From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Buffalo, New York

I plan on putting heating cables in my patch this year to get an early start.

I plan on making my 2 hoop houses 4' x 6'.
In each house will be 2 plants to start with, then down to 1.

How much cable would i need for 2 hoops?
and how far from the small 3 leaf plant do i place these cable around them and how deep in dirt?

thanks.

jeremy

2/22/2009 2:17:05 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Jeremy,
One 36 or 48 ft cable per hoop would be fine.
You bury the cables under you planting area about 6-10 inches deep and they will keep the soil at 74 degrees.
You put them out atleast a week before planting, then plant like normal.
Tom

2/22/2009 3:49:24 PM

Nikiski, Alaska 99635

Lots of variables to look at Jeremy such as depth and spacing of cable, how early you plan on starting. For your situation you can get by with probably 25ft cables in each hoop house set up. That will get you about 4 runs 5ft long centered inside your hoop house taking into account turns if they are spaced 6 inches apart. This will focus most of the energy in the center 2ft of your hoophouse. Directly under the plant I personally like to bury 18 inches with 6 inch spacing and with longer runs focusing on the main I come up only burying the cable 1ft down and work my way out until I run out of cable. Have cables buried and in place and plugged in a couple of weeks before planting date. Place straw over the area a couple inches deep during this time for insulation at night and if hoop houses are already in place you can pull straw back during the day if you are that energetic for additional heating and recover before night fall. I eventually dig in this straw into the ground to 1 ft. depth right before transplanting helping areate the soil. You won't have to use this set up for long but it will get you a head start on the season. Make sure your hoop house spot is slightly elevated and well drained if possible, water/moisture inflow creating cold wet soggy ground conditions are very difficult to overcome even with soil heating cables. Have a great season.

2/22/2009 3:58:46 PM

have a few 15-20 foot gutter cables here dual use there on house downspouts now early spring i take them down and put in hoops there not thermostat just plug in on unplug off use meat thermometer or simialr to watch temp i leave on for week then i mostly use on cold nights later there heavy duty been using for 5 years

2/22/2009 4:31:11 PM

Dorval,Quebec

Have used cables for a few years with smilar methods to Tom and J.D. I seem to get enough heat from the soil to heat the enclosure as well but will throw on a blanket at freezing.Was installing gutter cables last week for ice and had the same thought as what Don does.If I can offer a reminder is to pull out cables slowly before digging in the fall,from experience,lol(or not).

2/22/2009 9:46:31 PM

Buffalo, New York

I read online that it says to place a wired screen over the cables before laying soil on top of them?

does anyone here do that or is it not necassary?

2/24/2009 1:48:49 AM

Burton, Ohio

I don't do that. I would think that would take growing space away from the roots and maybe interfere in depth of the roots.

2/24/2009 7:04:24 AM

Dorval,Quebec

I don't do that as well.Maybe it helps spread the heat but my soil is fine without a screen.

2/24/2009 5:33:28 PM