Obviously not, since I haven't told you yet.
First of all, since I've been hatching the concept of the hot box, which is all summer, I have entertained the possibility of using a heating pad or heating tape. If I put it on a timer so it doesn't run all day, there should be a way to maintain a safe temperature inside the box without running up a massive power bill.
But the new thought that occurred to me this evening is that my balcony should be a warmer zone than most gardens in town. First, it gets north-east to south-east winds, which aren't the most common. I should check the almanac to make sure, but I'm pretty sure we get more wind from the north and north-west, and I'm sheltered from those. And second, I have the kitchen window and the picture window looking out on the balcony, and the way this place is built, the heat loss from these two windows in winter is absolutely grotesque. The landlord's loss, however, could be my garden's gain. I can make a windbreak and put the less hardy plants in front of the picture window, where it's warmest.
If I can gain five degrees compared to unprotected locations, then I'm no longer zone 2 but zone 3. Can I? I have absolutely no idea. But if I can, most of my trees would no longer be at risk. And even if I can't, the heat gain in front of the window plus a hot box should be enough for the zone 4 plants, even though they'd be a little challenged. And with that plus heating tape, I might be able to winter the zone 5 plants.
Clearly, this will take some experimentation, and the first thing I should do is mount a thermometer out there so I can measure the heat gain objectively.
Of course this all sounds like a great idea right now when I have a migraine. I hope it's not completely ridiculous tomorrow when I will hopefully feel better.
First of all, since I've been hatching the concept of the hot box, which is all summer, I have entertained the possibility of using a heating pad or heating tape. If I put it on a timer so it doesn't run all day, there should be a way to maintain a safe temperature inside the box without running up a massive power bill.
But the new thought that occurred to me this evening is that my balcony should be a warmer zone than most gardens in town. First, it gets north-east to south-east winds, which aren't the most common. I should check the almanac to make sure, but I'm pretty sure we get more wind from the north and north-west, and I'm sheltered from those. And second, I have the kitchen window and the picture window looking out on the balcony, and the way this place is built, the heat loss from these two windows in winter is absolutely grotesque. The landlord's loss, however, could be my garden's gain. I can make a windbreak and put the less hardy plants in front of the picture window, where it's warmest.
If I can gain five degrees compared to unprotected locations, then I'm no longer zone 2 but zone 3. Can I? I have absolutely no idea. But if I can, most of my trees would no longer be at risk. And even if I can't, the heat gain in front of the window plus a hot box should be enough for the zone 4 plants, even though they'd be a little challenged. And with that plus heating tape, I might be able to winter the zone 5 plants.
Clearly, this will take some experimentation, and the first thing I should do is mount a thermometer out there so I can measure the heat gain objectively.
Of course this all sounds like a great idea right now when I have a migraine. I hope it's not completely ridiculous tomorrow when I will hopefully feel better.
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