On the way to emerald green!

I've said many times that I want my yard to be emerald green. These things I have growing are a positive step in that direction!

Top pic is mostly green beans and peas. Green beans to the fore and left of that pic, tallest one is already about 12" high. Peas to the right aren't growing tall as quickly but are taking to the trellis more readily, where I'm having to train the green beans more. I know, the trellis is far from impressive but it will work for now.

Middle pic is largely flowers on the left. Tall plants in the front of the container are pumpkins and some other tall plants are other melons. My pumpkins didn't grow tall at all last year, just sprouted and spread out. These seem ready to climb something, which pumpkins and melons can do but then you have to support each fruit, which I'd rather not do.

Bottom pic is all tomato plants, three varieties. 

I'm experimenting with different lights now, to see which ones the plants respond best to. A couple are sun spectrum standard bulbs and one is a 100W equivalent CFC (burns 23W). Bought a clamp-on light with reflector at Walmart today, about $6. Cool thing, can focus it well in certain areas and will support up to 150W bulb. When I can, I'll get a couple more of those. Hoping the plants respond best to the CFC bulb, as it burns less energy. So far, no discernible difference. 

Weather seems to be warming up here but you can't trust New Mexico weather at all. Few years ago, had record snow.. in April. So, I'd really prefer to keep these plants inside for as long as possible before transplanting them out. Besides, the compost isn't ready yet. 

To that end, I'm letting this batch rest from here on. No more solids and only water from here on. I may wind up spreading it out and covering it well with surface soil in a couple of weeks. Going to do some soil testing this week, see how it measures up to last year. I'll be sorely disappointed if the results haven't budged. Still, I know it's much more amenable to plant life than it was. Holds water better. Tossed a bucket of water out in the early afternoon and the soil is still damp even now. Last year, all the moisture would have disappeared inside of 1-2 hours, at best. Right now, two biggest concerns are Nitrogen and pH. Have to deal with those now, if needed.

Snow

Got canceled from work last night. However, it started snowing here and one of the ER nurses called in because of the weather. She can't get there. Guess she lives in the mountains. 

In my area, we've had flurries this morning and it's kinda cold. Still, I got outside and took down the rest of the wooden fence. Except for the section behind the shed. That'll have to wait until the old shed comes down. 

Found I was doing things the hard way. I was using a large pry bar. Then, near the end I got irritated with a board which I couldn't fit the pry bar behind. Grabbed my 2 lb hammer and with one good knock, it popped completely off. I tried another board, same thing. Then another and another. Most of them came apart that way. Could have had this thing apart in one day of I had thought of that! Doh! Just not a "reach for the hammer first" kind of guy.

The wood is just laying there now. It started snowing more. I can work fine in the snow but I'd rather not today, since it's not mandatory.


So, I can start taking down the block wall and crawlspace soon.


Built a small trellis for the climbing plants last night. Just a wood frame and cotton twine with knots every couple of inches. It's about 2' tall, to fit on the shelf. I'll keep the plants trimmed until it's warm enough to transfer them outside, then extend the twine with a larger trellis.


Planted the cucumbers, corn, watermelon and snapdragons last night.

More consolidation

Still consolidating wood piles. I still have four piles as of now but three are contiguous, running from the back of the side fence to along the back fence. The last one is small (by comparison) and is more treated or questionable wood, not fit for burning in the fireplace. Some of the fence frame lumber is in solid enough shape to use for small or temporary projects. Mostly old 2x4's and 4x4's. Not much good for anything permanent, heavy load-bearing or highly visible. 

Got another 10-15' of wooden fence taken down. The slow part isn't taking it down but moving the wood to the pile. Can only take a few boards at a time because of all the nails sticking out of it. 

Can't get any more done today. Have to work tonight.

Portable trellis?

Looks like I'm going to have to build a portable trellis and transfer some of the vining plants pretty soon. Some of them have already grown at least 6" long, with no sign of slowing. I can use some of the wood from the downed temp solarium and make a trellis of 3-4' high. If the plants continue responding to the lights I have in place, I may actually have vegetables forming before I can even transfer the plants outside. Wasn't quite counting on that but not exactly depressed about it! Talk about getting a jump on the growing season.. Of course, some of that depends on pollination.


Right now, the plants which have sprouted are: 11 pumpkin, 15 tomato (salad and cherry), 6 green bean, 11 peas, 6 honeydew, 12 cantaloupe, 2 jalapeno and an uncounted number of flowers, Delphinium, Zinnia and Cornflower. 


Got more seeds today, for the corn, cucumbers and watermelon I wanted to plant. Plus I picked up some Snapdragon flower seeds for my daughter. Looks like we should have a rather colorful yard this year!

Funny thing. My ex is engaged and they are going to live together before getting married. They just signed a lease on a house which has a small solarium attached. Plus, he lost his job a couple of months ago because the business went under. Last week, he started a new job- at some kind of solar design company. Very strange, since I've been working on all this solar stuff for a while now and neither of them expressed any interest in it at all. Either my karma is getting tied up with theirs or there are some plans in store for my daughter in that direction. I'm betting on the latter.

All this stuff I'm getting into has a positive effect on my daughter. Anytime she encounters anything with seeds in it, she brings it to me and wants to plant the seeds. This weekend, she found two pecans from a neighbor's tree. She brought them home, wanted to split one with me and plant the other. We did and she enjoyed the pecan (which she did not so much before).

I'm still a bit sore from cutting, splitting and moving about 1/3 cord of wood yesterday. However, I got several piles consolidated, so I'm now down to four wood piles in the yard from six. One green, one seasoned (and cut), two treated or questionable. I'll consolidate those and move them soon.

Spread a full bucket of wood ash and raked it in where the garden was this past year. I know, ashes make the soil more alkaline. However, since the soil was so sandy and lacked so much else, I have no reason to believe it contained enough carbon for plants to develop properly. Carbon is like amino acids for plants, the basic building blocks of their structure. Not enough carbon, plants grow slowly or just don't grow. Besides, I'm adding various substances to the compost to increase the soil acidity. That's one reason I want to grow lots of pepper plants. Better, safer option than lime. Just grow extra peppers in the garden and add them to the compost pit and you can more safely adjust the soil pH to be more acidic. Big problem here, as alkaline as the soil is.

Took down some more of the wooden fence this evening. I'd like to get the whole thing down this week or early next week, so I can start taking down the block wall. Decided on a staging area for the blocks, which is out of the way of construction but convenient, as well. It's where more trees will eventually be planted.

As I've been taking down the fence, I've learned that I have more trees on my property than I had thought. I had believed 3-4 trees were on the neighbor's property but it turns out they're on my own and were growing behind the wooden fence! At least two are flowering trees, though I'm not yet sure what kind. Figure it out when they flower, I guess! I moved in last year after they had lost their blooms. Daughter should love when they flower this year.

Backward and forward

Looking back over my old posts, I mention that everything we planted is growing. However, I never said anything about us planting in the first place!

Last weekend, my daughter and I planted a bunch of seeds in peat pots and saved egg cartons. Lots of flower seeds for her, Delphinium, Zinnia and Cornflower. I planted lots of tomato seeds, green beans, peas, jalapenos, cantaloupe, honeydew, green chile and pumpkin. 

As of Thur, many of those seeds had begun to sprout. Much faster than I had anticipated. The ones taking off fastest are the flower seeds but some of nearly everything planted is now showing to some degree. Except for the chiles. (That's okay. I'm from Texas, not NM. I see chile as a spice, not a necessity to sustain life.) Things I'm happiest about are the tomatoes and green beans.

The raised bed is still going, though slowly. Only produced enough spinach to eat a few small leaves so far but they seem to be picking up as the weather warms. The wind blew the cold row cover to pieces, as well. So, I went back to the sunroof domes I was using before. Garlic is apparently growing, as you can smell it when you raise the cover. I know one problem is lack of CO2 inside the covers. In such a small space, plants consume any available CO2 very quickly. Haven't found a solution to that problem. Maybe if I have to use cold row covers again, I'll save a space at each end to place a container of compost or even ferment a cold beer batch (with careful covering for sanitation) to produce needed CO2. Fermentation is cheap, so maybe just a sacrificial batch of fermenting sugar water would be good. After use, let the alcohol evaporate and it could be recycled in the compost. Then sterility isn't so much a concern, since it's not meant for direct consumption. 

