The greenhouse performance in the extreme cold

[@kandsgibson]

Hi everyone. Jianyi mentioned in one of his posts that he lives in Olds, Alberta. I live in Lethbridge, Alberta, 3 1/2 hours South of Jianyi. I contacted him to see if we could tour his greenhouse and he was VERY accommodating.. We saw it yesterday, Feb 16th, 2021.. It is amazing. After 2 solid weeks of daytime high temperatures between -20C and -35C the temperature inside his greenhouse was still 16 degrees ABOVE zero. NOTE that the past 2 weeks was a bit unusual for temperatures in our area. I know many think we live in igloos year round, but two weeks of subzero was definitely unusual. It's really a great way to build a greenhouse. Jianyi was very hospitable and suggested we should come back in the summer when his crops are in full bloom. I REALLY thank him for welcoming us and wish him well in the future.

[@1Ascanius]

Really I’m surprised I contacted him about ordering 4 greenhouses like his he contacts me asks me for my number and then never contacts me again . Totally shuns me for no reason just like a real dickhead

[@mr_pickles7477]

I live in didsbury alberta one of the neighboring towns to Olds and I never knew this was possible in such cold temperatures.

[@davidec.4021]

@@1Ascanius maybe he’s just... busy? Wtf the audacity of some people, throwing insults around

[@charlesdickens6706]

@@1Ascanius ...folk scribble numbers down on scrap paper , it gets lost easily .

[@soulwriter9655]

@@1Ascanius The greenhouse on the video looks like a prototype and he is still in a phase of figuring things out. If some random dude contacted me that he wants 4times something that I am still prototyping based on the youtube video, I would instantly decline, because I don't have processes ready to build these things for other people. He wants to be focusing on efficiency of the produce, not building it for other people. Didn't that cross your mind? Oh and when somebody is not calling you, maybe you should give them a call, because... you know, maybe they forgot. You are not the center of the universe, dickhead.

[@craigsuccee3404]

Great work! Canada needs more farmers like yourself. We need to take back our food security, and grow our food here at home.

[@toomanymarys7355]

You guys have a surplus of calories, don't you? But you export grain and import varieties that don't grow cheaply there.

[@jenniferwhite6089]

i am from Alberta to the problem is the government support they do not want to have any support for the farmer that wants to do it our government willing to buy from and another province LIKE Ontario remember you i don't like the jerk premier We have here he from Ontario all the jobs Albertan had this jerk hire Ontario worker to take our jobs i have 8 greenhouses that can be used to grown food here this jerk will buy the food from his own province from Ontario backstabber he is i am sure other farmers do feel the same here too and another problem is to getting it to market to local markets Walmart Canada they prefer to buy from the states that had potatoes and carrots and onions to sell this government has fauld to support any Alberta farmers lease the last one was try there best to market what we gown here we have not recovered from the milk loss we had to take to the milk quote's are not cheap to buy to bought and expended the barn to American milk has cost us a lot lost money too fed, the government has NO ball to stick up for any canadians

[@davefroman4700]

@@jenniferwhite6089 Thats capitalism.

[@darrelneufeldt8450]

Good job you!

[@bludaizee24]

@@jenniferwhite6089 Where in Alberta are you? This premier is a massive disappointment & not here for us at all. We're going to have to do it ourselves and with each other.

[@FlinFarmer]

Thank you for coming to Canada and teaching us how to grow in cold climates. The future will require it.

[@JordanBeagle]

5:40 I love how there's a table and chairs set up over there, it would be amazing to have a picnic at 25°C when it's -20°C outside

[@gestucvolonor5069]

or you can put some soil in your house similar effect

[@vinm300]

A picnic - now you're talking my language.

[@joannot6706]

@@gestucvolonor5069 Lol ^^ smart ass!

[@Whatsthis1do]

He actually said he was lazy... ha... hahaha... yeah right. Fantastic greenhouse. The kitchen table is my favorite ;-)

[@davefroman4700]

If you know what you are doing on a small scale like this? Its easy to be lazy a lot of the time.

