New to growing flowers in a greenhouse

[MNdahliagirl]

I want to get a greenhouse and start some seeds.. I have no idea how start this.

Do I start the seeds indoor then move to the greenhouse?
Do I just start the seeds right in the greenhouse?

I live in MN (zone 4) -- when would I start putting seeds in my greenhouse? I'm not sure how 'early' is early enough as it stays cold up to April if not May.

Any responses will be helpful!
Thanks!

[rainbowgardener]

Greenhouses are typically not heated and being glass, they are not insulated. That means they warm up in the daytime and provide some protection against wind chill, but at night will not be a lot warmer than the outside. You can improve this a bit, by putting something like a black painted 50 gallon drum full of water in it. The water will absorb heat in the daytime and give it back at night, but still you would be doing well to keep a small green house a few degrees warmer than outside.

You can heat the greenhouse, but given the lack of insulation, it's a very energy consumptive/ expensive proposition.

So you would probably need to start things indoors under lights and move them to the greenhouse later.

If you are a beginning gardener with not a lot of experience starting seeds and growing things, I would really suggest you get a little more experience before investing a lot of money in a greenhouse. I don't have one and have gotten by without for many years of gardening. It seems to me that the greenhouse only makes a difference for a few weeks in spring and again in fall. Don't need it in late spring, summer, early fall and can't use it in winter.

[Vance71975]

A large compost Pile is another option for heating a greenhouse that does cost you electricity.

There is a guy in Wisconsin that has an aquaponic greenhouse set up that grows year round and the only source of heat in winter is a very large compost pile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV9CCxdkOng

[rainbowgardener]

[not]