Q.Mini-greenhouse for herbs through winter
I have had a couple basil plants and a parsley plant which I’d like to keep growing and using for cooking throughout the winter. I live in South Carolina–upstate, near the mountains, so we will get a few nights of freezing weather, but not a harsh winter by any means. I have a little greenhouse which is about 18″ deep and 30″ wide. It’s has a plastic cover and the bottom has a plastic cover also. I have a heat mat if it gets too cold. BUT…I don’t really know what I’m doing. I do have them on the south-facing side of our porch, so it will get a good bit of winter sun. What I don’t know is will this work for the herbs I have? I also don’t know when to use the heat mat, how long to use it, if it’s safe to keep plugged in for long periods of time, etc. I can’t really readily find these answers off the bat on the internet, so if you could help, or direct me where I can get this information, that would be wonderful! THANKS so much!
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Many herbs can survive temperatures close to freezing, and the pad should only be used when you expect the temperatures to be exceeding low. You may even want to get a cheap thermometer to monitor the temperature around the area. a heating pad on low wouldn't harm anything just overnight. It all really comes down to monitoring the temperatures around the plants.
