Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
- Dave Brown
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Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
As an experiment I have left most of my Colocasia bed planted up over winter with a thick mulch, which has hopefully stopped the rhizomes from freezing. One of the problems we have in the UK is the late sprouting of any that do survive, so to help speed them up I have covered the bed with clear plastic. This warms up in the sun like a mini greenhouse and will hopefully see sprouting in March. The plastic is from a single bed mattress so cost nothing
Colocasia left planted are
Mammoth
Pink china
Hawaiian Eye
Hilo Bay
gaoligongensis.
Soil temp at 30cm was 6C when covered yesterday lunchtime... we'll see how it goes
Colocasia left planted are
Mammoth
Pink china
Hawaiian Eye
Hilo Bay
gaoligongensis.
Soil temp at 30cm was 6C when covered yesterday lunchtime... we'll see how it goes
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
Fingers crossed Dave......
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Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
I have ordered some colocasias this year,with the intension of living them in situ in winter with mulch like You did Dave.
I will be watching Your experiment closely, please keep us updated!
I will be watching Your experiment closely, please keep us updated!
- Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
I was hoping to do the same but then moved house! Will keep an eye out for the results.
- Arlon Tishmarsh
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Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
If they don't need any light stimulus, black pvc would warm it up even better / quicker if you have some spare.
- Dave Brown
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Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
The mulch is pretty dark Arlon and the clear plastic gets the greenhouse effect. Solar water heaters use black under clear to maximise the heat and stops wind cooling off the black surface.Arlon Tishmarsh wrote:If they don't need any light stimulus, black pvc would warm it up even better / quicker if you have some spare.
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
Looks good to me! Farmers have used a similar method to warm the soil up and give crops an early start.
Are you going to keep daily temperature readings Dave?
It would be interesting to hear about the difference in temps on a frosty night too.
Are you going to keep daily temperature readings Dave?
It would be interesting to hear about the difference in temps on a frosty night too.
- Dave Brown
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Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
I'm going to keep a record of the soil temps Tony. Yesterday was 6C, and today was just over 6, so no soil cooling even though mean air temps has only been 4.1C, with only a few short glimpses of the sun.
The 30cm depth soil temp under the Washingtonia yesterday was 8C.
The 30cm depth soil temp under the Washingtonia yesterday was 8C.
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
Any update on your experiment Dave? or is it too early due to the, dare I say it, long, cold,gloomy,Winter?
- Dave Brown
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Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
Interesting, but a failure A complete failure of spring to materialise, with virtually no sun, so no greenhouse effect under the plastic.tropicalwon wrote:Any update on your experiment Dave? or is it too early due to the, dare I say it, long, cold,gloomy,Winter?
30cm soil temp was 6C on 6th Feb, but over the 7.5 weeks has fallen to 4.5C by 31st March.
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
Sorry to hear that Dave... What about the Aroids planted, have they succumb to the weather as well?
- Dave Brown
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Re: Colocasia bed, winter soil warming
Some types the tops have mushed, but gaoligongensis, Mammoth, Fontanesii, and pink China are still firmtropicalwon wrote:Sorry to hear that Dave... What about the Aroids planted, have they succumb to the weather as well?
Temps now up to 9C so have risen markedly since the sun has been out
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk