Just curious If anyone is heating a hoophouse and why? I'm contemplating it, I have a load of freshly rooted cuttings but trying to factor cost. I just finished this hoophouse today just need to add the irrigation. Im in zone 9 and also considering not heating it and just keeping everything inside the house. I may only need heat for 3 months or so.

Don't know about your question but I like your hoophouse.  Very nice!

I live in zone 8B, and i have a heated hoophouse.  I have a temp controller that comes on when the temperature falls below 50 degrees, and powers a oil filled type heater, they take a while to heat up so that's why 50.

The figs I have in there have not gone dormant, but I didn't want them to anyways, I was hoping to get a jump on the season.  It's an experiment.  Some figs forming now.

They haven't really grown either, what seems like endless cloudy days haven't helped.

I have put some cuttings in there after I up-pot them to gallons, so far all is good.  But our lowest has only been 29, and the figs in ground outside hoop house still have leaves.

Personally, I would heat it if you have cuttings rooting. I built mine with PVC pipe as well, holding up nicely.

Thank you Don.

Sweet set-up Brian...

Brian
I am no expert but I am also considering heating my coldframe.
For heating I think it depends on the most economical energy sources available in your area.
Around here most are using natural gas.  Water heaters with water pumped through lines close to the ground.  They also have double poly with air pump to keep air gap for better insulation.
Seems like an expensive exercise unless you have a specific application you can justify.

My hoophouse is heated during our cool season in Louisiana. All my cuttings and plants love it. Stays humid so watering is not as much as a chore. I have lots of plants in mine. Its a small space heater works grate. Just turn off when we have our warm days.

If your town or city picks up leaves in the fall. I can tell you one of the cheapest and easiest ways of heating your greenhouse with very little to no substitute heat.

Angela
You got me in suspense now.  How do you use leaves to generate enough heat?

Composting the leaves to generate heat?  I sure hope it's not setting them on fire.

Leaves or fresh manure are known to generate heat will decaying . Just add water to the leaves/manure to help the decaying process.
The process lasts for one month, and you'll have to add new manure. Be careful to not burn the roots of your plants if adding too much manure at once.

Ps: buy a mask for the smell :)

I have a 14x40 greenhouse . I have the city drop off leaf debris in late spring - winter . Most cities are happy to accommodate you. It keeps them from having dump it. In my greenhouse I add leaves to the center about 2' across 3' high by the length of my greenhouse. The leaves produce tons of heat in the decomposing process. Well water works best to keep leaves moist to help decomposing process along . City water kills the good bacteria that helps break the leaves down. If you only have city water you can fill up buckets or tubs let it set for 48 hrs. and this will neutralize the additives they add to the water, then damp the leaves with the water. Two years ago the temps got down to 9 degrees for 2 nights both nights with no added heat it stayed at it's coldest in the greenhouse at 43 degrees. For plants that require more heat you can use this process along with added leaf debris on sides or back of greenhouse. In doing this to create heat inside the greenhouse I add 4' of French drain pipe or you can use any large pipe ( 4"-8" works best) I run 2' outside the greenhouse with the other 2' running inside. I space these about 3'-5' apart . Then, you simply add leaf debris to cover the pipes on the outside. The pipes need to be place in the centers of your leaf piles on the outside so with 2' extending outside I normally spread 4' of leaves in depth and you can go as little as 2' high or pile it as high as you want it. You can play around with it. You can always add or take away leaves to lower or increase your heat. I'm not saying this is going to solve all your heating needs but it's worked great for me . What's great about this method as well , you have wonderful compost in the spring right inside and around your greenhouse for those awesome new figs you have growing !!!!

Angela Great idea!
Do you run into any issues with rodents or do they not like leaves?

I haven't had problems with rodents in the leaves but I had problems with them in my newly planted seeds. I used a good granulated sulfur around my greenhouse and inside it. Kinda smelled for a couple days !! Lol. It seemed to work well with the rodent issue and I also use sulfur first thing in the spring to rid my place of snakes. They hate sulfur ! Btw sulfur maybe safe for some plants but use caution if using inside greenhouse. It may cause burning on young seedlings! Just place around inside perimeter of greenhouse and outside. Do not and I repeat do not use on plants unless you research it first. I use it on some of my plants like Azaleas but what's safe on one plant may not be for another.

How novel, granular sulfur to repel snakes and rodents!  

Wonder how much sulfur can be applied around dormant fig trees though?