[wyandotty]

We have just bought a 10 x 8 second hand greenhouse and as I have never had one before I would like some advice about heating it.

At the moment I have started all my broad beans and peas off on my kitchen windowsill and they have come up very well, despite the fact that the house is not heated most of the time. 

As the greenhouse has been erected, repaired and cleaned, I thought it would be nice to start planting tomatoes, melons, cucumber seeds etc in the greenhouse but am a bit confused as to what temperature it needs to be kept at, what heater to use, should I have bubble wrap on the walls and am I better off starting them off inside my house and then transferring them out to the greenhouse.  Also as the beans and peas are growing well inside would putting them in the greenhouse then be too warm for them and make them grow too quickly?

Wow too many questions, as you can see I am a complete beginner when it comes to greenhouses.

[Goosegirl]

Congratulations on your new greenhouse! You don't need heat for your broad beans and peas as they should now need hardening off in the greenhouse and then in your cold frame or outside (but bring them in at night for a while) then plant. You could then start your toms etc inside and then transfer them as the weather warms up. Some fleece / bubble wrap protection would be good if we have any frosts or you could bring them inside for the night. Keep an eye on the weather forecasts. I plan to make a large bubble-wrap frame to put my more tender plants in if the weather turns cold which will save me moving plants inside then out again. Check your greenhouse is as draught-proof as you can get. Some waterproof all-weather tape from Wilko can be used to seal. I'm not sure about heating - paraffin heaters give off a pint of water vapour per pint of paraffin (so I'm told) which could lead to fungal disease unless you ventilate well during the day. See what others say about other ways of heating. Best thing about greenhouses - you can still garden when the weather is horrid!!!

[wyandotty]

Thanks, bubble wrap it is then!  Can't stand the paraffin vapours so glad I don't have to use it any more.

Have transferred the beans and peas out there this morning and brough the toms inside.  I never knew gardening could be so technical!

Thanks for your advice.

[jfarrar]

I got a solar panel from Maplins (£39), a car battery and a 12V fan heater off eBay for a tenner.  The heater won't run all night on a day's charging from the panel but it seems to do enough to keep the temperature above freezing when it is frosty outside.

[Tattyanne456]

I have a large greenhouse, and I purchased one of those cheap plastic greenhouses to put inside. A greenhouse in a greenhouse. I find it much easier to heat the smaller greenhouse rather than trying to heat a large structure. I just use one of those small parrafin heaters, runs for days on one filling which only uses about 0ne litre of fuel. I turn it of in the day and open inner and outer doors, also windows if its a nice day.