From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Buffalo, New York

My neighbor gave me an old set of 80' long roof deicing cables/gutter/downspout cables.

Could i use these to heat up my soil early season inside the hoop houses?

On the back fo the box, it says not to cover the cables.

Or am i better off buying heavy duty cables?

also.......where online can i get some low cost heavy duty cables?

3/28/2009 2:12:02 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

They are thermostatically controlled for below freezing. They will not work. ExtremePumpkins.com has a good deal on soil cables

3/28/2009 2:25:30 PM

Rhode Island

if you want to heat the soil do so below the surface. soil heating cables keep the soil at a constant 72 degrees day and night. when the temp goes over that they dont call for any electricity.
bury them a 6 to 8 inches below the soil in a small circle around the young seedling. do not let the wires touch.
i have found the small cables work well.(6 to 8ft)

3/28/2009 2:34:34 PM

I have used roof cables with no problems, make sure you monitor soil temps and shut them off when you reach the desired temp this is not a fast process you have lots of time b4 anything bad happens.

80' gives you enough for 2 plants back to back with a nice area prewarmed, I zig zag them at the subsoil, heat moves in an upward direction.

3/28/2009 7:40:08 PM

I have used roof cables with no problems, make sure you monitor soil temps and shut them off when you reach the desired temp this is not a fast process you have lots of time b4 anything bad happens.

80' gives you enough for 2 plants back to back with a nice area prewarmed, I zig zag them at the subsoil, heat moves in an upward direction.

3/28/2009 7:40:11 PM