Maine 4-Season Greenhouse Grow

Box got to 105F yesterday with an internal GH temp of 110F! I turned off the germinating mat and added an hour to the fan session. Overnight temps were solid @85F in the Box, 31F in the GH, and 15F outside. Sunny today as well, but with the increased fan time and mat turned off Box temps were stable @ 80F.

Getting there...
 
Yesterday was 5F and GH was 28F and Box 78F. I turned off the fan today because yesterday it was overcast and cold and Box temp dipped to 42...unnecessary to go to those temps unless no other option (and turning off the fan is an easy option). Snowed last night and 20F and overcast now (35F in GH) so we'll just coast through the day and see if the Box dips below 50F w/o fan or lights on...also turned mat back on yesterday and will keep it on for remainder of Jan/Feb at a minimum. I like the idea of warming the soil, and the 7-gallon has plenty, even if the air dips into the 40/50's then plants should be fine. I turned off the mat because I thought it contributed to higher temps, but I am willing to accept those for the advantage of +5-8 degrees of warmed soil when it gets cold and overcast.
 
Hi Blew glad its going well :thumb:

In another thread there was someone asking about greenhouse growers using wood fired boilers to keep the GH toasty during prolonged cloudy periods.

In 3 days the days start to get longer woot!
 
Oldbear said:
Hi Blew glad its going well :thumb:

In another thread there was someone asking about greenhouse growers using wood fired boilers to keep the GH toasty during prolonged cloudy periods.
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People in my area do that but only for a short period of time and usually leading into the spring to get a head start on seedlings. It's a lot of work, and $ in wood, and the temps they are dealing with are usually around freezing rather than single digits...which makes a major difference!

Speaking of the approaching equinox, no one needs lights for spring seedlings because late March you start getting back into 12 hours of sunlight (versus 8.5-9 at a 25 degree angle!). Daylight hours

Lastly, fan turned off worked well today as Box low temp was 54F with 20F outside and cloudy.
 
Oldbear said:
In another thread there was someone asking about greenhouse growers using wood fired boilers to keep the GH toasty during prolonged cloudy periods.
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I just read this again and wondered...do you mean stove or actual "boiler"? We use a pellet boiler for our home hydronic heating system and I have read where people were heating the soil using fluids running through buried hose...I know one local person in my area who uses solar heated antifreeze in 1/2" poly tubing in the soil. I think that is practical for some things but not cannabis. If that is their only heating method then the nighttime would approach freezing fairly consistently.

The beauty of the lights in this application is we get to use the heat as a free byproduct!
 
Hi Blew - yes I was asking about wood fired boiler systems with circulating pumps. . Very common out in the country here. People use them to heat their houses. A side branch to a greenhouse would be easy.

These beasties burn logs and are said to handle 12 hour burns. Heres an example (not an endorsement)

WoodMaster 3300

I'm working on a plan to have a structure that I could start plants in around 21 Mar. Thinking that 6 months is sufficient for any photoperiod. Like you we get about 16 hrs daylight in mid June.
 
Oldbear said:
Hi Blew - yes I was asking about wood fired boiler systems with circulating pumps. . Very common out in the country here. People use them to heat their houses. A side branch to a greenhouse would be easy. I'm working on a plan to have a structure that I could start plants in around 21 Mar. Thinking that 6 months is sufficient for any photoperiod.
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Ok, now we are on the same page! Yes, familiar with outdoor wood boilers. They can be quite polluting, but under the right circumstances they are the best option (especially if you are a good neighbor and don't burn your trash in them!).

Still, that is a lot of energy (and cost) for the brief (30-45 days?) you are considering cheating the weather. My plan for the Box is to harvest the current crop approx. mid-March and swap in 15-20 starters: probably 4x autos (in 3 or 5-gallon fabric) and the rest photos in starter pots. All I need to do is get them through March/early April both for temps and hours/daylight, then I would transfer them into the main GH. I got a late start this year on the current crop and would likely start everything 2-4 weeks earlier next winter.
 
Oldbear said:
For my area, I need to get to mid/end May for no frost concerns. It starts again mid Sept.

Contemplating structure options ......
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Same dates for frost where I am...but that only applies to growing outdoors. I don't know the # of plants you want to grow, hence the total size/area needed for growing. If you planned on running the entire grow in it, it would need to be tall enough. Not sure if you considered a high tunnel (hoop house) but they are excellent value. You can also get them with white (opaque) plastic for added stealth.
 
Thanks. One of many scenarios is to use a temporary greenhouse and take it down for June July August.

Ill check out hoop structures and the opaque / white material.

My understanding is that the rec cannabis rules coming will allow 4 plants. Could I get your thoughts on footprint size and height for that?

I would want lots of walk around space in the 'house'.
 
Oldbear said:
One of many scenarios is to use a temporary greenhouse and take it down for June July August.

