Portable greenhouse over septic tank?

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Gosh, I could have put this question in 5 catagories! Anyway, this is my 2nd winter in this house, last year with hardly any snow so I didn't notice how 'hot' the area over the septic tank is-8 inches of snow melted in a few very cold days. The tank is cement and located about 100ft down from the house. Now, since it's 'sealed'(there is a metal door that removes to pump it out), and no apparent smell-I wonder if it would be fesible for me to build a small size(4x6x6h)greenhouse to overwinter?! I have full sun in that spot(winter only) Have any of you Countrysiders ever tried this before? Thought about it? Think it'll work?! I have a friend who works with plexiglass, I can gather his 'scraps'.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), January 31, 2001

Answers

If your only using it as a heat source and doing your planting in boxes, it should be O.K. I wouldn't suggest ground planting. Aside from contamination, you could damage tank fittings.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 31, 2001.

Exactly Jay. Thanks!

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), January 31, 2001.

There may be some danger of gas (methane) building up in a confined space. If it does you could really heat up your greenhouse if only for a split second. Septic tanks are required to be so many feet from a building to prevent this happening

-- David (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), January 31, 2001.

I think that's a really good idea. It might not be enuf heat to keep it above freezing but you'd certainly gain some season. Tho the gas concern is a remote possibility, if the tank is a cement tank with a gasketed pipe for pumping, its vented to the drain field. I'd guess you'd be OK. But if there was a problem with gas, I'm sure you'd know about it pronto. The smell would be a dead giveaway. Methane is odorless but sewer gas is not.

Good idea about planting in containers. Let us know what you do and how it works out.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), January 31, 2001.


Kathy, we have a similar setup and I too was noticing that the snow is all gone. Let us know how this works out for you please.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 31, 2001.


I don't know how warm you get there, but I will contribute that I have had very good luck using Earth Boxes in situations where I could not plant in-ground for various reasons. After a normal growing season outside, dragging them into such a house could prolong your harvest quite a bit.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), February 01, 2001.

Hmmmm... Good spot for your inlaws to take their smoke-breaks in February, eh?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), February 01, 2001.


If it is that "hot", I'm more concerned about your leach field! Where are you? The area over the septic tank should not be that much warmer than surrounding areas. And your greenhouse will get the vast majority of it's warmth from the sun. Aound here (Maine) the sun has a nasty habit of disappearing each and every night. I use auxilliary heat, either electric of propane, to keep things from freezing during the sun's inconsiderate periods. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), February 01, 2001.

Hi All, thanks for all your responses, even the sarcastic ones had merit! I'm seriously re-thinking this approuch to my dream of dreams to have a (semi-heated) greenhouse. My friend owns a 'septic recovery' operation, his first question (which came early on in this thread) was, what about the gases? He suggested putting a appliance box over the area, and in 3 or 4 days throwing a match inside, if it dosen't blow up, your okay!(my pal.) Seriously, these are problems that I had not even considered! I saw 'free' heat and wanted to make the best use of it. I haven't given up, yet. I might try the box trick. All is not lost for my portable greenhouse, I was telling my 'idea' to a guy who does sub contracting work for the telephone company, he said he can get me 200 feet of 2" PVC, nice frame work! Covered with heavy gauge plastic, it might work work.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), February 01, 2001.

I had a plastic lid put on my septic tank last summer. It is required here whenever a s. tank is pumped now. The man who installed it said he built a slightly raised bed around his own and grows great strawberries. I am considering transplanting some berries near mine as it will free up a large raised bed for other stuff. There should be no odor from them, I don't know about gas. I would think any gas that may form would go out into the drain field.

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), February 07, 2001.


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