How do you heat a gazebo? We talked to Beate and Ralf – Instagram: blueflamingolodge – from Hamburg to find out more about their beginnings in allotment gardening and the expansion of their gazebo. The two of them give us interesting insights into the modern allotment garden concept, the self-sufficient cultivation of fruit and vegetables and how they use their time in the garden. Finally, they tell us why they decided to heat with infrared.
Modern allotment gardens have long since replaced old clichés. Hardly anyone puts up a garden gnome these days – says Beate and laughs. Generational change, lockdowns and working from home have increased the desire to have your own garden. A colorful mix of different cultures comes together in Beate and Ralf’s neighborhood.
Beate and Ralf both work in IT and have been working from home for 2.5 years. Years ago, they put their names on a waiting list for a garden plot. Over the course of time, the registration is increasingly forgotten. But 2 years ago, the time had finally come: the two of them unexpectedly received an offer for a plot of land.
Self-sufficiency in the allotment garden
The garden plot is 320m2 in total. There is a lovingly laid out organic garden. There are few decorative plants, the garden is largely planted with useful plants. Fruit trees, such as a cherry tree, bear fruit. Ralf reports harvesting 80 kg of cherries. And that wasn’t even half the harvest, he estimates. Beet, kohlrabi, lettuce and other vegetables and herbs are also growing in their raised beds. Where space is tight, they build upwards. The two recently erected a strawberry pyramid.
There is a wooden gazebo on the lush plot. The arbor has 2 entrances. One to a living room with seating and sofa bed and one to a small bathroom. The arbor is 16m2 in total. The living area is 12m2 and is heated during the cold season.
Interview
“Heating in the garden shed” – how do you do it?
“We heat our arbor with a 1200 watt infrared heater. As we wanted to create a place of retreat to feel good, we opted for a photo heater. Incidentally, the photo was taken on vacation in Cambodia. We thought to ourselves: what could be more summery than a huge sun hat and tanned legs in the water? Our cottage is a classic Scandinavian wooden cottage and is not insulated.
For the 12m2 we get by just fine with infrared heating. At the time, we deliberately opted for infrared heating because we didn’t want to have an open flame in our wooden arbor. Last winter, we met up with friends here in sub-zero temperatures. Within an hour, the four of us were sitting here in T-shirts. That’s how quickly the warmth spread.
When we spend the night in the summerhouse in winter, we leave the infrared heater on and also have an electric blanket in the bed. With these two heat sources, we are also well equipped for the night. “
How do you get the electricity for the infrared heater?
“We have a normal power connection here. Around 3,500 watts can be drawn at the same time without the fuse blowing. In winter, this is enough to heat the gazebo as well as a round of mulled wine. The big advantage we have here is that the electricity is supplied by the association. We therefore receive particularly cheap industrial electricity. The total of our last annual electricity bill was less than 50 euros.
We had also thought about a solar system. But with electricity so cheap, it’s hardly worth it. However, we have solar lamps and a solar fountain in the garden, which splashes away. In winter, we like to spend time outside despite the cold. Then we light the fire barrel and pour mulled wine, eat stollen and bake waffles. What could be nicer? “
Why did you choose Könighaus back then?
“Well, heating in a wooden gazebo is a sensitive issue. That’s why we deliberately chose a German manufacturer. Made in Germany and a TÜV seal convinced us. It’s also nice to have a contact person and, of course, to strengthen the German economy. If something comes up, you can just give them a quick call.
Our friends are always delighted, by the way. They usually start by saying “Oh, that’s a nice vacation photo”. Then we always say “it’s not just a photo, it’s also a heater”. Then everyone is always amazed. Incidentally, we’re inaugurating a friend’s vacation home at the weekend – they also heat with infrared on the roof terrace. “
What projects are you working on?
“We are currently enjoying our time in the garden. As we’ve both been working from home for more than two years, we can turn our garden into an office to some extent. Fortunately, we both only need our laptops and a stable internet connection. We also enjoy cooking with the fresh ingredients from our garden. If you’d like to take a look at the delicious results, you can follow us on Instagram at koestlichewelt drop by.
Incidentally, we have kept regular watering to a minimum. We have various watering systems, all of which work very well. So you can go on vacation without worrying about your plants.
The allotment garden, gazebo and heating in the gazebo project remains exciting in any case. A whole community has now formed and you can see the most beautiful arbors on social media. The modern concept of self-sufficiency, living completely organically and not spraying is just great. In May, there was another movement under the motto “Don’t mow the lawn”. This was launched to give the bees their habitat. It’s also nice to see the native plants growing. “
Conclusion
We would like to thank Beate and Ralf for the interview on the subject of heating in the garden shed and wish them many more happy hours in their garden. You can store Beate and Ralf’s 1200 watt photo heater here.
