Heat vs Light, what's cheaper?

[Tropicdoc]

On another thread, I had brought up the question....... What's more cost effective: Heat a greenhouse through the winter, or bring plants indoors and provide light. I use the former. My greenhouses are cheap, pop-ups, so they are not insulated very well. As I transition to more 9b and 9a plants, though, I only run heat on nights that are expected to drop below freezing (average 5 per year). On sunny days, the greenhouse can get into the 90s in the middle of winter without supplemental heat. That gets things growing nicely. A bonus is the humidity generated in there.

[DoomsDave]

This is a really interesting question.

The problem with keeping plants in a house in a cold climate is that it's too dry in the winter for many, except cacti, without creating a microclimate for them. Do that wrong though, and you might mess up house furnishings possibly severely. (Water on the end tables, anyone? Angry end table owner, anyone? Intensive care, anyone?)

[rprimbs]

The cheapest is to bring the plants inside the house -- but not give them extra light... But I think -- and this is a pure unscientific speculation -- that a greenhouse is best. For one thing a house can be very dry inside. And the dryness can be very hard on plants even if they are getting enough light. And then there is the question of light. Is the supplemental light inside a house even close to providing as much light as they will get in a greenhouse?

[Xerarch]

This is a really interesting question.

The problem with keeping plants in a house in a cold climate is that it's too dry in the winter for many, except cacti, without creating a microclimate for them. Do that wrong though, and you might mess up house furnishings possibly severely. (Water on the end tables, anyone? Angry end table owner, anyone? Intensive care, anyone?)

Ooooohhhh the wife hates plants on end tables, she is convinced I'll ruin them all for that reason.

[JT in Japan]

Won't spritzing the plants daily be enough to keep off the debilitating dryness? I don't know the scientific process of absorption, but I'm hoping it works....

Jt

[sashaeffer]

I've done more long term damage by misting palms when inside. I'm in a cold climate state and use a heat pump for heating when temps are over 18F and with that kind of heat it doesn't dry out the house and I can keep humidity at a max of 45%. My tropicals, and more humidity loving palms are grouped together and a heated vaporizer adds humidity to that specific area.

It takes a while since I have so many palms but once every two weeks I take a wet microfiber cloth and wipe down every leaf and frond. I know it adds a measure of humidity to the frond without leaving fungus promoting tiny droplets off the fronds. I know too that its removing house dust on the leaves as well keeping any spider mites or other pests at bay. Good time too, to trim off dead leaves and fronds.

[Hammer]

I've done more long term damage by misting palms when inside. I'm in a cold climate state and use a heat pump for heating when temps are over 18F and with that kind of heat it doesn't dry out the house and I can keep humidity at a max of 45%. My tropicals, and more humidity loving palms are grouped together and a heated vaporizer adds humidity to that specific area.

It takes a while since I have so many palms but once every two weeks I take a wet microfiber cloth and wipe down every leaf and frond. I know it adds a measure of humidity to the frond without leaving fungus promoting tiny droplets off the fronds. I know too that its removing house dust on the leaves as well keeping any spider mites or other pests at bay. Good time too, to trim off dead leaves and fronds.

Having seen Scott's collection in person, that exercise of wiping down each palm is no small task.