[@jasatx2024]

The simple fact that you are growing tomatoes in Canada during winter it is already a great achievement. Good luck and happy new year! 😊 🧧

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks

[@Lochamp]

Mr. Jianyi, my father in law, who is from Peace River, Alberta (North of Edmonton I believe), and also Chinese, tells me how much he loved the cold. As someone who loves plants, personally, and been to Calgary, it is amazing to see your hard work on the greenhouse and growing in Canadian weather! Keep on keepin on

[@milaneate9562]

You are amazing, Alberta needs more brave people like you. I believed that the govt should give more attention in food producion locally to employ people and create home grown food and economy.

[@jenson1569]

I think geothermal would work pretty well to avoid the temperature dipping below 0°c. There’s a video titled Nebraska retiree uses Earths heat to grow oranges in snow, he explains how he has pipes under ground 8ft deep which out puts air temperature at 52°f or 11°c no matter the time of year and outside temperature, it could mean you could take the insulating layer off the green house more often even on cloudy days meaning it would grow the plants faster.

[@safffff1000]

Yes that system only uses buried pipe at 8 ft and fans. His 100 ft green house uses 6 pipes, 225 ft long.

[@greensfarmland]

I am guessing you have no Idea of the cost to do something like that.

[@yohjokromwood2327]

@@safffff1000 you dont need mutch pipe to heat up de the soil under the green house just need to be deep

[@kingjames4886]

people who do that sort of thing generally have a large pension of some sort to back it up...

[@jenson1569]

@@greensfarmland it might cost a fair amount, could find cheaper ways to build it but this guy seems to spend a lot on money on his greenhouses and he even suggested doing it in this video so it can’t be completely out of the question.

[@ShaneHerrick]

Bug fun fact: There are over 450 species of native Ladybug in North America... and one of them, Hippodamia convergens , is a heck of a beneficial for greenhouses and gardens looking for a natural way to fight pest bugs... especially aphids.

[@xDanoss318x]

Reaching temperatures of >20°C is impressive on days like that!

[@waywardspringsacres]

Overheating even in the winter is a common issue. Without any venting I've seen temperatures over 130F in mine.

[@jenson1569]

@@waywardspringsacres that’s pretty crazy, must be hell in summer if you had no ventilation.

[@waywardspringsacres]

That was only while construction, before I had wiring done.

[@cefacibey]

Hello just amazing Do you ever give tours We are in calgary

[@gogro3322]

Great insight into your R&D methods. The cold and snow is tough to deal with, and you’re doing great work👍

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks

[@LeeAngold]

This is great! I'm planning to start a homestead in the next few years and looking forward to building some smaller scale passive solar greenhouses in Zone 5. I love seeing examples like this of what possible. I love seeing examples like this. Great to know that even a simple system like this without geothermal can maintain a year round nearly frost free area in my climate!

[@denipar69]

Amazing! Wow!! I’m also in AB and was researching on building a straw bale north wall to a new build passive greenhouse! Your work is amazing!! Keep on teaching us what is possible!!

[@tedtimmis8135]

I take my hat off to Canadian farmers. Over near Leamington, Ontario, the farmers do an amazing amount of greenhouse farming; just across the border, we don’t see this much at all.

[@LogCabinHomestead]

Hello from Wisconsin! These are great video's! Enjoying seeing your set up! ~Russ

[@Jack13001]

That design is just so cool. I don’t know why so many designs don’t have blankets to cover during the night.

[@CLOCKWOrk53]

they do yo

[@moviezaftermidnight6348]

If you bring your soil level inside the greenhouse to be lower than the frozen layer of soil outside, it will warm it up significantly without going all the way to Geothermal drilling...

[@waynebarrentine7014]

Impressive greenhouse operation! You are a good teacher!

