Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at 15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible, and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess I'll have to leave it .

Im looking for the same answer... I would love to grow cocoa or a coffee plant!
Sorry I cant be much help, but get in contact if you find a solution to our cool climate!

On Apr 13, 10:40*pm, BlackThumb
wrote:
Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at
15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible,
and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over
water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do
have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the
cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too
expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess
I'll have to leave it .

--
BlackThumb


Forget it then. It needs light as well as heat.

I will! And when I find out, I'll tell you where you can buy a cocoa plant from. It's taking me a while to research though because of uni deadlines.

"BlackThumb" wrote in message
...

Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at
15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible,
and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over
water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do
have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the
cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too
expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess
I'll have to leave it .


Try experimenting [1] with a box with a light bulb[2] in it. I'm told this
works for various baby animals, and possibly for hatching tortoises. A bowl
of water in the box would help with humidity. Lining the box with baking
foil should also be helpful. Don't get too heath robinson about installing
the bulb, electrical safety will of course be vital.

Steve

[1] Experiment with a thermometer to see how the temperature holds up before
committing your seed.

[2] The old type bulb, not the energy saving type.

X-post to uk.d-i-y

"BlackThumb" wrote in message
...

Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at
15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible,
and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over
water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do
have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the
cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too
expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess
I'll have to leave it .


Have you read, for instance
http://www.chocolatetreebooks.com/choccycare.html
"Chocolate trees (theobroma cacao) aren't naturally suited to the UK, but
with some care and attention (or a shaded, humidity-controlled greenhouse),
they can be nurtured and toughened up to some degree as indoor pot plants,
provided that you're aware that potential disaster is always hiding around
the corner, and provided that you realise that if the plant survives, its
going to want to become a tree. If you can recreate the conditions of a
semishaded rainforest canopy region, a plant should be happy. "

This does not look like a project for an ardent money saver.
You might indicate your maximum budget for construction and for ongoing
running.
Thuis could then suggest if you are being practical, or just wishful.

Note especially that if it survives it will want to grow to 30' - 40' tall
eventually.

See also
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united...ndoors-uk.html
for the last post of the discussion by someone from the US.

Cross posted to uk.d-i-y because the creation and maintenance of an indoor
semi-shaded rainforest canopy region on a tight budget looks like an
interesting challenge.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

On Apr 13, 10:40*pm, BlackThumb
wrote:
Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at
15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible,
and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over
water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do
have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the
cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too
expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess
I'll have to leave it .

Conservatories have a lower minimum temp than indoors, so I'd avoid
that. The simple cheap way to keep something warm is to have it
indoors inside its own micro-greenhouse, with a little heat. The heat
all escapes into the house for space heating, so no extra heat gets
used. A microgreenhouse could be made from as little as a light bamboo
frame and polythene sheet, or even clingfilm, or you could make
something nice from wood & acrylic or glass.


NT

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:40:14 +0000, BlackThumb
wrote:


Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at
15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible,
and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over
water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do
have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the
cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too
expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess
I'll have to leave it .

It needs space, warmth, light and humidity. You need to supply them
all artificially. A sort of tropical greenhouse. You won't find a
cheap method.

Steve

--
Neural Network Software. http://www.npsl1.com
EasyNN-plus. Neural Networks plus. http://www.easynn.com
SwingNN. Forecast with Neural Networks. http://www.swingnn.com
JustNN. Just Neural Networks. http://www.justnn.com

On Apr 14, 9:52*am, "David WE Roberts" wrote:
X-post to uk.d-i-y

"BlackThumb" wrote in message

...



Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at
15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible,
and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over
water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do
have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the
cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too
expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess
I'll have to leave it .

Have you read, for instancehttp://www.chocolatetreebooks.com/choccycare.html
"Chocolate trees (theobroma cacao) aren't naturally suited to the UK, but
with some care and attention (or a shaded, humidity-controlled greenhouse),
they can be nurtured and toughened up to some degree as indoor pot plants,
provided that you're aware that potential disaster is always hiding around
the corner, and provided that you realise that if the plant survives, its
going to want to become a tree. If you can recreate the conditions of a
semishaded rainforest canopy region, a plant should be happy. "

This does not look like a project for an ardent money saver.
You might indicate your maximum budget for construction and for ongoing
running.
Thuis could then suggest if you are being practical, or just wishful.

Note especially that if it survives it will want to grow to 30' - 40' tall
eventually.

See alsohttp://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/9089-cocoa-tree-indoors-...
for the last post of the discussion by someone from the US.

Cross posted to uk.d-i-y because the creation and maintenance of an indoor
semi-shaded rainforest canopy region on a tight budget looks like an
interesting challenge.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

I have seen wild ones growing in Venezuela.
Temp.40degC Humidity 95% Position mangrove swamp. Elevation,
near sea level.
So not much chance in the UK

On 14/04/2012 09:52, David WE Roberts wrote:
X-post to uk.d-i-y

"BlackThumb" wrote in message
...

Hello,

I would like to buy a cocoa tree seedling, but they need to be kept at
15 c minimum. We have the heating on in our house as little as possible,
and during the winter night, use an electric blanket.

It also needs to be humid. The easiest way would be to stand it over
water, but what about heating it? I don't have a green house, but I do
have a conservatory (incase that's any help). I was hoping for the
cheapest way to keep it heated (if possible). Portable heaters are too
expensive to run.

If you don't think it's possible to keep a plant warm cheaply, I guess
I'll have to leave it .


Have you read, for instance
http://www.chocolatetreebooks.com/choccycare.html
"Chocolate trees (theobroma cacao) aren't naturally suited to the UK,
but with some care and attention (or a shaded, humidity-controlled
greenhouse), they can be nurtured and toughened up to some degree as
indoor pot plants, provided that you're aware that potential disaster is
always hiding around the corner, and provided that you realise that if
the plant survives, its going to want to become a tree. If you can
recreate the conditions of a semishaded rainforest canopy region, a
plant should be happy. "

This does not look like a project for an ardent money saver.
You might indicate your maximum budget for construction and for ongoing
running.
Thuis could then suggest if you are being practical, or just wishful.

Note especially that if it survives it will want to grow to 30' - 40'
tall eventually.

See also
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united...ndoors-uk.html
for the last post of the discussion by someone from the US.

Cross posted to uk.d-i-y because the creation and maintenance of an
indoor semi-shaded rainforest canopy region on a tight budget looks like
an interesting challenge.

Assuming you don't much care what it looks like a double skinned
structure made of bubblewrap or neater twinwall polycarbonate sheet will
provide enough insulation against an indoor ambient that probably
doesn't often drop below 10C so that a thermostatically controlled
resistive heater can hold the temperature up using only 200W peak as and
when needed. At least for cocoa you don't have to provide maximum light
as well - that makes things really challenging.

The standard trick for very touchy plants is to grow them in a small
space enclosed at the back of a greenhouse that itself is inside a much
larger greenhouse. Only that way can you avoid the cold drafts that will
kill tropical plants far too easily. A plant that wants to be a shrub or
small tree presents some problems in this respect.

Experimenting to see what the lowest temperature they can be aclimatised
to might be worthwhile. I killed all my Jacaranda tree seedlings that way.

I have seen cocoa plants with fruit at about 5' tall so it might be
doable. I don't know if they are self fertile.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown