Newbi with a question.

18 years ago

Hello to all of you, and may i say i will welcome any advice you may have to offer me.

We just this spring put up a green house,24 x 65,we are learning,Slowly,we made our first mistake listening to the sales men tell us we needed a white poly cover,we have since found out, we should have ordered clear.

I have a small hosta business,and although i will not be using the greenhouse for starting hosta, i would very much likt to use it to winter them over, and get a few weeks head start in the spring.

This spring, i moved them all inside the greenhouse,but i think it was just to hot,even with the doors open.So we brought them all back out side.

This is my question:

Can i winter them over in the GH?

I understand i need to place them on the floor,and not on the racks,should we keep a fan going all winter,to try to keep it at the same temp.Hosta will -heave-with a warm-cold-warm-cold routine,they need to stay frozen for at least 8-12 weeks,then stay at around 40.til spring.

I am hoping you guys can help me with this,as fall is fast approching us.

Thank you in advance.

Carol

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Comments (5)

oakhill (zone 9A, Calif.)
18 years ago
With a need to keep the plants "frozen" for 2-3 months, what would be the reason to place them in a greenhouse? If you have any sunny days in the winter, the greenhouse will get well above freezing. From what you have said, it would seem that leaving them outside until you are ready to modify the growing environment would be the best method.
just1morehosta
Original Author
18 years ago
Yes, that is what we were thinking,i guess the reason i wanted to over winter them in the greenhouse is because when we store them out side,after they are fozen,we have to turn them all on their sides,so not to much water sets on them,it is a lot of work,in the cold,i have about 8oo hosta.Just looking for an easier way.
Thank you for getting back to me as soon as you did.I appreciate it.

Carol
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calliope
18 years ago
It's common to install the cloudy white films on g'houses used to overwinter perennials. It does cut down on light transmission and helps to moderate inside temps. It's also pretty typical to use foam blankets. They are used more to moderate the temperatures than to keep things from freezing. The thing is, you do not put either one of them on until your plants are going into dormancy for a perennial house.

My perennial house is open to the air on all days the temperatures are not freezing. The less cover on warm days, the better. I've been growing nursery stock for 23 years and I'll betcha you told the salesman you wanted film for overwintering, and that's exactly what you got.

BTW, the plants will have to have proper watering in winter, too. You can't put them under cover and expect them to survive for months. Get yourself to an extension agent and lay out your plans, so that he can connect you to a University to send you some publications on growing nursery stock. This is really very basic stuff, and if you are looking to start a business, you will need to do a little reading up on it. They aren't grown the same way you'd do it in your back yard.
dirtbert
18 years ago
Just for another reference, I've noticed my greenhouse will climb to well over 100 degrees on a sunny calm winter day even when the temp outside is hovering around 0.
I dont' winter over anything in my greenhouse, yet I need to keep one fan running just to ensure that none of my pots melt :)
calliope
18 years ago
That's why they use the cloudy white film, to cut down on the solar gain. Also, the larger the g'house,or cold frame, the more moderate the temps are. When I put up the one g'house for perennials, instead of putting in ventilating fans, I opted to put roll up sides on it. It's the length of the entire g'house. When it's sunny and the temps climb, the side goes up. That brings the temps down ......right now.

What kind of ventilation system do you have on your g'house Carol? One that size should have the big dudes, ones you can move the air over for a complete exchange in minutes, and louvers on a stat. I have twin acmes on all of mine save the perennial house......pulling air out the front, with the whole back end on automatic louvers.