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So, I have a question about night time tempuratures.

millworkman

millworkman

Extreme Member
I have a grow box in my detached garage. There is a heater in there that keeps the temps above 40F. It usually stays between 45-55F during the winter unless we have an unusually hot day or there has been lots of sunshine, or the opposite, but it never gets below 40F. Will my seedlings be ok out there. The lights will be on for 16 hours a day and the temp then will be in the low to mid 80's. Just wanting to make sure I do not stunt their growth. Thanks all.

Noah
 
I would say that they will probably stay alive but will be set back or even stunted and may never grow right. I think the minimum to set your plants out in the spring is like nothing below mid 50's to 60 deg. so they do not get shocked enough to set them back. In short, I would not put them out in those temps. JMO.

Dale
 
Noah...I don't think I would let my seedlings get below 55F...I have no supporting material, but I just don't believe they will do good at those lower temperatures...maybe slowing the growth down is all...

Edit: Dale's and my posts crossed ... and we essentially said the same thing
 
IME,

Getting below 50 degrees for a few days is no big deal - after all every packet of seeds says to plant outside after the last frost.

Perhaps a better measure is the soil temp. Everything I read says it needs to be 65 degrees or higher for the plant to grow and warmer than that is better.

Mike
 
I've been told that the minimum temp should be 7 deg centigrade when you plant out, but I don't have anything to back that up with. I've had plants survive light snowfall in early june, but I don't recommend that:)

I personally think that a sudden drop in temperature is what's dangerous, not the actual temperature as long as it is above freezing. I wouldn't worry at all if the temperature was 5-10C a couple of nights as long as it is warmer during the day. It's not "good" in any way but I wouldn't worry about it.

In your case I'd consider running the light during the night as it is during the night they'll need more heating - am I right? Maybe even 24/7?
 
I do not think it is a question of will the live in the cold temps because it will but how far will it set back a young seedling and will it ever fully recover.

Dale
 
I don't think 24/7 light is a great idea either since some of a plant's chemical processes happen at night, and depending on how developed the plants are, it might confuse the plant about when to flower. I would have to research to prove any of this, but perhaps a black light at night, or a gardening heat pad to provide heat would work?
 
wordwiz said:
Perhaps a better measure is the soil temp. Everything I read says it needs to be 65 degrees or higher for the plant to grow and warmer than that is better.
Click to expand...


This.
 
Thanks for the idea matt. Going to do an experiment tomorrow to see if I can keep the temps up. If not then my wife will be unhappy with me till spring. :)
 
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