewrap to it, you risk damaging the UV protection

This message was edited Feb 9, 2010 6:16 PM

My rion is UV coated on the outside only.

I don't know about mine, I would think my Rion is the same as Mike's.

My bubble wrap came today yippppeeee

My furnace broke got pretty cold in here, furnace man said it is so sick we need a whole new system. So I will need the heater I was going to use out there to keep me at least warm. So maybe next week I will be able to put up my BW.

Thanks for the pics Miike

Amos

Oh geez - that's awful. Hope you warm up soon!!!

I currently have nothing started in the greenhouse but I plan to start using it in a couple weeks full time. The heater has beed installed and just waiting for the plumbing inspector to sign off on it.

The bubble wrap has made a huge difference. I have twinwall polycarbonate for all glazing surfaces. It radiated heat out as fast as the outdoor temp would drop. Many mornings the greenhouse was only 2-3 degrees above outdoor temp. Usually in the single numbers.

This is what I did. The entire north wall is insulated with reflectix foil bubble insulation. The center of the wall has 3/4 plywood with the heater. The ceiling, wall, and southern wall are completely clad in bubble wrap. I just used the cheap stuff. $200+ for the charlies was rediculous. I paid $40 for mine. We will see how it holds up. If I get a year out of it that is great at those prices.

Also, I have a insulated floor consisting of rigid foam insulation and dark red concrete pavers. This helps the floor from oozing in cold ground air.

Results. This morning with the outside temp at 19 the unheated greenhouse was 46. WOW. 27 degrees of heat retention. Another benefit is in these higher sun days of February the uninsulated space would climb to the mid 90's with no ventilation. After bubble wrap the space climbs to the mid 80's. A benefit that is was not expecting. I added my auto roof vent openers set to 75 with no fresh air louver and it kept the greenhouse in the mid 70's. That is perfect for mid winter. I was concerned about overheating in winter because I am at work when it is time for manual ventalation. In the spring and summer I just left the door open a bit before I go to work and that brings enough cool air into the greenhouse. Eventiually, I want to add automatic ventalation but it is costly and more gerry rigging has to be done. Only draw back about the rion is the plastic frame. Takes some inventions to get thing to work properly.

Almost a year ago I started this thread and am amazed at how many times is has been viewed. I have the BW from last year so I will need to get it up soon. Mar 1st is when I usually start the GH up. Boxcar, sounds like you got a great setup

Dang - 27 degree diff? That's great, especially for your zone. I'm sold!

I'm sold, too! I put rigid styro insulation on my North wall, it made a big difference, and lots of clear caulk at joints, but bubble wrap on the ceiling, I need to do that, our weather doesn't look like we are going to warm up anytime soon and I've got petunias starting in the kitchen.

Yeah, I have a bunch of stuff that I can't move out... 2-4 inches of snow again tomorrow, grrr.

cat, we've got at least a new inch already, and I didn't get out to water today. It will take a shovel to get out there tomorrow. yuk, this is not what I imagined when I got a greenhouse. I kept picturing sunny cold days spent in there, not day after day of clouds, bummer.

I know it, Cath - but I hear that spring always comes. I don't believe it, personally, but that's what they're saying....

Just heard a robin out singing. It might one of those crazy one that decided to winter over. I guess there's a flock of about a 100 that do. Still, makes it sound like spring is just around the corner

Please let it be soon!

we haven't had our winter thaw yet this year, it usually happens by Valentine's Day at the latest, it doesn't look like we are having one this year.

♫♫♫♫♫♫spring is coming soon♫♫♫♫♫♫

Soon, but not soon enough!!!

Hey - there's another Robin singing!!! Yay!!!

PC, :)

I'm trying to be optimistic and am hoping this is the last of the winter snowstorms.(sigh)

Been lurking and I love what you all have reported about the bubble wrap. Looks a lot neater than what I did, but mine works too. I have a portable 10 x 10 GH, which I had the bright idea of setting up at the back of the garden....well away from the electric outlet, so no heat. I draped and loosely gathered plastic drop cloths between the frame and the outter plastic to create an air pocket. I also suspended another drop cloth from the center roof frame to create a tent below. I have a small (30 gal?) compost bin in the center under the tent, surrounded by buckets of tomatoes, potatoes planted in early January and a left over petunia. Works fairly well to keep the tent temp above 50, But I didn't insulate the ground under the buckets and lost the tomatoes and potatoes. The only thing that survived in the tent was a petunia. Wasn't expecting that any of those would, but I wanted to experiment with generating and retaining heat. In the outter portion of the GH, I have two 80 gal or so white containers of water, plus a dozen black painted gal milk jugs. I planted carrots, beets, and radishes in containers late November. They grew a little, but not enough to brag about. I moved 4 swiss chard at the same time and they've grown all winter.