There are still more things I want to plant for this coming season. Still want to get some seeds for corn, cucumbers, strawberries and watermelon.

Because of cost and how long the permanent solarium will take to build, I know I will have to make some kind of temporary plans for this summer for the garden. One idea is, as I build the columns and get the 4x4's in place, to put small slats in place for partial shading. They could be placed in an alternating pattern, one on top, one on bottom. As I place polycarb panels, the bottom slats could be removed, while the top ones maybe stay in place for more stability of the panels. Still giving it some thought.

Growing and tearing down

Got a cool surprise this morning when I went to check the moisture of the seed pots. Nearly every single thing we planted this past weekend is already sprouting! At least in one container. I've kept a heating pad on low under that container. Once theses plants develop some leaves, I'll move the heating pad to the other container. I've never had this many things growing at once in my life! 

Found a good deal at Family Dollar. Two bulbs which simulate sunlight spectrum for $.75! Got 4 and will snatch some more up if I find them. Now I have a lamp aimed at the plants with one of the bulbs. 

Yesterday, the wind tore the temp solarium to pieces. Ripped the anchors right out of the cinder block walls. I was using plastic anchors but the same kind of anchors are holding up shelves inside the house with hundreds of pounds on them, haven't moved a millimeter. Assessed the damage this morning, found screws ripped out, wood split in many places. Not going to rebuild it. Not enough winter left to warrant the effort and expense. Just took the chain saw to it. Lots of wood left which will be good for a trellis or something.

May sound counterproductive but I now have six piles of wood in the yard. Some is very green, some is treated, some is cut for the fireplace, some still needs to be cut. Much has to be chopped down for next year's firewood pile.

Started taking down the wooden fence. Learned that much of the frame was built with scrap lumber to begin with, so it's no wonder it's falling apart. Noted at least five to six kinds of nails and screws used on it. Some of that overlaps the cinder block wall I'll be taking down for reuse in the permanent solarium. Still not sure how next door neighbors will react but they don't speak English and I don't speak Spanish. They have a wire fence parallel to the wooden fence. If they're concerned about privacy, they can put up a privacy fence or wait until I build the solarium, which will have translucent material on that side. Not like I'm going to be standing out in the yard and staring at them, any way. Not being rude but this fence is not very safe and not attractive at all. Maybe if someone had painted or treated it when it was built but that didn't happen.

No word of any work tonight. Got boxes and piles of papers sorted out last night, then cleaned out the filing cabinet. Filed most of the stuff I need to keep. If now work tonight, I'll finish organizing the office at last. (If I do work, I'll do it this weekend.)

Solarium drafts

Okay, so Sketchup proved to be rather difficult to handle. I went back to my old reliable standby, Paint Shop Pro. Not 3D but it does what I want. Like of I try to move an object, it actually moves instead of warping.

The top left is the inside view, facing west. The beams attach directly into the wall of the shed and become integral with the roof of the shed. This allows me to install a floor on the shed roof, giving me direct access to vents and I can install solar panels up there and again have direct access. I've allowed for a 1 ft high turret for safety. Beams will likely be 4x4 wood, with cinder block columns, stuccoed and painted. The beams will be large enough to allow me to hang a swing right from the beam for my daughter. At that size, should be pretty solid and last well.

Top right is the rear outside view, facing east. I haven't decided yet on the north roof angle.

Bottom left is top outside view. The angular corner is optional and I haven't quite decided on it yet.

Bottom right is interior top view. Black is a fireplace, which I'll probably move somewhere else. Blue is a waterfall, stream and pond, recirculating, filled by a well and connects with irrigation. That will help maintain a healthy humidity level for plants in the greenhouse. Storage benches are something I haven't completely decided on. Shed structure will house workshop, storage and compost pile. Not shown is that there will have to be several rows of support columns.

In the end, the whole thing will be heated by solar, cooled by solar chimney in conjunction with a built-in evaporative ventilation system and powered by solar and perhaps wind generators.

A dirty yellow secret

Some conservationists have a secret which they don't easily divulge. Nothing dark or evil, just something not discussed with the general public.