[@Kat-uq7dx]

These videos are fantastic! Thank you for continuing to make them

[@briananderson2219]

The person who hit the thumbs down button obviously just missed the thumbs up button👍

[@bobfalk2896]

Very cool. You are very clever! This technology should be used in all northern climates.

[@oBseSsIoNPC]

Wow, speechless. THAT is exactly what I want to do. Plants love me and I love plants. Especially food and it creates peace and harmony in my life, when ever I work with them. I live in Edmonton and we are saving up for a piece of land to start a Greenhouse. I already played around with ideas in the backyard and the house. Realizing how much is involved, but how much satisfaction you can get as well, I feel I can do it! SO COOL! Thanks for posting! Subbed and perhaps I am gonna stop by for a look!

[@dongjianyi2492]

I have the exact same feeling as you. You are very welcome to stop by.

[@robertling9872]

Thanks for sharing. It clearly shows the advantages of this greenhouse design. Good luck with the growth process.

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks

[@JesusSaves86AB]

That is quite impressive for passively heated here in Alberta. Love it, hope to do something like this asap.

[@corwynwarwaruk2141]

It amazing to see the greenhouse around freezing when it was so cold out overnight.

[@chillyballs555]

Dong, amazing work my friend! I am very impressed with your ambition and hard work to pull this off. Food security is going to be a BIG DEAL very soon...I am in southern Ontario and looking to build a similar setup on my farm. What was the rough cost of this greenhouse setup for you? Thanks!!

[@dongjianyi2492]

$100k CAD

[@redeemedforever6224]

@@dongjianyi2492 thanks

[@Peacefulrelaxvideos]

Wowwww that’s such a great design 😍 am in canada too. Definitely need these for the cold weather. Great job 👍🏻

[@greensfarmland]

Looks Great!!! Yeah man we have a rare fruit tree nursery here in Hawaii, and we get people that tell us to watch this channel or we should meet so and so for tips on gardening. People they just think they are helping, because they just don't quite understand how much the information of gardening has been diluted over the years. Good for you for letting the plants teach you, and finding your own way.

[@markhammond160]

That's an excellent greenhouse. I've been looking to do something like this but on a much smaller scale. I've seen many people use PVC rain barrels painted black and filled with water to absorb heat from the sun. Water holds over 40 times the heat energy of concrete or stone. Also there's a lot of people using "passive Geothermal". Just drainage pipe under ground below the frostline with a fan. Takes a lot of heat out of the ground in winter, and put's heat into the ground in summer. Also takes excess moisture out of the air.

[@frt2765gt]

You are amazing and inspiring! This is a REAL green farming!

[@Pasites]

These are fantastic! Keep up the good work. Looking forward to more informative videos!!

[@dannycurylo]

WoW - incredibly impressive! Respect.

[@chantallachance4905]

the most important in a winter greenhouse the soil dont have to freeze the air is OK for harvest cold vege. Here in Laval, Québec I have only a 220 feets greenhouse and the soil is not freeze now in february it is ready to put seed in the soil for spring harvest before tomatoes.

[@allmedcom]

Thanks Dong for the update and the nice channel. I just found it and subscribed without hesitation! I look forward for the details of your next greenhouse build. Please make a separate Playlist for easier access. You may consider exploring/ experimenting different great suggestions . Utilizing cheap/ free dark barrels/ drums as heat and rain water storage/ source may be possible. Please keep up the good work and good luck with your business endeavors.

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks

[@bobtate6812]

Good man, new ideas. Incorporated some of this ideas building my own new hose in Toronto back in 1990. No windows facing north. All windows facing east, west , majority south. Clay floor tiles act as day sunlight heat absorbent. Throw in 2000 built year round solar water heating system.

[@NayNayzor]

Hi from Grande Prairie, Thank you for sharing these videos, very inspiring!

[@glitchlife4639]

I have an industrial greenhouse in Montana and can grow year round to supply local restaurants. My solution was using ambient ground temperature to heat the greenhouse. I essentially dug 10 feet down and then domed the area off. Google Walopini to get an idea of what it looks like. Its easy to build into the mountain side and highly cost effective. Even when its -10 outside inside my walopini its a comfortable 30 degrees.

