Low night time temperatres

AJ Drew

AJ Drew

I've had early spring cold snaps go down to 40 degrees and not harm plants much at all.  I am wondering, do folk think if this happened repeatedly it would be a problem?  Thinking on sunken / underground green houses.  They arent really intended for peppers due to the temperatures i the winter but I am thinking they would not produce well during the winter but would keep the plants alive to give a heck of a jump on spring.
 
I've had a few cold mornings this weekend and cool rainy days..I think it would depend more on soil temp..Cool mornings with warm days I'd think you'ld be fine..But once you get in the mid 30's all bets are off..I love those sunken green houses..Really can expand your grow season without a heat source..Some of the prepper sites have good ideas on those..Includig holding more heat with water barrels..
 
 
From what I have read the problem is that the ground acts like a heat sink also.  Additional heat tends to get sucked away.  Bit if you want no external heat source and an averge night temp of maybe 50 degrees they seem great.  On water barrels: I keep thinking fish pond.
 
I've never measured the temperature in my little greenhouse, but I line the thing full of water bottles and find that the plants sometimes thrive on nights that might even get into the thirties.  I use old detergent bottles, milk bottles, whatever...just fill them up and cap 'em.
 
I'm not sure if consistent forties hurts the spring plants; will be interested to hear what others think.
 
painted black water barrels will hold and radiate considerable heat during the night - often enough to hold plants through temps well below freezing.  Have to take into account your space and exposure, but they've saved my ass in a couple cold frames I built two years ago. 
 
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