Their secret is the use of urine for feeding their plants. 

I've been doing some reading about this. Of course, the first time I read it, I had the same reaction many of us do. Eww! Be careful whose garden you eat from! However, I have done more reading on the subject, first running across it inadvertently, then more curiously. 

Seems research has been done which shows normal human urine to be very beneficial to plants. Most notably, there was a study done in Finland, published in 2007 on the subject. Urine contains high levels of nitrogen and lesser levels of phosphorous and potassium, all of which are needed by plants. The Finland study detailed the use of urine quadrupling the yield of tomato plants. It was apparently just slightly less effective than commercial fertilizer. 

Of course, there are several benefits to the use of urine over commercial fertilizer. The first is cost. Those who cannot afford commercial fertilizer can obviously afford to use urine. The second is availability. Unless you have complete renal failure, you have a supply on a daily basis. This remains true in big cities, rural areas or isolated areas far from any supply of commercial fertilizer. The third is environmental impact. Urine entering the sewage system can be toxic to the environment and must be processed to decrease that toxicity. Meanwhile, most sources of Nitrates for farming or gardening are mined and have a limited supply. Some experts say those supplies are dwindling and there's no doubt they have become more scarce. Even if they were not becoming scarce, it requires processing, packaging and shipping before it can be used. 

The negatives of urine use involve social stigma, safety and proper use. The social stigma part will decrease over time, as the practice is growing. Safety is mostly common sense. Do not use urine if you have a urinary infection. Normal urine is sterile. Most of the advice I have read ignores one thing- Do not use urine from a person who takes prescription drugs, which are often secreted in urine. This is especially true of a person on chemotherapy. Some have stated concerns of salts and heavy metals, such as mercury. However, it is unlikely that these are contained in urine in sufficient quantity to cause harm, as the donor would already be seriously ill from the levels in their blood.




For proper use, urine should be used within 24 hours. If not used within 24 hours, urine begins to break down and form ammonia, harmful to plants. 
It should be diluted. Different sources state different dilutions and some say no dilution is necessary but too much Nitrogen will burn plants. I think the best advice is a dilution of 10 parts water to 1 part urine. If your plants show signs of yellowing, add more water or discontinue use for a while, until the plant recovers, then increase the dilution. 
Urine must be separated from fecal matter. Urine can be used immediately or added to compost. Fecal matter can be composted but requires at least two years for the process and can still be risky.
As stated, urine can be composted and has been shown many times to be a potent compost activator. In the winter, this would be the best use of urine. This will increase the Nitrogen content in compost and decrease or eliminate the need for Nitrogen supplements. (I'd advise soil testing to make sure.)
If applying solution directly to plants, water the roots, not the leaves. Some sources say to discontinue use two weeks before harvesting if using on food plants. I don't think that's really necessary, just wash plants well before eating (which you should always do, any way). 



So, I'm not going to keep it a secret. I have begun using urine for gardening. I don't take any medications and have virtually zero chance of a urinary infection. Right now, I have simply been using it for the compost and most likely will continue using it in that way. Though I may test some part of the lawn or various plants with a solution when spring comes. 


One thing I will not do is give it some cutesy name. I admit that was something which put off my interest in the first place. I saw people calling it "liquid gold" or talking about how much fun it was urinating in the compost pile. Really? I think you live waaayyy too far out in the sticks for your own good! I will not be assigning any cutesy names or try to make it sound fun and exciting. It is useful, organic, financially conservative and environmentally responsible. If I give it a name, it will likely be "urine fertilizer" or something similar. It's accurate, not cutesy and does not make anyone feel like I am trying to hide something.

The tree is down!

Finished taking down the cottonwood today and still alive to write about it! Yay!

It came down within 2 feet of where I wanted it. In spite of all the cutting I did to avoid it, the leaning angle still made it veer just a bit north when it fell. The top branches nicked the power lines on the way down but not hard enough to do any damage, just enough to scare me for a moment. When it started to fall, I ran clear, just in case. So, the power lines, the fence and myself are all intact.


A lot of people would have said the chain saw I used for this was too small and underpowered. Obviously not, since the tree is down. This was a $50, 14" electric saw, not a $400, 60" jet fuel powered machine with GPS and artificial intelligence capabilities. It's the operator, not the machine. With enough work, you can cut a tree down with a hand saw or a pocket knife. Okay, I'm not quite that motivated.

