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Old November 1, 2015   #29
bower
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
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I had a look online at the climate averages in New Mexico... don't forget the COST of climate controlled greenhouse depends on how different the desired conditions are from what's happening outside. They get lots of sunshine, so daytime heating is not going to be a big cost - maybe cooling or whatever mechanical energy it costs to open vents when the temp hits 80. So heating cost will be mainly for the chilly night time lows. The greenhouse itself will moderate the low at night by maybe around 10 degrees (mine does, without heat). If you have a warm day up to 80, it will hold the heat nicely once there's some mass inside - soil in containers for tomato crop - that warms during the day by passive solar.

As for lights, the magic number of hours that veggies need to grow is ten hours of daylight. So in Albuquerque, the day is shorter than that from November 30 to Jan 12. And at its worst, only 15 minutes short of ten hours! That's really good.... Even if you want a 12 hour growing day, it's only two hours of running the lights per day to get that for a couple of months per year.

I think the picture is very different in Illinois as it is here - beyond expensive to provide the heat and light that are missing here in the winter! Texas might be easy.
But when it comes to economics of a heated greenhouse in a cold place - what can I say, AKMark is the man to tell you all about it.

Worth, I think onions can go in the cold frame outdoors with no heat. Leeks and bunching onions would probably be fine with no protection at all, in New Mexico.
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