[@dongjianyi2492]

Sounds great!

[@scottlefoll2672]

Love your comment. I'm looking at doing this on my farm in Northern Vermont near the Quebec border. Do you have any more information on your build?

[@romannavratilid]

you mean all that in Fahrenheits correct? Also, isnt lack of Light for the plants (when u dig 10 feet down) a problem?

[@wbraun8065]

I really appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge. This is a significant improvement over the older Chinese style greenhouses I have seen here in Manitoba. What is the R-value of the thermal blankets? Thanks again for your hard work, your willingness to experiment and your generosity in sharing your experience.

[@dongjianyi2492]

R value is about R-3

[@JDthaMC]

You are the future my friend! Amazing work can't wait to see your success blossom.

[@Whistlewalk]

I'm really impressed at what you are doing!

[@CedricBAIL]

Nice job sharing this! Looking forward for some video on your build! Maybe share a bit the process you got through to import it too. Thanks

[@malloott]

This is amazing, very cool video and a great system with some pretty extreme isolation

[@marks6663]

People should be aware that the greenhouse effect can be sustained longer with a large setup like he has. If you scaled this down, it would not work. Due to the cubed law, he has a massive amount of internal volume of warm air to play with that helped to keep the place from freezing. If, however, you scaled it down, the warmth would dissipate with sundown very quickly.

[@JohnLee-vi7us]

Good start, this will help us in the future for humanity. If not just 6 months but for long period of time. 👍👍👍

[@stanciumarian8881]

As a secondary heat source, you could make a boiler to heat water burning colza straw, or even wheat straw, then use The heated water to heat the greenhouse. I've seen one builted from a 20 ton water tank, Power 500 KW. Very cost efective,The most simple and cheap heating solution.Thank you for sharing this Information.

[@SimpleTek]

I love your videos - so much so that I added your channel to my list of favourite channels on my channel page for Simple Tek. Keep it up!

[@Xlr8ive]

You make good videos too @Simple Tek

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks

[@SimpleTek]

@@Xlr8ive Thank you. Keep an eye on this channel though, he will explode!!!

[@Babygreenthumbs]

Wow this is so impressive and inspiring! Subscribed. Look forward to more videos and hope these coming cold days won't be an issue for you.

[@marblemill]

People who don't own a tunnel should realize that a single layer of plastic has extremely low insulation value. You cannot economically heat these other than to ward off occasional frosts for a night. Some geothermal ideas might work in a sense, but the cost for large square footage cannot be justified. There is a big difference between farming as a business and trying to find tricks for your homestead.

[@douglaskattau9241]

Looks good. I grew cabbage over the winter last year(2019-2020) as an experiment also. I kept it from freezing hard enough to kill it, but not well enough to keep it from bolting right away and going to seed. It never formed a head. But it was only an experiment and still considered it a success. Good luck!

[@Emeraldwitch30]

I have to say I'm a "make lemonade out of sour lemons" type lady and when my big cole crops rush to seed on me I let them and I take all that seed and use it in dead of winter to make microgreens! Nothing goes to waste lol. I already have several LED grow lamps so it was such a quick step to put two and two together and make someone yummy put of a oops that one went to seed. Lol.

[@douglaskattau9241]

@@Emeraldwitch30, I saved some seeds as well.

[@Emeraldwitch30]

@@douglaskattau9241 I like to keep most of my seeds pure but sometimes when I just want them for microgreens or just sprouts I don't bother. But I've had a few fun crosses grow out over the years. I figure that is how they got to most of our veggies through breeding selectively its kinda fun to be surprised. Happy gardening Douglas.

[@shanebep3135]

Great design! I'm hoping to implement this design with geothermal this year for a family sized greenhouse in Ontario. The coldest temp we've had in my area is -17 this year so far, I think your design would work well!

