Cacao back outside in new greenhouse setup

After trying several options for humidity, we found a 3 head fogger from www.thehouseofhydro.com that is strong enough to keep the humidity high even while the heater is working hard.  After a few days near 75F and 70% humidity in the inner area, we moved about half of the trees back out there.  We replanted the trees into gallon milk jugs which we hung with a shower rod through the handle.  We made a makeshift punch to cut the holes with a one foot section of closet rod, given an edge with a round file.

More greenhouse work

We carefully added a small space heater on a dedicated 12 gauge extension cord (and 2 smoke detectors), plastic shower curtains, an interior roof, the grow light we've been using inside, and other things to keep the cacao plants happy.  For a little while, we had mold in this area, so we added an above table fan to keep air moving well.  The fan under the table blows air over several very large bags of water, which we hope are working as a thermal mass to keep temperatures more stable.

We also moved a bunch of plants (banana, dragonfruit, strawberry, pineapple) into the outer area or the greenhouse to help protect them from upcoming frost this winter.  It seems like we're getting closer to keeping things alive this winter; wish us luck!

First plants in greenhouse!

Today, we built a platform for our cacao plants and moved the outdoor or into the green house.  We've got the misting system from before, a small fan, and an old phone turned WiFi camera.  I'm excited to see how things grow in here.  I'm also trying to figure out exactly how we'll keep this warm in the winter, though we have some ideas.

Greenhouse conversion

Some friends graciously spent 9 hours with me replacing a section of our metal shed roof with clear pvc roofing that I hope will let in enough light to make cacao and our other winter-sensitive plants happy.  There's still a lot of work to do in here for insulation, termite control (it's an old pole-barn-type shed with a gravel floor), and adding electricity for lighting, fans, and some of the heating.  I'm excited to try my first winter with a greenhouse!

Hanging harvest part 2

The rest of the peanuts.  I hope any pesticides used in the shed that stuck to the hanging bar don't get on the peanuts, though I'm comforted a bit by the fact that they have a shell...

Hanging harvest part 1

A bit less than half the peanuts, up drying in the shed.  They need to dry to avoid a dangerous carcinogenic mold that likes to grow on peanuts...