On Fri, 18 Apr 2003 12:05:32 -0700, jhultman
wrote:

If you want to go to the effort of raising soil temps
you can lay black plastic sheeting down to absorb the suns
rays.

Some leave it on and x-slot for plantings. But mulch or hay a heavy
layer when the temps get hot to keep things cool below. Or else bake
the roots. Or would that be steam them...


A really heavy layer of mulch !!! I used plastic one year to keep
the weeds down... (weedblock didn't do the job). did the x- cuts
and planted miniature roses.

In less than two weeks, I was digging up the plastic... The poor
roses were fricasseed, This was in Maryland during the
summertime.

On the other hand, when overwintering shrubs after a late season
clearance sale digging a trench, inserting the containered
plants, covering with leaf mulch and then plastic sheet (with holes
for rainwater) kept the plants healthy all winter long even though
temps were hitting -10.




Melinda Tennielle wrote:

I have seeds that state that they're to be planted when the soil
temperature is over 60 degrees. Now, lacking my handy soil thermometer,
can I assume that when the ambient temp. is over 60, that the soil will
be too? Or does the darker color of the soil absorb heat and become
warmer than the air temp.? Does the soil stay warmer at night, so that
it only has to be around 60 during the day?

I'm a little embarrassed at not knowing this after four or five years of
gardening, so thanks for any help.

M.
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Melinda Tennielle

M10TVC15 (at) yahoo.com