Now comes the work of cutting this thing apart. Though I may just trim and clear the smaller branches for now and let it sit to see my daughter's reaction. She'd probably love climbing on it. Just have to make sure it's sitting in a stable position.

Tree cutting

So, I started cutting down the cottonwood yesterday, seen in pics above. First pic is after one lower branch removed. Shows how close the tree is to the house, along with the large branch overhanging the roof. Second pic shows what a challenge it is to bring this thing down properly and safely. Besides, I would not want this tree to eventually fall by itself. Then it would definitely hit the wires straight on.


The power and phone lines are off to one side of the tree, in the direction it leans. On the other side is the fence between my property and the neighbors. This gives me a fairly narrow window in which to bring the tree down without destroying anything. The lean of the tree makes it more difficult. What helps a bit is the large branches to one side, which help pull the weight the direction I want. Going to attach a cable tensioner with a rope or chain to the trunk to help more. So, I have to judge the angle of each cut very carefully.


Leave it to me. First tree I ever fell and it has to be taken down very precisely.


I don't have the equipment needed to take the top down before the main trunk. Using a ladder, I would anticipate a spring in the trunk if I cut higher up. 

So far, each cut I've made has worked out just as I had planned. The large branch overhanging the roof was difficult but I cut it slowly and let it split, so the weight came down on the roof gradually. If I had done it differently, I was afraid of major damage resulting. I'll take the trunk down so it comes down slowly, as well. That way I avoid too much bounce.

My daughter will be here tomorrow night, so I need to take the main trunk down before then. Don't want to do it with her here. Too tired for it right now. Just got off work after 13 hours. This evening or tomorrow morning.

Chain saw

Finally got the chain saw I needed. Not some huge or obnoxiously loud gas machine, this one is electric. All chain saws are somewhat loud but this one is nowhere near as loud as a gas chain saw. Big enough for my needs, 14" with an automatic oiler and two year warranty. 

Came home and cut some long pieces of wood which I had been unable to cut with the maul. Maul is made for splitting, not cutting. Now I have a fire going in the fireplace. 

Now I can cut and move the wood pile, which is the last remaining unsightly pile which was here when I moved in. Not to mention that I can take down the cottonwood next to the house. Should do that first, so the green wood is on the bottom when I stack it up. 

Got the water heater lit for the moment. Still no avoiding replacing it soon but for now I have a fire in the fireplace and hot water for a bath. I can heat water on the stove but not quite feeling it right now. I'm happy and thankful for little things like heat and hot water. 

Going to take a while

The whole solarium idea seems like it will take much longer than I had believed or hoped. Finances suck. Water heater broke and I can't afford a new one until after taxes. Behind on several bills. Started getting down and thinking how foolish the whole idea is.

Then reconsidered. This is a dream, a goal of mine. Dreams and goals are things I really need, always have, always will.

So, it will take a while. Still lots of work which needs to be done which does not entail money. For the parts which do require money, if I have to buy one bag of cement or two cinder blocks at a time, I'll do it that way. Who says I can't build the whole thing one column at a time? I've seen buildings in Europe which took hundreds of years to build. 


For now, that wooden fence needs to come down. When I moved in, I thought things were not growing there because of the soil. Now I know it's because no direct sunlight ever reaches that area because of the fence and the shed. (Wish I could move the shed, too.) 


No matter what, the important thing to me is keeping my own hopes and dreams alive. Sometimes, dreams are built one cheap block at a time over many years. Can't afford to forget that.

No hot water

So, my water heater went out today. Apparently for good. Has a leak in the tank and will not light. So, looks like I'll be heating water on the stove until I get my tax refund. Happy for the large (24 or 28 quart) tamale steamer I bought a few years ago! Can use something smaller for dishes and general needs. Just have to plan ahead for bathing. 

I had looked at tankless water heaters but the price is ridiculous, while claims are way overblown. 

Here's a copy of an article I wrote for publication on another site on the subject:

"If you are building a new home or just replacing and older tank water heater, you may take a look at tankless water heaters. They've become popular recently, with much press and claims of saving water and utilities.

