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Midway, UT

After visiting LongmontPete's patch earlier this week and seeing what he is doing again on just 250 sq feet (who else grows over 1,000 pounds a year on such a small space? And especially in our climate! Heck of a grower.) I decided I need to figure a way to capture heat in the patch during the day to get more growth in our cool 58 degree summer nights. Pete grows up against the side of his house and I believe he is capturing heat that is pushing the pumpkin during the night. Any ideas? I'm thinking about black barrels filled with water. Open to any suggestions (outside of building a house next to my patch).

9/18/2009 4:26:00 PM

Rhode Island

i dont believe black water barrels would do much good. you would need a ton of them and they would still do nothing to warm up the patch or soil
if your only doing a couple plants and the area is not to large ?,you might want to consider reflective heat. which is what that house next to the plant you mentioned is probably doing.

id consider erecting a tall wind screen around the plants. id make the fence posts with 10ft 2x3 lumber sunk 2 ft into the ground each at 10ft apart.( you can take it down in the winter)

id buy the cheap 8ft x 10ft blue tarp at walmart. (the one thats blue on one side and silver on the other)
id erect the fencing with the silver side facing the plant so the suns reflection could help direct more heat onto the patch.

if this worked id then in late summer when the weather gets even cooler? drop some remay over the top of the plant to hold in additional heat during day and night.

pap

9/19/2009 12:22:55 PM

Midway, UT

Good tips. Thanks Pap!

9/20/2009 7:04:44 PM