From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Kutztown, PA

Anyone using heating cables or nigh time insulation on top of plant roots? Anyone giving them a dose of humic or Blackstrap?
I'm going to lay down some roofing felt around mine and maybe throw a small area of heating cable around them. Am I going wrong?

9/13/2024 10:02:03 AM

Grittyville, WA

Interesting ideas. I'm not sure what would push the growth this time of year but my plants do seem to be losing energy. I probably ought to give them some kind of manure/compost/nutrient tea. Your soil temps should be ok... Its not springtime. But the soil biology might have slowed down. Pushing the soil biology should help push the plants.

[Last edit: 09/13/24 11:32:18 PM]

9/13/2024 11:25:01 PM

Colorado

it might be interesting to place a digital temperature tracking probe in the soil and see what the temps do over the year.

9/14/2024 12:34:16 PM

Norfolk, UK

In my previous plot (before moving house) I had soil warming cables set up a few inches under the soil, set up to an inkbird thermostat.

On top a had a plastic mulch (white/black) - I usually ran with white, to reflect light, knowing that I could just set the inkbirx at whatever temperature I wanted.

Area was relatively small just an 8ft x 8ft greenhouse.

9/14/2024 4:17:12 PM

Kutztown, PA

We'll I rolled the dice and did what I said above, minus the heating cables. I'll check the soil temp. later today and post that tomorrow. What's the ideal range for tomatoes. I would assume a little warmer than pumpkins but idk.

9/16/2024 1:18:18 PM

Norwich, NY

Tomatoes grow very well at about the same temperature as kins. This time of year I think the shorter days play as much a part as do the temperatures, both air temperature and soil temperature.

9/16/2024 8:31:33 PM

Grittyville, WA

I couldn't find my thermometer but I think my dirt is in the low 60s and I've got some decent ones. One of the plants has two tomatoes that should total around 10 lbs... Another plant would be doing the same except I cut one off. This is with soil that is probably 60-65 degrees... I'll keep looking for the thermometer, but thats an educated guess for now. Hope that helps.

9/17/2024 12:18:02 AM