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At our house we are planning to build a green house( 8 by 12) and a market garden to go with it. This is by no means a huge greenhouse but it will hopeful allow us to put a little more food in the pantry and some cash in my pocket. I may add photos as the building gets underway. The only thing we have now is piles of dirt that need to be smoothed out and tilled.

I've often wondered if a nice thick bed of compost under one would be enough boost to get through a good winter where I am. Kind of make it a BIG hotbox.

I look forward to hearing more on how this goes for you. Is it a prefab greenhouse or are you piecing it together? Any details on it?

Kurr wrote:I've often wondered if a nice thick bed of compost under one would be enough boost to get through a good winter where I am. Kind of make it a BIG hotbox.

I look forward to hearing more on how this goes for you. Is it a prefab greenhouse or are you piecing it together? Any details on it?

Yeah that has been done. But you need a LOT of it. You also need to change it out yearly. Simply at levels not practical to a small set up...

that said, if you look into it, there are several designs of what you might call off grid "heated" greenhouses. Generally they are partly underground, use passive solar with large stone or water itself to hold heat and other things. Designed well it works real well.

Good luck gresham!

what do you mean by market garden?

I'm planning for the greenhouse to be made from lumber and old windows, not a prefab greenhouse. For all I know it may be cheaper to have a prefab. By market garden I mean one that grows food for sale.