How to beat the HEAT
- Thread starter GarryFroker
- Start date
GarryFroker
New Member
Mulch!!! No shit. That and either white paper or the buckets would work great.
Seamaiden
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I went with the paper because I have a shortage of pots and had a bunch of paper that was sitting by the printer waiting for re-purposing or to be burned. Also, I think there would have to be some air space if they're black, in order to help act as an insulator. I think I'm gonna mulch my babies, too.
Seamaiden
Well-Known Member
And that'll last how long, do you think?
Orange Shovel CAGrower
Well-Known Member
all season, its a world wide known trick 
Angus
Well-Known Member
And more regularly.
Like instead of a gallon every four days, 1/3 of a gallon every day.
Seamaiden
Well-Known Member
Not if their rootballs are 100F.
Orange Shovel CAGrower
Well-Known Member
well guys, i was planning on taking pictures for you but i was too zoned in on my girl that i forgot. you know the plastic bags that potting soil is in? well i somehow wrapped it around the top layer of soil, and stuck a stake through it. imagine a white sheet of plastic covering the soil. To camo it, i cut off braches from surrounding bushes and put it right over. Now my plants blend in to the foliage perfectly, and they should stay cool.
dtfan
Active Member
I would not recommend this. I did it when my plants were still pretty small and the temp got to 110 for a few days. Two were in pots, the rest in the ground. 1 that was in a pot died... burned up from the magnification of the sun through the water droplets on the leaves. The other was badly burned but pulled through and looks great now.
If the root system is mature and healthy they should be ok in 100 degrees. If anything I would cut a piece of plywood about the height of the pot and just lean it against the pot to create a shadow from the sun. Then the pot is not getting hammered on by direct sunlight.
GarryFroker
New Member
Here is what I did. I got a bigger pot that was lying around and put my plant in it. Then I put the mulch on top of my pot and between it and the larger pot. That way there is a mulch buffer between the two pots all around. I can cool it down by wetting the mulch between the two pots. I could even put ice in there too. But you are right seamaiden, that ice won't last but maybe 15 min in this heat. Today's high is supposed to be 103, tomorrow 106 and Monday 104.
Orange Shovel CAGrower
Well-Known Member
in these high temps we just have to water very frequently to keep the roots cool.
GarryFroker
New Member
I have to water every other day. This mulch may stretch it out a day. We'll see.
GoodFriend
Lumberjack
again i say! bury that shit...
GarryFroker
New Member
I have a large pecan tree that shades most of my back yard. In order for my plant to get enough light I have to move her. Otherwise, I would LOOOOOVE to.
Seamaiden
Well-Known Member
That was the first thing that I did to try to cool my plants off, didn't work (I used a scrap piece of OSB). We painted the OSB white, little better but not much. Wrapped those pots and that did the trick. They actually don't even need the OSB shield, but I'm keeping it there anyway.
Wow, now, that's brilliant. You basically made insulation. It occurred to me that you could also cannibalize cheap styro coolers, but it seems you've gotten this sorted out very well.