[@robertstammer5943]

Color me impressed, Jianyi! Well Done! Best of luck in your business.

[@charlesdickens6706]

.......I've been to Calgary and I know those winters with plenty bright sunshine but extremely cold and very dry . In Eyre peninsula here in the antipodies down under there are greenhouses designed for evaporation/distillation of seawater and cooling making use of prevailing winds for evaporative cooling. Tomatoes is the main cash crop .The land is dirt cheap and nothing else much grows if not for the greenhouse setups . It's been introduced into Somalia also , they had some famines last fee years so this system is a big help for them . In southeast Spain it's almost nothing but these greenhouses everywhere . Strawberries is another favoured cash crop cos strawberries are in heaps of nice things . On a smaller scale folk can experiment with transparent forklift wrap rolls of that clear polyethylene plastic film wound around a big framework ,, be mindful of wind strength,, .On channel of odvoko he shows what he constructed this method .

[@nolan4339]

as far as heating a greenhouse for commercial vegetables goes, it would be great to have access to waste heat from energy intensive industries, but barring access to that, going passive is probably the best way to go.

[@bryancase7541]

You're amazing! I love your thinking on this subject. Thank you for making video. -bryan

[@gregwalker3540]

Excellent video. A few well placed insulated light tubes with a good light diffuser on inside may give decent lighting on cold days when you have to keep the insulated tarps on.

[@Guylangloisartist]

Nice greenhouse. Thank you for the videos. I shared them with my students

[@13c11a]

You are a determined man! Good work, I know it's hard.

[@mielesdonferro]

Good job! Thank you for sharing. Keep going!

[@andreaslangosch745]

I like this Video and your Information. Nice greetings from Dresden City, Germany. 🍋📯 Citrushörnchen

[@richardcooney7021]

Hi , I live in Castlegar BC , Im 71, And my first Job was a Greenhouse in Montreal They sold Retail plants ect . They had a big old pizza oven And they would dry tomatoes onions and Herb all day and night and sold all over Montreal The oven heated whole greenhouse . may work for you . I also saw a guy that had a kiln and made clay things , They sold the vases ect at a farmers market along with the produce they grew it warmed up the green house also .

[@harmonysalem9377]

Merci from Montreal, Quebec.

[@mrMacGoover]

Double wall polycarbonate panel greenhouses don't loose heat like plastic sheet ones but are more expensive per panel to build, worth the money in the long run though because of the R value.

[@CedarGroveOrganicFarm]

I think the stuff you're doing here is amazing -- but if you haven't already, you should check out what some of the folks are doing in Maine, Vermont, and Ontario (ex. Eliot Coleman + Connor Crickmore). They're doing similar stuff with even lower-tech greenhouses and really maximizing space utilization. I also grow year-round in my greenhouses, and with appropriate timing I earn a living wage all winter with unmodified double-layer-inflated greenhouses (Southern Ontario, Zone 5b). Tomatoes decline in profitability as the light decreases, whereas winter greens aren't affected nearly as much. Cutting the tomatoes out earlier could give you more time to establish profitable winter greens crops that would keep the revenue stream more consistent across the year. Amazing stuff you're doing!

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks for sharing. Will try out different crops

[@1polartiger]

Thanks for sharing your work. Very interesting.

[@alrachid2]

You got a new sub today brother! Wow, what a greenhouse! I am jealous! I just want a 40x12! I started growing tomatoes 3 years ago, last year I grew 18 different varieties. I am just small time for my family only right now, but I hope to make a business someday. Cant wait to see this greenhouse active when it warms up!

[@BigDsGaming2022]

Simple Solution to Income . 1. Simply plant high THC Marijuana in the Greenhouse at one end . The profits alone from MJ will pay the Bills for the entire year with the Greenhouse and you can select grow other crops at leisure while you get 3 MJ Crops every year from it .

[@jamestricker3741]

What about adding more thermal mass to the system? A few big water tanks along the north wall - each holding a cubic meter would resist temperature drops overnight Should be cheap too - and also give you a bit of resilience if you have any interruptions to your water supply?

