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Heating your greenhouse in the cooler months can really take a bite out of your utility budget. Upgrading to green energy-conscious fixtures is always a great way to reduce your energy bills in the greenhouse, but adding and updating equipment fixtures and controls can in itself be costly. What greenhouse heating options are available to the frugal greenhouse gardener?

1. Stored energy. Storing energy for later consumption is far from a new idea. But putting this concept to work in the greenhouse is a great way to save money on your utility costs. Many greenhouse gardeners fill 55-gallon drums with water and place them in an area of the greenhouse where the sun will warm the water throughout the day. The drums then release the stored heat throughout the cooler nighttime hours, effectively heating most greenhouses in milder climates for little to no additional cost.
 
2. Solar heating. Adding solar panels may at first seem to fall into the category of “too expensive to save money”. However, many U.S. states are now offering tax incentives for installing solar panels in a home or business to help reduce energy consumption and costs. Check to see if your state is offering incentives and you may end up getting your solar panels for next to nothing or at least a fraction of the original retail cost.
 
3. Automatic temperature control. Installing a thermostat in the greenhouse can help you better regulate your heating costs by allowing you to keep a constant pre-set temperature in the greenhouse throughout cooler days and nights. This temperature can be set at just a few degrees above the lowest temperature your crops will tolerate, and still be sufficient to get you through until the warmer months.
 
4. Get creative. Getting creative with ways to heat your greenhouse for less can mean running your home’s hot water pipes through the greenhouse to help with heating costs, cutting down sunlight blocking trees and shrubbery, or installing insulated panels or shade cloths to help hold in heat accumulated during the day.
 
When it comes to greenhouse heating options for the frugal greenhouse gardener, every little bit helps. Look into ways to store energy from the sun, discounts on solar panels and energy efficient heaters, automated temperature control devices, and other creative ways to help save money when heating your greenhouse this winter. If you want to find out which size heater you need for your greenhouse, calcualte the BTU’s needed on our greenhouse calculator.

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