My point is that there are a lot of great ideas here and using every available resource, I think we can get a lot more use out of the greenhouses without breaking the bank heating them.

Love my GH
Here is what a 'picked today. We eat the roots and the rabbits get the green tops.

That's what I'm talking about! Way to go!

Might not be pretty but what about that foil tape or duct tape? Or would that be difficult to get off the frames of the greenhouse? Do you think masking tape would hole? "Curiosity killed the cat!" How does one know what the temperature gets to inside their greenhouse? It looks to me that if you have to go inside the greenhouse to see what the thermometer reads, you are letting valuable heat out and cooling it down even more....or is there a way that you can read the temperature from inside your house? What kind of flooring do most greenhouses have in them?

Hi, Pippi...I have to go out to check on my GH temps. There are thermometers that the main component is in the house and a remote sensor is outside, or in this case, in the GH. We set mine up on bare ground, but it's kind of small and only for starting vegetables early.

I have a remote sensor in the GH and the temperature/moisture display in the house. It also has an alarm for hi/low temps which really helps me sleep at night. Got it at Home Depot under $25

Joanna, thanks. Putting up another GH closer to the house this weekend so I can use one...have to get the one with the alarm.

I use 2" clear tape to hold bubble wrap to side walls.
Over head I built 3/4" sq wood frames, wrapped BW around twice and stapled.
They are held over head by friction and a 3" wood swivel clip with a screw in the center. If I want to remove them the over head would be easy, don't know why I would remove them.
See Post #7535660 and Post #7535666 above.

Dwight

I don't think masking tape would hold very good.

I just got one that I ordered through Harris seeds. When I was a Meijers yesterday looking at all the garden goodies I saw the same one for cheaper, and they had a very good selection of sensor ones at a good price.

I am happy with the one I got. I don't have anything in my GH yet. I can't afford the propane this early. But it is nice to be able to see what the temps are throughout the day.

Amos

I use shipping tape. Works fine for me

Rentman..your caladiums are beautiful, but why are their leaves curled downward? Do they need a drink?

Dwight, what all do you have growing in containers? How deep is your carrot planter?

I grow mostly carrots, also spinach and lettuce.
I bought some plastic window boxes at out 'dollar store' they are about 9" deep and even with potting soil I get deformed carrots....
I built a tray that they set in, which is lined with plastic, in which I keep water so they have a constant supply.
My tomato plant which was in a 2 gal pot finely died out, don't know why, it was doing so well until a month ago.

Dwight

Dwight, great technique with the tray! Obviously, they aren't all deformed. I'm wondering how a shorter blunt tip carrot would work.

I'm grow more and more Heirloom vegs. these are Nantes Carrot, a short one. But even when they have green sholders they are Sweet. My DW loves to put these in a salad. Tops go to my Live Stock, (rabbits). I pulled the rest of my 'Root Crop' this AM , so maybe a Carrot Cake, who knows ??? ^^_^^

Try 'em and show us what you get.
I have grown turnips, radish, ect in these 'window planters' boxes. The bottom watering is the 'Cat Meow'. All ofl my seed starters have the bottom watering trays.
I don't get a lot of production from the GH but it's fun. Brought a Banana plant back from FL in Dec. and it looks like I will 'KILL' this one also before Spring.
One of these days I'll learn how to grow plants.

Love Daves Garden.....Dwight

Need some Banana Fertilizer for this one.

Keeps you off the streets. LOL! I've been following your progress and you are doing amazing things. I've had greenhouse envy ever since you first posted your little GH.

Them there carrots sure look g-oo-d YUMMY

Amos, they are YUMMY this time of the year. Our snow is now all gone. YESS.......

Thanks Sweet Robin, HUGS Come over and visit me....I'll give you a Carrot. ^^_^^

I'm going to FL. in a week, for two weeks, ( so my out side garden may get a slow start this year ) but 'look out' when I get back.
Had a sweet lady, a few years older than myself ( I'll be 72 next month ) , stop by , last year asking if I had some 'Green Tomatoes' for sale, I said NO ( not for sale ) but she could have as many as she wanted, 'You Pick'
She took some tomatoes, cucumbers and green and red sweet peppers and the next week I had a couple jars of green tomatoes sauce on my door slept...YUMM always better when some one else make it......................^^_^^

This thread is getting a little long, you can see a number of my post above. But keep posting

Dwight