Ill check out hoop structures and the opaque / white material.
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Unless you needed that footprint in the summer I highly recommend leaving it up year round. The plastic provides UV protection so working in there is a delight! The plants get wind/rain/frost protection and the more "permanent" the structure the more likely it will survive our weather extremes.

Oldbear said:
My understanding is that the rec cannabis rules coming will allow 4 plants. Could I get your thoughts on footprint size and height for that? I would want lots of walk around space in the 'house'.
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I like to have minimum 9ft2 per plant with an additional working area of at least 40ft2. I recommend going bigger than you think you need. The cost for additional room will be incrementally negligible and you will never regret having more room to operate. One thing to explore with your local laws is the possibility of growing for other people as well. In Maine, I can legally grow 600 or more plants...as long as 100 (or more) people allow me to grow their 6 plants and tag them with their names (and State ID#). It's a ridiculously lenient caveat in the law and I plan on slowly increasing my crops to take advantage of it. So, if you have friends maybe they would be interested in letting you be their gardener. In Maine, adults are allowed to give each other up to 2.5oz at anytime, no limit. The law also says nothing about the total harvest yield having to go to anyone in particular. Meaning your Fall harvest could be substantially larger and of a greater variety than your four allowed plants would yield.
:high-five:

Oldbear said:
A complication for cloth and hoop structure can be heavy wet snow in March and even April hmmmmmm
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They make them particularly for our climate. Look for the Gothic peak roofs.
 
Coldest morning yet @ 6F and the Box is 71F. They are saying next week temps will be below 0 with wind chill as low as -25F...we'll see.

So, 2 weeks from seeds popping and I am pretty amazed at their growth. Last spring I had autos as well but not enough light so there is definitely a difference in growth!
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Blew Hiller said:
Coldest morning yet @ 6F and the Box is 71F. They are saying next week temps will be below 0 with wind chill as low as -25F...we'll see.

So, 2 weeks from seeds popping and I am pretty amazed at their growth. Last spring I had autos as well but not enough light so there is definitely a difference in growth!

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Gorgeous little plants there! Ill check the growing for other rule here in The Netherlands... If that works ill be upgrading soon .
 
Blew Hiller said:
Out of curiosity I was looking for Canada's provision on this...can't find it. If anyone has a link please direct me.
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Sorry cant help you on that one. Out laws need hours more of study before I know If This might be a option...
 
NaturalSpirit said:
Our laws need hours more of study before I know If This might be a option...
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Ours is gloriously simple:

§2452. Personal use of marijuana

1. A person 21 years of age or older may:
A. Use, possess or transport marijuana accessories and up to 2 1/2 ounces of
prepared marijuana;
B. Transfer or furnish, without remuneration, up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana and up to 6 immature plants or seedlings to a person who is 21 years of age or older;
C. Possess, grow, cultivate, process or transport up to 6 flowering marijuana plants, 12 immature plants and unlimited seedlings, and possess all the marijuana produced by the plants at the adult's residence;
D. Purchase up to 2 1/2 ounces of retail marijuana and marijuana accessories from a retail marijuana store; and
E. Purchase up to 12 seedlings or immature plants from a retail marijuana cultivation facility.
2. Home cultivation. The following provisions apply to the home cultivation of marijuana for personal use by a person who is 21 years of age or older.
A. A person may cultivate up to 6 flowering marijuana plants at that person's place of residence, on property owned by that person or on another person's property with written permission of the owner of the property.
B. A person who elects to cultivate marijuana shall ensure the marijuana is not visible from a public way without the use of binoculars, aircraft or other optical aids and shall take reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized access by a person under 21 years of age.
3. Legible tag on each marijuana plant. A person 21 years of age or older must have a legible tag on each marijuana plant. The tag must include at least the person's name and Maine driver's license number or Maine identification number.
 
Blew Hiller said:
Out of curiosity I was looking for Canada's provision on this...can't find it. If anyone has a link please direct me.
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Hi Blew. The blue link with pompoms in my signature explains the medical grow your own rules. It provides for someone else to grow it for you but very limited.

The recreational rules are still unclear. A person can have 4 plants apparently. Others growing for you is uncertain at this time. Provinces will have latitude to impose their own restrictions.
 
Oldbear said:
Hi Blew. The blue link with pompoms in my signature explains the medical grow your own rules. It provides for someone else to grow it for you but very limited.

The recreational rules are still unclear. A person can have 4 plants apparently. Others growing for you is uncertain at this time. Provinces will have latitude to impose their own restrictions.
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Fingers crossed they loosen those rules for recreational. If you look at other US States that implemented recreational after having medical, the laws for personal use got more accommodating. In Maine, it used to be 6 plants (of any kind) for medical now it is allows 6 flowering plants with 12 mature and unlimited seedlings....
 
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