My Carnivorous plant collection is coming up on its 12th winter..
As a bachelor, I had no problems storing my plants for the winter, because I had my own refridgerator! I could stuff it with plants.
(see this thread for the background on my CP dormancy)
http://www.terraforums.com/ib312....t=16597
But now, as a married man, I no longer have that option!
I was considering getting one of those small "college" fridges..the little cubes, but even those are $100..and too small anyway.
I need a space that stays consistantly between 35 and 55 degrees, thats the goal.
During the winter..November-February.
Indoors is far too warm, outdoors is far too cold.
So in our new house, there is a door from the basement leading into the backyard:
(that isnt my actual door..its just a photo I found on-line to show the type of door I mean.)
Up at ground level, the folding doors are metal, there is a concrete staircase of maybe 4-5 stairs leading down, then a heavy door that opens into the basement.
At the bottom of those stairs, on the other side of the door from the basement, (in other words, at the bottom of the stairwell)
with the door closed..What temp do you think would be maintained all winter?
I could put some serious insulation above the plants, like maybe a piece of plywood halfway up the stairwell, then a heavy layer of leaves on top of that..sealing-in and insulating the lower level from the harsh winter above.
Some heat would leak through the door..(although probably very little..its a hefty, well-insulated door)
and outside its serious winter..lots of snow and temps anywhere from negative 10 to 30 F all winter..
I could put a thermometer in there, and open the door (into the basement) once in awhile to check on things.
my question is...does anyone have any idea what kind of temps could be expected in a space like that?
would the frigid outdoor air make it REALLY cold?
or would the fact thats its 5-6 feet underground make a more stable temp? If I could have 35-45, 55 tops, it would be perfect..
thoughts?
thanks,
Scot
As a bachelor, I had no problems storing my plants for the winter, because I had my own refridgerator! I could stuff it with plants.
(see this thread for the background on my CP dormancy)
http://www.terraforums.com/ib312....t=16597
But now, as a married man, I no longer have that option!
I was considering getting one of those small "college" fridges..the little cubes, but even those are $100..and too small anyway.
I need a space that stays consistantly between 35 and 55 degrees, thats the goal.
During the winter..November-February.
Indoors is far too warm, outdoors is far too cold.
So in our new house, there is a door from the basement leading into the backyard:
(that isnt my actual door..its just a photo I found on-line to show the type of door I mean.)
Up at ground level, the folding doors are metal, there is a concrete staircase of maybe 4-5 stairs leading down, then a heavy door that opens into the basement.
At the bottom of those stairs, on the other side of the door from the basement, (in other words, at the bottom of the stairwell)
with the door closed..What temp do you think would be maintained all winter?
I could put some serious insulation above the plants, like maybe a piece of plywood halfway up the stairwell, then a heavy layer of leaves on top of that..sealing-in and insulating the lower level from the harsh winter above.
Some heat would leak through the door..(although probably very little..its a hefty, well-insulated door)
and outside its serious winter..lots of snow and temps anywhere from negative 10 to 30 F all winter..
I could put a thermometer in there, and open the door (into the basement) once in awhile to check on things.
my question is...does anyone have any idea what kind of temps could be expected in a space like that?
would the frigid outdoor air make it REALLY cold?
or would the fact thats its 5-6 feet underground make a more stable temp? If I could have 35-45, 55 tops, it would be perfect..
thoughts?
thanks,
Scot