Hi
This seasons plants are all transplanted, and just waiting for mother nature to do its thing. So I'm already thinking of how to plant next year.
I'm wanting to plant in a cold frame, with heated soil.
I'm going to give a bit of personal history first, to explain why I want to do that. You can skip the first few paragraphs if you just want my questions.
I have been planting from seed for a couple years. Last year I planted in mid January, and kept inside until a couple weeks before planting at end of may(in zone 6). I have very little room inside, and not able to buy best of lights. So My plants were all leggy and extremely small. 1/2 my plants died before time to put out. Then I had trouble hardening off, and lost another 1/4. Once I got the survivors in the ground I had no issues and they grew huge, and had more peppers than I could even use. But still was stressful, constantly worrying about them.
This Year was MUCH better. I waited until mid February to start. Then built a homemade cold frame from concrete blocks and old storm door. I put Seedlings(in solo cups) into cold frame at beginning of April. I brought them back inside on a couple of coldest nights. But mostly just left them there. Since they were getting some real light they didn't get leggy, and I didn't lose a single one! So this years procedure works, and i will probably do most of my plants this way next year. But would love to do a test with some plants just to see if I can make plants get through the winter outside.
I'm thinking now that If an extra month and a half in the cold frame does this well, how would 3 months do? So I'm thinking of trying to heat the soil with a underground heating cable and planting seedlings first in paper towel, then directly outside in the heated soil. Since google isn't giving me much info on this, I expect it is impossible. But would love to find out differently. Both because not planting inside would save me room, and probably mainly because I just think having peppers outside, with snow all around would be cool
So now to the questions, and the specifics.
I've thought about this for at least an hour now(see I've put a ton of thought into it And have already thought of a few issues.
If I planted in solo cups on top of soil, I would get no use from the soil heater, so that is out. But if I plant in the soil itself. The roots would grow down and wrap around the heating cable, and depending on how close I plant them would wrap up in each other. So when I tried to dig them up I would be damaging them, and probably the cable.
The only solution I can think of would be to put about an inch of soil on cable then put 3 or 4 inch thin square seedling pots in with all empty spaces filled with soil, and the top of pots even with top of ground.
So now, finally the questions.
Is this even remotely possible? I've found web pages talking of planting lettuce and other cold weather plants, but not peppers.
If it is possible How early would I be able to start the plants?
Would the heat from cable travel up through the pots?
Would the heat from the sun, and from the soil keep the air inside at least at a passable temperature? Or would I also need to come up with an air temperature solution?
Are there any webpages with information on this. All I can find is either coldframe or hothouses, But not the kinda hybrid I'm thinking of.
Thanks for any information.
This went a bit long But hopefully I at least gave people something to laugh about. The musing of a bored, and probably stupid rank amateur gardener.
edit sorry meant to put this in growing forum. feel free to move it there if you wish
edit 2 I searched some more. Finally came up with the correct google key words "heated propagation bench".
https://www.quickcrop.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-a-heat-bench-propagator-using-a-soil-warming-cable/ shows how to make one. Also there are some youtube videos.
They are designed to be off ground in a full size greenhouse. But I don't see why they wouldn't work in the cold frame greenhouse. So a little closer to doable. But most of my questions still need answered .
This seasons plants are all transplanted, and just waiting for mother nature to do its thing. So I'm already thinking of how to plant next year.
I'm wanting to plant in a cold frame, with heated soil.
I'm going to give a bit of personal history first, to explain why I want to do that. You can skip the first few paragraphs if you just want my questions.
I have been planting from seed for a couple years. Last year I planted in mid January, and kept inside until a couple weeks before planting at end of may(in zone 6). I have very little room inside, and not able to buy best of lights. So My plants were all leggy and extremely small. 1/2 my plants died before time to put out. Then I had trouble hardening off, and lost another 1/4. Once I got the survivors in the ground I had no issues and they grew huge, and had more peppers than I could even use. But still was stressful, constantly worrying about them.
This Year was MUCH better. I waited until mid February to start. Then built a homemade cold frame from concrete blocks and old storm door. I put Seedlings(in solo cups) into cold frame at beginning of April. I brought them back inside on a couple of coldest nights. But mostly just left them there. Since they were getting some real light they didn't get leggy, and I didn't lose a single one! So this years procedure works, and i will probably do most of my plants this way next year. But would love to do a test with some plants just to see if I can make plants get through the winter outside.
I'm thinking now that If an extra month and a half in the cold frame does this well, how would 3 months do? So I'm thinking of trying to heat the soil with a underground heating cable and planting seedlings first in paper towel, then directly outside in the heated soil. Since google isn't giving me much info on this, I expect it is impossible. But would love to find out differently. Both because not planting inside would save me room, and probably mainly because I just think having peppers outside, with snow all around would be cool
So now to the questions, and the specifics.
I've thought about this for at least an hour now(see I've put a ton of thought into it And have already thought of a few issues.
If I planted in solo cups on top of soil, I would get no use from the soil heater, so that is out. But if I plant in the soil itself. The roots would grow down and wrap around the heating cable, and depending on how close I plant them would wrap up in each other. So when I tried to dig them up I would be damaging them, and probably the cable.
The only solution I can think of would be to put about an inch of soil on cable then put 3 or 4 inch thin square seedling pots in with all empty spaces filled with soil, and the top of pots even with top of ground.
So now, finally the questions.
Is this even remotely possible? I've found web pages talking of planting lettuce and other cold weather plants, but not peppers.
If it is possible How early would I be able to start the plants?
Would the heat from cable travel up through the pots?
Would the heat from the sun, and from the soil keep the air inside at least at a passable temperature? Or would I also need to come up with an air temperature solution?
Are there any webpages with information on this. All I can find is either coldframe or hothouses, But not the kinda hybrid I'm thinking of.
Thanks for any information.
This went a bit long But hopefully I at least gave people something to laugh about. The musing of a bored, and probably stupid rank amateur gardener.
edit sorry meant to put this in growing forum. feel free to move it there if you wish
edit 2 I searched some more. Finally came up with the correct google key words "heated propagation bench".
https://www.quickcrop.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-a-heat-bench-propagator-using-a-soil-warming-cable/ shows how to make one. Also there are some youtube videos.
They are designed to be off ground in a full size greenhouse. But I don't see why they wouldn't work in the cold frame greenhouse. So a little closer to doable. But most of my questions still need answered .