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Jamul

I am wondering how to consider overnight low temperatures with relation to growing. I imagine it is a bit too cold at night to get a plant off to a vigorous start, but it is only low for a few hours. It gets down to about 40F now on the colder nights.Many nights 50F will be the low and then we have the range in between. I will post a few typical of colder nights for consideration:
(Day time highs averaging 70F)

Lets say it is getting cool on a schedule something like this:
6pm 65
9pm 58
12Am 50
2AM 45
4AM 40
6Am 40
6:30 48
7:00 55
8:00 60+

Does the low mean less since it is brief? How should one consider this?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Russell

4/8/2010 11:26:56 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Sounds like Wisconsin Summer Weather..When the plant is small it is easier to manipulate the environment it grows in. With soil heating cables, and or a lighted hoop house. The true question is what is your soil temp?

4/9/2010 7:58:58 AM

Jamul

Thank you,
I should have been specific about my purpose for asking. I was under the impression that the brief 40F lows might be bad for a plant already started? I was trying to get straight on that for general learning purposes.Would that be a problem W/O a hoop house?

For germination timing I have a chart that has the practical and optimal temperatures for planting various seeds and I am just going in order and watching for success. So far I have planted an early corn and then a few weeks later squash. Both have germinated pretty well, in the garden, after soaking overnight.Going to go through beans and watermelon to get to Pumpkin. Low tech but fun. At that point I won't need a hoop house or cables(thank goodness). Truth be told, I may spring for a soil temp tester.

4/9/2010 11:14:38 AM

San Diego

Hey Russell, good to see ya growing. Stick it out without a hoop house, it will be fine. Might be a little slower growing in the beginning, but won't hurt it. It will warm up for you so fast here soon the hoop house will fry your plant and not be worth the effort in my opinion. You have a little more altitude up in jamul, but go for it:) By the way, what you growing this year?

4/9/2010 1:30:06 PM

Jamul

Hi Duster,
Thanks for the input. Nice to hear from you. I have been following your diary and studying previous ones, then I look at the Santee historic weather data and compare it to ours for some clues. It is pretty much the same so I am watching what you do. I guess you will be planting with the next forcast for a warm streak after this weekends predictions of rain?

I have five seeds from your pumpkin last year that we have been saving. Hoping for one or two plants. The pumpkin was self pollinated right? I have some Howdens too... thinking we can grow some in nooks in the vegetable garden for the kids and some of their friends.

4/9/2010 2:12:03 PM

San Diego

I'm gonna start seeds at the end of april, just because me and vince want to enter into a contest in october, usually I start right about now! Yes, my seed was a self. Are you misting this year or using shade cloth?

4/9/2010 2:51:52 PM

Jamul

I bought the little sprayer like you used and the entire garden water system is filtered for micro stuff so I will probably put it in. The patch is hundreds of feet from the house with no electricty for a timer. Maybe a battery powered one will work?

Shade cloth is a maybe.I was thinking of making it retractable. What percent of filtering did you use?

What is the contest for October? I like the idea of pumpkins and Halloween going together.I am thinking as far ,as goals go, that it would be nice to accomplish the growing of a mature fruit this year regardless of size.

Thanks

4/9/2010 3:44:49 PM

Jamul

Gee Jim,I ask a little question about a contest and you disappear, no need for sand bagging ;). Say hello to Vince for me. Does he have a diary?

4/13/2010 12:13:30 PM