[@lecsu131]

Watch his other clip. That black wall you are talking about is 1m (3.3feet) thick and made of clay, and 100m (300feet) long and you can see the height in the clip. That's the whole solar battery that's keeping this greenhouse warm. A few drums, will make no difference in such a vast space especially compared to that wall. 3.3feet x 300 feet x 6 feet (probably in height) = that's 6000 cubic feet of clay painted black :) - about 200 of those cubic meter water tanks.

[@25Soupy]

Considering it was -30 degrees (very rarely gets that cold) but 22 degrees in the greenhouse he doesn't have to do anything he isn't already doing with passive solar.

[@stephenrobb8759]

I wonder how well -- 55 gallon barrels filled with water.... BUT....buried under the growing beds. Would do for your setup. Its great heat storage method Dig out one bed at a time.. Install the water barrels put the soil back and use as before. If you can, add tubing to circulate from the top of the greenhouse through the barrels during the summer. Heat exchanger style, (not mixing the barrel water with the circulation water) Don't circulate during winter. Your free summer temperatures/btu's will be saved for later use. It would be awesome to see how it works so far north.

[@coleweede1953]

My cold day reminded me of your video I saw before. So glad I found you again. Subbed

[@prof.heinous191]

...and thank you for making these videos!

[@JordanBeagle]

Glad to see an update, I was curious to see how your greenhouse would handle the cold we've had recently

[@bernarddusseault9328]

Amazing work! I just watched all your videos and can't wait to see more! I understand you have almost no expenses, apart from lighting for seedlings and preheating water and I would very much like to know in how much time you think you can pay-back the whole greenhouse! If you could do a financial overview of your whole project, I would be very much appreciated! Take care and cheers!

[@dongjianyi2492]

In 2 years. I will share videos on my tomatoes. You will see how profitable it is.

[@useazebra]

I think geothermal could be an economical option if done right when building the new greenhouses. If you rented a tractor-sized trencher you could trench about 5 feet down and lay pvc pipe down the middle length of each house, with smaller pipes T-d out every 25-50 feet or so. That way one blower at one end of the house could force air through the pipes to circulate air in the whole greenhouse. You wouldn't get as much warming as you would with a 40 foot deep pipe, but it should be enough to keep it above freezing. The slightly warmer temperatures might also help the vegetables grow faster, which could make the difference in whether or not it is economical for you. Just a thought.

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks for the suggestion. May try geothermal in the future:)

[@peterkoolwijk439]

very good informative video. Thank you. Here in this corner of scandinavia where we are at, it won't get as cold as in your part of canada. Your greenhouse would do amazing here. Good luck with your growings!

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks

[@Concojone5]

This type of greenhouse is ideal for sunny winters. They are used in China for a reason. I wonder what would work in gloomy overcast Europe.

[@peterkoolwijk439]

@@Concojone5 Hey Concojone5, the part of Europe we live in isn't as gloomy overcast as you might think. If it is mild it can be overcast in winter. if it is really cold the sun is out too.

[@funidertplayfrol188]

great video Thank you

[@johnmcneal9477]

Very nice, I am very impressed with your system. This has to be one of the most efficient and cost effect systems in a northern climate out there. We have five 100ft high tunnels here in Alaska and I have been experimenting for years with wood stoves and ground heat. Just like your were saying, there is just no way to cost effectively add supplemental heat to these high tunnels in this northern climate . This coming spring I need to rebuild one of our wind damaged tunnels and I was planning on adding a small greenhouse within a green house similar to what you have. My thought was that if I kept the space small enough I could add heat and lights and use the new space to start the seasons seedlings and starts. Our primary income was from tomatoes and strawberries. During a normal hot summer we average around 2500 lbs of heirloom tomatoes per green house. I would love to hear about your production levels

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks for sharing. I will share videos on my tomatoes in summer

[@tinawall8360]

Would love to see step by step instructional videos as you build your next green house.

