From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Montgomery, Minnesota

What does everyone think the minimum soil temperature can be to plant seedlings at?

5/2/2009 11:46:28 AM

Upstate S.C.

70%

5/2/2009 2:11:40 PM

Oakley, UTAH

hey,, i was just told between 70-80 is optimum for planting the seedling in the soil, Curt

5/2/2009 5:02:38 PM

Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

BusyKID321 Our soil Temp is running at 46 at night and 55 daytime. You can increase the soil temp by 10 by using a hoop house. Don't be afraid to plant now they will grow very slow at low tempatures but will be well established when the soil temps do get to 70 and take advantage of it.
I have 3 out now and the rest will go out in the next few days. In MN we don't have the luxury to wait.

5/2/2009 10:43:17 PM

Buffalo, New York

How type of thermometerdo you guys useto take the temp of the soil?

With my hoops closed at night, the temp reads around 60 degrees.

I had the hoops slightly vented today and the temp read 80 degrees. closed = 100+

I just have to make sure my neighbor closes the hoops in the evening since i work 2nd shift.

5/3/2009 7:34:58 PM

Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

I use three Springfield wireless thermometers with a soil probes connected to a base station in the house. The soil temp right now (10 PM is 58 out of the hoop at 4 inches deep. This will drop down to the high 40s by morning. (Bright sunny warm day)Under the hoop is 68 at 6 inches down, I do have heating cables but they stopped working and I really can’t pull them out.

5/3/2009 11:09:52 PM

Wi

Andy, last year I had one plant without heat cables. The soil temp in that area hardly exceeded 55 until late May. That plant had a pumpkin taping 1200 the first of September.

I wouldn't worry about soil temp too much. The plant just won't grow very fast until the soil warms.

5/4/2009 9:16:52 AM