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Location

Message

Date Posted

Des Moines, Iowa

My plants this year started off growing very slow due to our cold spring. I am already thinking about next years May and hoping for a little better start. I was thinking about possible heat sources that do not need power. Do you think it would be possible to heat a hot house with a grass clipping compost piles cooking and creating the heat.

5/24/2010 10:28:26 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

How about a solar powered heater? Is there such a thing? Hoop houses heat up quickly w/ a lil sunshine!! Peace, Wayne

5/25/2010 12:06:32 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Over the past month here, we've had sunshine about 10% of the time. Which is 80% less than normal...

I have seen accounts where someone will dig down a planting area, say, 3 feet by 3 feet, by two or three feet deep. Then fill the bottom with hot compostable material (fresh manure, and some other things), then fill the rest in with the original soil. This causes that soil to be warmer (how much, I do not know) for a few weeks. Of course, it is very labor intensive.

I'd like to hear from someone who has actually tried this.

5/25/2010 10:38:20 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Without power you are limited to a hot bed as you suggested. Clear plastic will heat the area faster than black.

5/25/2010 1:22:49 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

What happens to the tender roots of yer AG, when they reach that hotbed? Peace, Wayne

5/26/2010 12:16:42 AM

Des Moines, Iowa

I was thinking of using plastic to raise soil temp.and compost for air temp. Compost would be used to fight those 35 degree nights.

5/26/2010 8:48:41 AM