Brutal Heat

[Ashauler]

Damn, it's hot here. Today will be another in a long string of 106 F with heat index in the 110-112 F range. It has been tough on the plants. Keeping proper moisture levels is tough.

Anybody tried mulching to retain moisture and cool the soil?

 

[dkh2]

Anybody tried mulching to retain moisture and cool the soil?

I wonder if lawn clippings would work ?
Oh by the way it's 55 here this morning

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Damn, it's hot here. Today will be another in a long string of 106 F with heat index in the 110-112 F range. It has been tough on the plants. Keeping proper moisture levels is tough.

Anybody tried mulching to retain moisture and cool the soil?

Yes. I mulch everything. It takes a lot of mulch to do so. If I remember right, mulching will lower soil temp something like 20 degrees and just as importantly, retain a lot of moisture.

 

[Ashauler]

Yes. I mulch everything. It takes a lot of mulch to do so. If I remember right, mulching will lower soil temp something like 20 degrees and just as importantly, retain a lot of moisture.

What do you use? I'm thinking straw.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I usually end up buying a dozen bales of straw. I start the year with grass clippings from mowing about a 1/2 acre field but that doesn't last long.

 

[Daniel]

Here in Nevada where the soil really gets baked I actually use piles of rocks as a mulch for my Rose Bushes. They love it and it does a great job at keeping the soil underneath cool as well as holding in the moisture. If my plants where not in buckets I would give it a try for tobacco as well. I am not talking gravel. Fist size stones or larger. I sort of found this method years ago by accident. I wanted a rose garden that looked like it was growing out of a pile of rocks. The roses grew better than I have ever seen in this area. I now use rocks around a lot of larger plants. and even have a rock pile or two that my daughter grows flowers in. more space and dirt in the flower piles but they still work better than just plain bare ground.

 

[Hakamo0o]

Two days ago it went up to 110F and one of the leaves dried up while still on the plant!!
Now I have a green dried leaf!!

 

[SmokesAhoy]

there has got to be some minuses to balance out your ability to grow year round lol

i bet hawaii would be perfect, i didnt grow when i lived there though

 

[Hakamo0o]

there has got to be some minuses to balance out your ability to grow year round lol

i bet hawaii would be perfect, i didnt grow when i lived there though

This month is the worst month other than that it is 95F to 65F all year

 

[SmokesAhoy]

yeah it sounds awesome, i've always wanted to go to egypt too. talk about a place with history.. holy crap.. lucky to see stuff here older than 200 years, egypt tops that exponentially.

 

[BaccaChew]

Damn, it's hot here. Today will be another in a long string of 106 F with heat index in the 110-112 F range. It has been tough on the plants. Keeping proper moisture levels is tough.

Anybody tried mulching to retain moisture and cool the soil?

It can look tacky, but I use lots of cardboard around my berry bushes. Stops the weeds cold, suppresses all weeds and keeps the soil moist. plus it is worm-friendly. Garter snakes like to hide under it too.

You could probably find some white cardboard in the recycle dumpster of a farm store (pallet slips) or outlet that sells stoves and frig's. Could always paint it white with cheep paint to reflect more light up to plant, keeping ground cooler.

 

[Steve2md]

I live in AZ. we regularly see 110 degree days during the summer. am I basically screwed, or should I plant in buckets and move the plants indoors during those days?

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Just be sure they have plenty water and mulch them good. It'll only get crispy if it loses it's ability to transpire.