The truth is, they will not save water. Only reducing your water usage will save water. While it is true that tank heaters emit some steam, the amount of water lost through steam is negligible.

Unless your utilities are off the grid, the amount of utilities they save you will not be nearly as much as the extra you spend on the heater, itself. If your electricity is off the grid, they may make sense to some degree.

If you enjoy the luxury of an endless supply of hot water, then you may wish to spend the extra money. Or if you just want to be trendy. In either case, the additional cost is for luxury.

I really feel the cost of tankless water heaters right now is disgusting. Companies which produce and market these items are jacking their prices on the “green” label. Some models cost over $1400 before installation is factored in, which is generally much higher than that of a standard tank heater. They claim savings which do not add up for anyone doing research before buying. At current prices, return on investment (meaning the cost above a conventional tank heater) is 10 years or more. They behave as though this is new technology, which it is not. Much of the technology used in these water heaters is the same as that in tank heaters.

Besides, tankless water heaters have been in use across Europe for decades. In 1988, I lived in an apartment in Germany. That apartment had a tankless water heater which was several years old. Yes, that was 22 years ago.

Better investments for saving on your water use and utility bills would be using low-flow shower heads, aerating faucet heads, utilizing gray water for the lawn and a solar water heating system. (Note that the solar water heating system would make tankless water heaters more efficient and use even less energy when their price becomes reasonable.)

Tankless water heaters will be great investments. Someday but not now."

End of article there.

Obviously, I will not be spending money on a tankless water heater. Even if I had the money, I would still refuse to spend in a way that foolishly encouraged such unethical business practices.

When I can get a water heater, I'll get one 30 gals or less. Uses less in utilities, besides costing less up front. Besides, I will be installing a solar water pre-heating and storage system as soon as possible.

Being lazy

Being lazy so far this morning. 
Yesterday, raked more leaves into the large compost pit. Going to bag most of the rest today. All those leaves do make the compost lack Nitrogen, so I'll have to supplement until spring comes along and I can add grass clippings. Going to save the leaves not used now for summer use. As the pit stands now, I estimate it should produce at least 300-400 lbs per batch.

Raked in the compost and mulch mentioned before. Even after raking, the yard looks like a compost bomb went off! But doing this now allows time for it to work into the soil before spring. 
Got the Christmas decorations out to the shed. 
Had a job interview at 1 PM, which limited what I could accomplish. The interview went well and I'm hoping to get this job.
The previous residents of the house had painted 7 of the 8 window panels looking out the west side of the office. Another one of those things about this house I stopped wondering about long ago. I'll never figure some things out. Until recently, I'd been spending so much time outside it didn't bother me. Since cold weather has been here, it's been increasingly annoying. So, removed the paint from some of them yesterday with a drill and wire brush attachment. (I'll do the rest with a chemical stripper.) So, I have a much better view of the back yard now. It also allows afternoon sun in the window.
Finally, last night I built a seesaw for my daughter. (Pic below.) I had wondered where in the yard I would place it, then decided to put it on a movable base. It's all 2x4 and 2x8 construction, so I think it should be sturdy enough to last for some time. Had to fill one knothole with wood filler so nobody slides across and injures themselves on it. Get some paint for it later. Hope she likes it! Going to make a balance beam, also. Between those and the previously built swing and zip line, it's turning into a nice play space.
Okay, got to get up and get something useful done.

Temp solarium

 

So, it's nothing fancy but I got the temp solarium finished, aside from the door latch. Latch I had on hand was too big, have to get a smaller one. Just a hook and eyelet type. The black plastic is in the wrong place, needs to be on a side that gets sunlight. Duh!

Tried placing a fan in the solarium today, placed at the crawlspace opening. Worked for increasing heat entering the house and eliminated cold draft at the windows.

Expanded to old large compost pit today, now about 8 ft long x 3 ft deep x 3 ft wide. Should hole a respectable amount of compost. Started layering dry leaves with compost from the four smaller pits. Spread the dirt around an area that needed more leveling and a large amount of compost around the yard, especially in the sandiest places. Filled in two of the four smaller pits. Where the greenhouse stood, I had taken up some weed fabric, leaving a lot of shredded wood mulch. Spread that around, also. I'll rake it all in tomorrow.

