So many folks think running a nursery is such a pastoral, relaxing career, but as with most things in life, the realities are quite different….especially during the winter months. We have 30 greenhouse cold frames, which are kept at two different temperature regimens, 35F, and 55F, depending on the needs of the plants growing in each. Our nursey staff noticed last week, that one of our 1000 gallon propane tanks, which feeds several of our 55 degree greenhouses, was only lasting four days of extreme cold. So, with icy weather predicted, we requested an extra 1000 gallon tank, on the chance that the gas company might not be able to get their trucks on the road during the cold, icy snap. Fortunately, they were able to drop us off an extra tank, and get it filled before the storm hit. This may sound minor, but if we were unable to heat a 55F house, when the temperatures dropped into the teens F, the results would be both horticulturally disastrous and financially catastrophic.
We have also recently modernized our greenhouse temperature alert system. Each of our greenhouses is now equipped with a wireless sensing Govee thermometer. Using the phone ap below, a minimum and maximum temperature can be set for each thermometer. If either of these high or low temperature set points are reached, we get an email and text.
The thermometer readings can also be monitored via cell phone. Consequently, when a greenhouse temperature alarm goes off in the middle of the night, we are able to first check the thermometers on-line, to make sure the emergency is real, before jumping out of bed on a very cold night. Some middle of the night heater problems are easy to resolve, such as earlier this week, when a GFCI outlet tripped, while other problems are a bit more complex, and often difficult to fully repair in the middle of the night. For those cases, we have portable turbo kerosene heaters stationed nearby, which can be quickly wheeled into the greenhouses to keep them warm until morning. These are just a few of joys of plant production, of which more people are unaware.
Such a reality! We just have a 6×8 greenhouse and everything in there is power based. So on the super cold nights or weather events we have the generator ready … I have a wifi thermostat in there and can monitor remotely and a radio based remote sensor that is battery based. … Now what I did not anticipate is the power to fail to the greenhouse without the power to the house failing. Don’t know what happened yet … So I woke up one morning with the greenhouse sitting at 26… NOT fun at all. We will see what survived.
Wow!!! Nice catch on noticing that propane use.
That really could have been catastrophic, especially with these continued cold temps.
I’m glad it had a happy ending and I hope to see you at a nursery open house weekend soon.
Tony, I am so thankful you and your staff have implemented safeguards and can only imagine the expense of keeping the plants safe. I worried about your losing power from the ice and snow, just as you were.
We support your efforts and know we need to BUY MORE PLANTS this spring!!
Hi Tony,
Love this post. I am (at least partially) aware of what you must endure. Having studied horticulture and having worked at a few different nurseries and greenhouses, I got to experience the demands of growing plants commercially and in particular, that you can’t just go off on a vacation, or even a few days and leave them. One greenhouse I worked at in upstate NY grew mostly potted plants for the holidays. Valentines, Easter, Mother’s Day, Christmas. The operators never celebrated their holidays on the actual day, as it was impossible. So they always celebrated the following week or weekend. Imagine Christmas a week late! As much as I love plants, my husband recently said why don’t we get a greenhouse? My answer was: “Are you crazy? You can NEVER leave them!”
Anyway, my hat’s off to you and all that you do. You’re truly amazing!
Mary Bean
Raleigh