JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
In addition to my air heating system, that I keep pretty cold, (I don't have it come on till its 30)
I have heat mats that the trees sit on. I have two mats, and divide the trees by hardiness.
My tender trees, like crape myrtle sit on the warmer side, and that's set at 36. This keeps the roots from freezing, and I get root growth all winter on this side. JBP, J maples beeches, stuff like that. Still keeps them dormant.
The colder side I keep set to stay freezing, but not below 26.
The air temps will fluctuate quite a bit even with a heater, you'll find that if you set it at 30, that you'll get swings both ways of about 5 degrees. So the mats keep it all pretty safe, and it allows me to not keep the air temp so high. With higher air temps, you get dryer air. I have humidifiers I use on timers, to help with that. I also have an oscillating fan in front of the air heater, that comes on with the heater, and spins the air around all the corners.
In addition to all this, I have an auto venting system. On one end of the house there is an exhaust fan, that comes on with louvered electric vents that open at 38 degrees, and at the other end of the house there is another set of louvers that opens with this. It sucks the cold air in and across the house to keep it cold in there.
I know it sounds like a lot, but I never worry, and never have any winter issues.
I have heat mats that the trees sit on. I have two mats, and divide the trees by hardiness.
My tender trees, like crape myrtle sit on the warmer side, and that's set at 36. This keeps the roots from freezing, and I get root growth all winter on this side. JBP, J maples beeches, stuff like that. Still keeps them dormant.
The colder side I keep set to stay freezing, but not below 26.
The air temps will fluctuate quite a bit even with a heater, you'll find that if you set it at 30, that you'll get swings both ways of about 5 degrees. So the mats keep it all pretty safe, and it allows me to not keep the air temp so high. With higher air temps, you get dryer air. I have humidifiers I use on timers, to help with that. I also have an oscillating fan in front of the air heater, that comes on with the heater, and spins the air around all the corners.
In addition to all this, I have an auto venting system. On one end of the house there is an exhaust fan, that comes on with louvered electric vents that open at 38 degrees, and at the other end of the house there is another set of louvers that opens with this. It sucks the cold air in and across the house to keep it cold in there.
I know it sounds like a lot, but I never worry, and never have any winter issues.
