As long as we are brainstorming--part of the problem is finding a way to transfer solar heat deeper into the ground faster and storing it during the cold night period- using the ground as storage to try to get a sort of thermal flywheel effect going to get through the cold night. My idea âÂÂonly half hatchedâ is this 1. Hammer sections of copper, aluminum, steel or whatever conductive pipe you have into the ground-exposed part painted black. 2. cover with a thick layer of your favorite mulch. 3. install a clear plastic cover over the pipes you drove into the ground----Variables to be considered are many--- a few are a) the spacing of pipes. b) the ratio of buried to above-ground c) what thickness of mulch is the most beneficial d) would 2 layers of plastic with an airspace between work better e) instead of pipes how about a L shaped piece of metal like an unassembled length of ductwork 8"x12" purchased from Menards or Lowes. They come in 2 L shaped pieces. Bury the long 12" side. Paint the exposed part black and bend it to an angle it to face the sun, f) would insulation buried alongside your test planting area improve heat retention. g) bury 8â side and angle 12â side to sun. The duct comes in many sizes 12âÂÂx 12â ��"4âÂÂx 16â etc. Benefits: cheap-easy to build and store -----towards spring and planting season, the benefits of the warmer ground and more direct sunlight might combine with this system to gain us a week or two. Any other insights as to other variables and/or âÂÂconsiderationsâ before I give this a try in the spring would be appreciated.

I think I am getting a handle on your instructions for posting photos - here are a few. We built the GH from plans my wife designed - Here I am filling the raised bed with top soil. Then we installed the polycarbonate on the framing. We used all redwood then put on two coats of semi-transparent stain for longer life. We put a storm door and windows on both ends of the GH for venting and view. We also have an auto matic gable fan with vents on a thermostat. We built raised beds outside of the GH for Cold weather corps that grow well in Wyoming (strawberries, asparagus, beets, carrots etc.). We grow wide rows of peas - beans - squash - cucumbers etc. and cover them with a frost blanket in early spring & fall. We get a great crop as long as we watch the weather report and get the plants covered with blankets. Now here we are in winter! This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. The GH is almost finished except for the electrical and additional raised beds I plan to complete over the winter. Here is our small patch of experimental lettuce & spinach as it looks today, Dec 18th. They just sit there unless the sun comes out and it warms up a bit. Hoped soil heat cables with a polycarbonate lid may change all that and we could actually grow something over the winter? RE: Soil Heating Cables Posted by: karin_mt 4 (My Page) on Sat, Dec 18, 10 at 21:02 WOW! Awesome photos - you have a really nice place there. You guys don't mess around either; it looks like you do things at full tilt! The greenhouse is beautiful. It's so nice and big, which is something I would be quite happy with. Looks like an impressive design and very well built. The outdoor raised beds are lovely too. I like the flat board on top so you can sit there are weed. (Do you have weeds there in Wyoming?) How cold was it in there while it was 24 below outside? My spinach and lettuce are often frozen fairly solid in the morning. Looks like they're goners but then they thaw out and perk up. Kind of miraculous! In addition to winter growing, your soil heat idea will definitely give you a jump start in the spring. Tomatoes will love that. I start mine in March and they grow so fast I have to keep potting them up. By May they are in gallon pots and are like little trees. The ones that I intend to keep in the GH all summer get planted in the ground bed in early May. The outdoor ones go in in early June. Speaking of which, it is dinner time and I have just cooked up the last of our Super San Marzanos and made a fresh batch of pasta. YUM! Thanks for the pictures - really impressive! RE: Soil Heating Cables Posted by: Eric 7b (ekscholl@gmail.com) on Wed, Sep 7, 11 at 21:19 It's about that time again... Thanks for the building description, karin. Which soil heating cables are you guys using? Built-in thermostat or heavy-duty cabling where the thermostat is connected in series? Thanks. Post a Follow-Up Your Name: Your Email Address: Zone (optional): Subject of Posting: Message: Optional Link URL: Name of the Link: Return to the Greenhouses & Garden Structures Forum

@mike home: "The purpose of the gutter cable is to prevent ice daming. This occurs when the water in the gutter freezes and pushes the ice up the edge of the roof. The ice causes the roof shingles to lift up allowing water to penetrate the roof. " Where does the water in the gutter come from? It comes from the snow melting off the roof. Make the roof colder, and you won't have any water. Check out these images: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.massenergylab.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/wind-washing.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.massenergylab.com/blog/?p%3D1657&h=480&w=576&sz=113&tbnid=EPVy840-qD1GBM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=122&zoom=1&usg=__Dg-DRaoUPY1IYGSMkQc2P1600qo=&docid=ckkz7b8qhaB6LM&sa=X&ei=QyTwUPn-HNL4rAG1oIGwCQ&ved=0CEgQ9QEwAw&dur=0 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://spinspect.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/WindWash1.png&imgrefurl=http://spinspect.com/blog/?p%3D110&h=364&w=556&sz=57&tbnid=Le-6xmcrIHvReM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=139&zoom=1&usg=__wfbIe_pRROqtNfyYN2emyR3I7VQ=&docid=eXePEmAJUH7HEM&sa=X&ei=QyTwUPn-HNL4rAG1oIGwCQ&ved=0CEsQ9QEwBA&dur=719

For whatever reason, this has been a particularly bad winter for ice dams. Roof heating cables do work, but not very well when there is a heavy ice/snow accumulation or when the temperatures are especially cold; in other words, they work poorly at the very times you need them most. The other problem with them is that they can be a fire hazard if flammable debris such as leaves, pine needles, etc. accumulate around them. Using a roof rake - available at large hardware stores and home centers - can be difficult, but will eliminate ice dams before they form by keeping the roof snow free. Another important prevention measure is installing an ice and water shield membrane on the entire roof deck before reshingling - this doesn't prevent ice dams but does keep water from backing up under the shingles ands leaking into the house.