[@thehazelnutspread]

Amazing results. I really like how you criss-crossed those sticks over the plants to support the plastic. What are the sticks made of?

[@meghanvesey]

So awesome! Didn't know you had a youtube channel until it was posted in YA. ;-) Thanks for sharing Jianyi!!

[@dongjianyi2492]

Just started to share these videos. What is YA?

[@meghanvesey]

@@dongjianyi2492 Young Agrarians. ;-)

[@krunocabraja]

Where can I find seeds to grow those chairs and the table? 😁 Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks:)

[@user-zu3rr6hq2c]

Ask seeds in IKEA :)

[@KSliauderis]

Looking forward to your journey!

[@kenyonbissett3512]

Thoughts for others greenhouses in winter. Air BnB for seminars, glamping, part of green house has platforms to assemble for preventing compaction of planting beds and warmth for people. Weddings in winter - once again platforms assembled to protect beds and clothing. Grow fodder to feed your chickens and rabbits. Chickens don’t lay eggs until they are 16-18 weeks old, grow out babies to layers, between fodder and fermented feed it will be cheap to feed. Any rooster become dinner for family and others. Any cattle or sheep ranches near you? Fodder is great for cattle conditioning, same for sheep 🐑. Fodder is growing barley (usually) from seed to 7 days. Maybe a little longer in Alberta. At 7 days it is fed to animals for maximum nutrition and palatability (taste). Excellent weight gains and conditioning. Sell fodder to cattle or sheep ranches. Cost is usually less then hay. Just some thoughts 💭

[@sakilgucci6135]

ok mpce

[@nickguthrie9309]

On Vancouver Island at 50 degrees North latitude our daily hours of bright sunlight in the six months following September, we average less than 2 hours. Your setup here would need geothermal or other added heat source. We often go a week or more without cloudless skies.

[@mikeneron]

This is pretty amazing. I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba and our temperatures are very similar. I wish I had the yard space to just have a small greenhouse. I do mainly raised beds as I just don't have the space to do anything else. I think it would be pretty neat if there was a way you could track both the outside and inside temperatures over the course of a year and graph them out to see how they look.

[@dongjianyi2492]

I have a part of the temp record in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pomzkp6shd-apqc

[@scififanman]

Maybe add a solar thermal collector to your geothermal heating system, maybe store the hot water underground to use later in when it's the coldest. I've seen people pipe warm water through the floors of their homes using relatively small thermal collectors they made themselves, and it saves a lot of money heating the house in the winter, and the floor is always warm and the heat rises so you get a better thermal gradient throughout the home too (good for off-the-grid setups too).

[@jeil5676]

This is amazing. I had no idea this was possible. Very interesting.Subbed! Good luck with your endeavors.

[@peternoonan5312]

Thanks for sharing. I used wood chips in our southern Alberta greenhouse 25,000 square feet. They were primarily softwood chips. I had used peat and manure but found chips to be the best. I used water soluble fertilizer but no pesticides ever. We collected our own predators and bought when the weather was bad. I noticed a lot of salt or calcium crust on top of your soil. Are you using foliar or soil tests? You can contact me directly if you like. I've been in the horticulture business over 35 years and have had three greenhouse companies. So I've made my share of mistakes.

[@dongjianyi2492]

Great. Thanks. May I know your email?

[@wiredforstereo]

I would think this would be a perfect application for a cheap backup heat source like a wood stove. Shoot, even a minor set of grow lights would provide enough heat to keep the plants from freezing and also provide some daylight for those days when you can't open the blankets. You don't need enough heat to keep it 20 degrees, just keep from freezing. I get your point about the expense of such a large greenhouse, but wood heat is quite cheap. Anyway, I admire what you're doing. It may prove to be necessary for our survival at some point in the future.

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks. May try heating a little bit with propane next year.

