I cannot believe it has taken me this long to get a soil thermometer. I was a Colorado Master Gardener for about ten years, and we would often advise people on sowing vegetable seeds and putting out transplants based on soil temperature. Then I would continue my practice of basically going by the calendar or just putting things out when I had the time (which was, more often than not, actually later than they should be – part of the consequence of being a college instructor with a busy spring semester).
So today I posted an article on starting vegetables in our area at the Pikes Peak Area Gardening Help blog. As I reread it before posting, I realized that, once again, there was that soil temperature advice. So I decided right then and there to go out and purchase a soil thermometer ($10 – cheap!). Since we’ve had a stretch of warmer-than-usual 60-to-70 degree daytime weather, I really was curious to see what the temp was in my two raised beds. And here are the results! (Hmm…I guess I’m not going to be direct sowing much in the near future!)
March 14, 2012 at 4:59 am
I want one! I’ve been on the lookout, but haven’t spotted one. It seemed to make sense to use given the odd temperatures this year and the possibility of planting early. Anything to safely stretch the season!
March 14, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Just ask at your local garden center (if you’re in my area – Rick’s Garden Center is where I picked up mine). It’s funny; when I asked, they looked in the inventory computer and saw they had four and then really had to hunt for them! They are fancier digital versions for more money, but this works just fine. You leave the thermometer at least 3 inches deep in the soil for three minutes to get an accurate reading. And to be especially safe, I’d say wait until you get consistent readings for a few days in a row before planting out (so a few days of 50 degrees before planting green beans).
March 16, 2012 at 9:32 am
Congratulations! I’ve always considered my thermometer as essential as my trowel!
With the warm weather, there is such a temptation to go out and play in the dirt. Luckily (?) my perennials need their spring clean-up, so I have plenty to keep me distracted from my empty veggie garden.