Radiant heated hoop house for spring perennial production

Radiant heated hoop house for spring perennial production

Summary

Radiant Heated Hoop House for Spring Perennial Production FNE07-622

Marguerite Wells
Motherplants, LTD.
863 Hayts Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-256-2482
motherplants@gmail.com

For our research project, we intend to determine the possibilities and limits of using only radiant floor heat for greenhouse production and propagation of perennials in the early part of the season. We will combine the radiant heat system with several energy conservation measures: heat- reflective night curtains, several kinds of row covers and insulated beds, to learn more about low-energy usage greenhouse production.

Our experiment will include:
-Temperature monitors in and around beds and greenhouse
-Indicators of plant performance
-Daily greenhouse energy use data

This data will be analyzed to correlate plant performance with soil and air temperatures, effectiveness of different energy conservation treatments, energy consumption and cost.

At this point we are requesting a six-month extension on our SARE grant. This season was a very successful one for our nursery and we have had to move to a larger farm this fall to expand production. Instead of our previous few acres, we now have 45 acres on which to expand.

Our SARE project research was to begin Fall ’07, but since we were taking down and moving our greenhouses, we couldn’t also do research in them! Due to winter weather, we will not be able to rebuild the houses until spring, at which point we will start the first round of trials.

In the meantime we have been talking with other growers about our ideas for this project and making a few contacts with others who are interested in this kind of information. We have also located some local people with expertise in radiant heating to help us install the system properly when we do build it.

Marguerite Wells, Ithaca NY
January 17th, 2008

Collaborators: