I see you are "working the numbers" and that is good.

I KNOW vine ripened tomatoes are totally different in taste to store bought tomatoes, but look at the cost per pound of yours.

You need to appreciate and get used to enjoying the "tastes of the seasons"

A weeks worth of propane you use to try to get a tomato could buy you a decent sized lobster for example.... :)

I know, the cost of Tom's this winter is $18.00/lb!!! The truth be known.. I don't even eat them, but DH loves them. And I've got some "out of my zoners" in there.. Pride of Madeira. I at least wanted to bring them to flower... just once... the seed packet didn't say anything about being biennials!!

I've also got some baby trees I got from The National Arbor Day foundation. I'd like them to get bigger before planting them out.

Even tho I'd love a good sized lobster, the statisfaction of enjoying a lobster dinner is short lived compared to playing in the dirt in the GH, know what I mean?

Nancy

Nancy, you don't "need to appreciate and get used to enjoying the 'tastes of the seasons'" if you don't want to.

Nobody really knows what additional R value a solar pool cover gives, but looking at comparable R values we can hazard a guess. By adding the cover you are likely going from your current R value of 1.43 to around 2.0. Based on your tank size and current BTU usage, this will take you from refilling every 2.5 days to refilling about every 3.5 days.

A couple of other thoughts... toms like 16 hours of light followed by an 8 hour rest (dark) period. Do you supplement lighting already? And I'm no lighting expert, but I thought that fluorescents had to be very close to the plant, like 6 inches away...how would you set up the lights? And are really going to enjoy going out to work in the GH when it's dark because of the blue solar cover?

The economics of the thing haven't dissuaded you from growing toms so far; I don't think that any marginal economic benefit from the cover will be worth the hassle. Get a bigger tank. SB

I personally don't give a rat's patootie the cost per pound of my tomatoes. I want to grow them, and so I do...

i have a greenhouse so i can "create my own seasons".man is it cool.it is great to be able to go inside,on a cold winter day,and enjoy the plants,and 80 degrees.seedbandito,there are several ways of dealing with your situation.a propane company will set u up a 250,or larger tank.your propane is MUCH cheaper this way.or,do like i did,and just buy a 250 gallon tank.then,u can get propane even cheaper,plus not having to pay rent on the tank.i don't use a pool cover,but lots of folks around garden web swear by them.i use 2x polycarbonate.i have been thinking about putting a layer of clear plastic inside the north,and east sides of the greenhouse.

seedbandito,

Ahhh!!! You have got other things in there. So it is not just for tomato growing. Then your $2.16 a day for a recreational activity is well spent. Cable/satelite for a decent package would cost you that per month, hell my Internet connection is $65 a month!

A tip on the tomatoes... when you have a cluster that have just started to turn red cut off the branch and hang it indoors in a south facing window. Alternatively put it in a brown paper sack with a store bought apple.

That way you can ripen them faster and still get nearly the same taste. Leave them on the stalk though!

As to ""I personally don't give a rat's patootie the cost per pound of my tomatoes. I want to grow them, and so I do...""

No comment......

Cool! I'll look into a bigger tank after the Holidays.. and a pool cover. We were talking about getting the 100lb tank, but now, we'll invest in the 250, (thanks). I do so enjoy playing in the GH. Nothing like the outside temp being at 30* and I walk in there and have my glasses fog up. I also have been doing some winter sowing in there, (63 containers & counting).

Thanks for the tip about the Tom's. I'll do just that. I was worried about them, I went out the other morn and the gas had froze up. We had a ice storm, and there was ice built up on the regulator. I used warm water and thawed it out. DH built a tank "house"... so that won't happen again.

This is my first year with the GH & I've so much to learn. DH just built it in the spring. We're still newlyweds and have had other home improvements that needed to be done. So the GH isn't set up as well as I'd have liked. DH built it for me to "start" earlier in the season, but I had some volunteer Tom's in the garden, so... it's turned into something bigger.

I still need an 16" intake shutter to go with the huge fan DH put in. This spring we'll run a water line out there. I am using a huge plastic barrel for watering, I'll fill it up every other week. I've really enjoyed looking at ya'lls pics of your GH's. Thanks for your input. Hope you have a wonderful holiday.

Nancy

seedbandito,if u check around,you can find a used propane tank.i gave 320 for mine.or,u can rent one.around here,i think the rent is about 50$a year.BUT,if u own the tank,u can get cheaper propane.usually about 30 cents or cheaper a gallon.running water in the greenhouse makes things so much easier.i put faucets at both ends.so when its 20 outside,i don't have to worry abou carrying water.

Well, I called the local propane comapnay... said he/they don't deal with tanks small enough my my use (250). The smallest he delivers to is 1000lb. He'll fill the smaller tanks if hauled down there.

He also said his propane is higher than the local TrueValue hardware store! He reccomended I invest in a couple 100lb tanks and get the automatic "switch over" like is on a camper. Said that unit is about $45 - $50 and I wouldn't have to worry about a tank running out in the middle of the night.

His tank rental is $48/year and if you use 200 (lbs or gal, I get that confused) then he waves the rental. Anyhow, he said if I went with him, his initial set up cost would be about $600 up front.

I used to heat my home with propane on the other side of town and they gave discounts for more, but not this guy. At least he was honest about it. There's one other company I'll call but they are at least 30 miles away so I'll be curious to see what they'd run.

The 2-100lb tanks sounds like the best way to go for the time being. If I can make a go of this GH growing, then we'll end up building a bigger one anyways.

I have found that on sunny days I can cut off the pilot and stretch the gas a bit further. This heater has a large pilot, I wouldn't have thought it would make a difference, but it does.

I really wasn't planning on heating it all winter... but it seems I've been bit by "the bug". So next winter, I'll be better prepared.

Nancy

seedbandito,when i finished my greenhouse 2 years ago,i started checking into propane tanks.one company wanted about 600$ to set up.other company's would set up for $19 plus a yearly tank rental.but,their propane was more expensive.i finally found a used tank,and got my brother in law to help me hook it up.that way,don't have to pay rent and can always sell it for what i gave for it.check with some other propane companys,i'm sure you'll find some that are much cheaper.when they deliver,they refer to gallons.a hundred pound tank holds 25 gallons.normally,around here,it costs over $2 a gallon in the small tanks,and about 1.45 per gallon delivered,although i had to give about 1.60 a gallon this year.i fill my tank up in the summer when propane is cheapest,and it lasts me all winter.the winter is by far the most expensive time to buy propane!if you can get out of having to buy in winter,you'll save bunches!