Hi Lar,

We use 100 watt light bulbs on a timer from 8:00 PM to 8:00 PM and then remove the frost blanket during the day - at least when it is sunny. On stormy or cloudy days we usually leave the frost blanket over the plants but only have needed to run the lights during night time hours. We move the tomato starts to the GH about the 1st week in March. We will be interested to see how this works for you - please let us know.

We are installing a heater for our GH currently - but still plan to use the light bulbs without heat as in prior years and not use the heater until the plants outgrow - in height - the frost blanket supports. This usually happens in April.

In this photo - the outside temp is -4 degrees F - the inside GH temp is 19.4 degrees and the temp under the frost blanket is 40 degrees.

As the tomato plants grow - we increase the height of the frost blanket support while still using the light bulbs. When they outgrow these frost blanket supports - we remove the frost blankets/supports and light bulbs - then use a space heater (now GH heater) at night to keep the GH above 45 degrees F. By now it would be middle/late April and outside temps have increased enough that using a space heater is not that expensive.

Thanks Hudson---I think that is about what I had in mind but I wanted to know what wattage the lites were. Didn't think you had togo that high but then again -4 degs is a bit chilly. Thanks again --we'll give it ago

LAR

I really like the way you built the support for the frost blanket after they started growing. I got 9-58-8 from a local nursery. Look out matters-here we come

Thanks again

Lar

Impressive !

I tried a different method last spring - instead of mounting the cedar/twine supports for the frost blanket after the plants outgrew the field fence support - I purchased some tarp clamps and mounted them on the GH to hold the frost blanket. It was easier and quicker for me to use the tarp clamps and clothespins - I will probably use the tarp clamps again this coming season - although both methods worked equally as well. Here are some photos:

Thanks again--whenever you get different peaple involved different ideas, I all ready have dreamed up another approach-waiting for next spring --although I still have tomatoes growing

LAR

Great Lar - hope you will share the idea next spring!