[@rowdymoore007]

Thanks again for posting these videos. I I wonder if you would be willing to give us a ballpark cost of this type greenhouse ? I appreciate you taking the time to make these videos hopefully it will help someone else be successful

[@dongjianyi2492]

a 80m long greenhouse costs about $100k CAD, incliding all the parts, shipping to Alberta and tax

[@canadianrenegade39]

@@dongjianyi2492 thanks for the info!

[@d.k.3316]

@@dongjianyi2492 Thank you for the very useful information. Some great videos in the future might be a time lapse video of the construction of one of these greenhouses and / or an explanation as to how much labor and skill goes into assembling all the parts that come from China. It would also be interesting to know if smaller greenhouses are available. For example perhaps a 5000 sf greenhouse that requires half of the steel supports. Loving your videos. Keep up the fantastic work! :-)

[@dongjianyi2492]

@@d.k.3316 Will do more videos on construction. A 5000sqft greenhouse is feasible.

[@veroniqueguilmette1142]

Would you be willing to share with us where you purchase this style of greenhouse and where it is shipped from? Does this cost also include installation?

[@paulyounger1190]

Amazing work, thank you for sharing these updates! I'm curious if you have considered growing citrus? If your maximum low is -2c some of the hardier citrus types like Improved Meyer Lemon, Yuzu, Dekopon, Mandarin may be able to overwinter inside the greenhouse. Also maybe figs, pomegranate, olives, feijoa/pineapple-guava, etc

[@dongjianyi2492]

Thanks for the suggestion. I might try some trees in my second greenhouse

[@paulyounger1190]

@@dongjianyi2492 You're welcome! For some inspiration check out the youtube channel "Jane Squier" from Vancouver, and Kirsten Dirksen's video on Russ Finch's "Greenhouse in the Snow" in Nebraska, USA. Both growing lots of citrus in cold climate (although not quite as cold as yours!).

[@dongjianyi2492]

@@paulyounger1190 Thanks

[@codygregg6683]

You should look into waist oil drip stoves. You can sometimes locate sources of free waist oil. And you can build the stoves yourself for low cost. The only continuous cost would be to run a fan for forced air. I will be using one to heat my house as well as a goat barn here in Alaska.

[@hudson8865]

Thank you.

[@free_spirit1]

I would love to do a simulation of this type of greenhouse, do spectral optimization of the foil to maximise light coming in, squeeze the last few percent of performance out of this design. Maybe if one day vacuum panels become cheaper you can have even less temperature loss at night. Inspiring video.

[@dongjianyi2492]

Sounds great!

[@laustudie]

Wonder why we dont build our houses in cold climates more like a greenhouse. No need anymore for wasteful heating.

[@At0m5k]

Look up Earthships and other passive solar homes. They've been around since the late 70's.

[@flack3]

You should keep water tanks as heat sinks, they could help regulate temperature without any expense

[@kentpersson6278]

I think You could use water containers in the greenhouse to even out the differens between day and night.

[@patdeal8664]

Fantastic!

[@spacemanspiffy6596]

Dong, have you seen Citrus in the Snow? Veggies may not payout with a heated green house however, Citrus in the Snow talks about the profit margin gain from selling citrus in Nebraska locally. Also switch to soil blocks instead of plastic trays to prevent root binding which leaves plants weak and susceptible to bugs/insects. Check out Eliot Coleman also, pioneer of 4 season growing! Hope to see your stuff in organic isles soon!

[@bknesheim]

The use of systems that heat/cool the greenhouses is for increasing the yield and it should pay for it self. Anything that have the result that income is increased more then the cost is something worth doing. The area where I live in Norway produce more then 70% of the tomatoes sold in Norway and all are grown in greenhouses. Since we are so fare north added light and and system that protect against low temperatures are important factors in ensuring the profit for the growers.

[@eric45]

old canadian farmer trick. ussing biomass from the farm and some cow shit one can make a cheap and easy heating system ussing the heat generated by the composting of the material being pumped in via a insulated hose.... easy to make and implement