I know I'm going to be really feeling all this digging tomorrow but glad I got some of it done.

Door installed, temp readings

Got the door installed on the temp solarium today. Still some work needed but the whole thing is now functionally complete.

Did two simple tests to check function of the solarium. One was watching smoke from a cigarette placed at the top and bottom of the window. When placed at the top, heated air carried the smoke in and up. When placed at the bottom of the window, the smoke was carried out and downward. Meaning the thermosyphon effect is working.

The other test was placing an outdoor thermometer outside the kitchen window, just under rafter level of the solarium. The highest temp I noted was 96 F. This was while outdoor temp was 48 F and the indoor temp was 68 F. 

Now, one problem is that the cool air being drawn toward the window causes a draft of cold air. Your body does not care if cold air is coming from outside or inside. It's still cold air flowing over your body. So, I need to place a fan to draw cold air from the crawlspace into the solarium. This will supply enough cold air to likely eliminate the outward cold draft from the window. (Only the kitchen window, as the bathroom window is higher and smaller.) 

I may try venting heated air down into the crawlspace opening. Need a small fan and some ventilation hose for this. Placed the right direction, cooler air would still flow out through the crawlspace vent. This would also help heat the floors and provide heat which would last well after dark. Not to mention more consistent heating through the house. 

Real shame this doesn't work on cloudy days. Luckily, not many of those in the desert.

Success!!

Got the plastic covering on the temporary solarium today. The door isn't mounted yet but the mounting location is covered. I'll just cut the current plastic when I go to mount the door, making a flap on the hinge side which will help keep wind out of the hinge gap. 

It works great! Soon as I got it covered, I turned the thermostat down and opened the windows covered by the solarium. Could feel the heat wafting in the windows and the furnace never kicked in again until after sunset. Even then, it has kicked in much less often than it usually does. The covered walls are remaining warm, where they previously became cold almost immediately after sunset. You can place your hand on the wall which is covered by the solarium, move over a few feet where the wall has the same structure and feel a highly noticeable difference. Even now, hours after dark, the house is remaining warmer overall.


One unanticipated benefit is the fact that, since the plastic disperses light, it increased the light in the house in the afternoon. Meaning less need for artificial light sources. 

Of course, the down side is that the plastic is translucent, so obstructs the view from the kitchen window. But it's a trade off and it is temporary. Besides, it won't be such an issue once I place some plants out in that space. If I build some racks, it should help me get an early start on the growing season, also.


The total cost to build this came in under $50. At that price and seeing such results so quickly, I estimate that it will have a 100% return in two months or less.

So, I still have a few things to do to finish up with it in the next few days. Filling dirt into the gaps at the bottom, where the ground is uneven. Have some cleaning up to do where scraps and tools are littering the ground and picnic table. And mounting the door, of course. I also have a number of empty milk jugs saved up and will fill those and place them in the solarium, as well. May paint them black at some point. I may also staple up some left over sheeting on the inside of the side walls for greater insulation.

When I mount the door, I'll hang a thermometer in view of the kitchen window, so I can note temperature differences. I'll probably take a few readings at ground level and at rafter level, as well. (The rafters are only a few inches above window level.) Compare those to outdoor temps and post them online.

This structure isn't anything which would last for years as is. It has proven to be a valid experiment which is well worth the investment, though. Even if I were not going to build the larger solarium, I would definitely build a more permanent smaller one across the back of the house. Besides, the plastic will have to come down when warm weather arrives, as I did not include any vents in this design. Strictly a winter thing.

If you have a poorly insulated house with sufficient southern exposure, I would advise a solarium. More permanent structures will, of course, be more expensive to build but have definite benefits which would last for as long as the structure remained intact. More solid materials would have to be used and vents for hot weather would have to be included but the whole thing would pay for itself quickly. Be sure to include methods of keeping the heat obtained, as this structure acts as a thermosyphon and the heat gained will be quickly lost after dark, if ventilation is not blocked. For me, it's as simple as closing the windows.

For now, I'm just happy this is working as planned. Even though I did a lot of thought and research, actually seeing such a dramatic difference is really cool!