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Little-TON - Colorado

Greetings, I recently have added a 20X20 foot cloche. Got my plastic up and monitored the temp for the first day. Inside got up into the 90-94 range, 60 % humidity. Im in Colorado at 1 mile up. My cloche has ventilation at the bottom all the way across about 18" from the bottom and doors on either side N & S. Great south exposure with a brick wall on my north. How hot is going to be too hot. My seedlings are just startin the second leaf. Ive been ping ponging them inside and out to harden them off. I dont want to blow it now because its too hot for em. I want to put them in the greenhouse overnight and during the day until I plant but until I get use to the tempertures inside the GH. Yesterday the high was 74 today its suppose to hit 80. I dont want to bake em. Please Advise.

5/15/2006 9:24:08 AM

[email protected]

95° is the point where stress starts but this would be determined by how the plant has been conditioned for heat & how cool it was when the temps started rising.

Temperature FLUX is something you'll hear more about as the season gets going. You might search this word now to get a leg up on the idea.

5/15/2006 10:06:33 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I would like to add...Actual temp varies alot based on where you are taking your temp from. If your thermometer is shaded. We had ours shaded at about 18 inches off the ground it would read 85°. The non shaded one on the bench would read 115°. The vent would open at 80° with the fans kicking in at 90°.

5/15/2006 12:25:38 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Since Sunday was my first day online with the cloche I will try a few different positions. I did feel the heat inside working in it, so I know its up there. I am going to add a turbine fan to the center of it to try and let some of the heat out at the highest point by creating a turbine on a make shift chimney since my roof is 6 mil plastic. Our weather here in Colorado is tempermental. Can have a freeze like last Thursday and 80 like tomorrow will be. I know my kins are still to young for this stress. Its back to the drawing board. Thanks for the posts. More are sure welcomed.

5/15/2006 1:48:03 PM

Puyallup, WA

Watch the leaves...when they drop...they are saying, "Uncle!". I've had plants take up to 115° for a short time ....and still look pretty good. However, don't try that for a complete afternoon!

5/16/2006 1:50:17 AM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

The heat is going to really get turned up by the latter part of the week, as they are expecting high 80's and low 90's here in the springs south of you ( which means 100+ in the cold frame ), and we are over 6100 ft in elevation, and with that type of intense sun and heat on a new seedling watch out, as it will either fry or totally kick butt given the correct conditions, especially with the night temps coming up, as our night temps have been on average 35 - 40 degrees the last two weeks with an ocasional freeze once or twice a week...Happy growing

5/16/2006 3:02:27 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Thanks to all for the posts, (Second day up) Yesterday at 3:30 PM temps inside were 110 ambient, 90 3" into the soil. Way too hot for a day that was not 80 yet. I added three vents to the top and am considering installing a turbine also. Night temps dropping to 40 so I still have a lot of work to do trying to automate this system. Keeping my seedlings inside with outside visits to harden off, I just dont trust our wind.
How are you doing with your seedlings in the Springs? This is my second year growing but really my first year with paying attention. I know I have a lot of learning to do with painfull mistakes coming. Thanks to you all for helping me make fewer of them. Have a good day.!

5/16/2006 8:35:19 AM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Things are coming along nicely here a few miles south of you. Hopefully 2006 will be the year of the new colo. state record, and If I do not get it hopefully some other grower will, as the record has held since 2000, and I think it is due time it be busted..lol.....Happy Growing..JK

5/17/2006 4:04:05 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

I agree, Im going after it this year, we plan on seeing you all at the state fair, hopefully with a giant, if not we will come down to say howdy......I revamped my design last night and am excited to see the results when I go home at 330PM ....its 84 now. I dont want to pull my plastic off quite yet because its 40 in the morning and you know how interesting colorado weather can be......LongBeard and I will be watching yall closely......stay in touch Im glad to have fellow growers that grow in the state.....THE RECORD IS GOING DOWN.........Game on

5/17/2006 2:12:27 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

PS Yesterdays temp inside the cloche was 115,even with the roof vents..... ask LB he checked it out.....I think he was pretty impressed with my design..but it needed revamping....I cant wait to get my drip system in on Friday for installation and testing . I really dont want to go electrical, I should be able to solve this problem using my brain.....we will see.

5/17/2006 2:14:55 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

When you have this chimney effect going are you creating a opening to pull the cold air in. We would leave our 20 x 24 Hoophouse enclosed until mid june..Never had a problem.

5/17/2006 2:27:26 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Da Wiz, what are you talking about state fair ? Our colo state fair is in August which makes no sense to me..the county fair for the county I live in is in July which makes no sense either for the AG or any type of grower of anything in general...We have an official GPC site now in Historic Old Colorado City on the west side of Colorado Springs at the foot of Pikes Peak which is where we will weigh them on the first Saturday of October....Happy Growing..JK

5/18/2006 1:19:46 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

400SF,

Yup its October 1st I guess thats where we will be since Ole LongBeard told me to have something to haul down then. I kind of thought that the State Fair was earlier. Looking forward to meeting you all and swapping stories and ideas.

Yes I do have a opening all across the front on the cloche, 18" up and screened. But since its up against the south side of my brick house the heatsink is working too well. Ive got total exposure and sun all day. Total for the patch is 20x20 with a 18X18 cloche. 28" doors on the N & S sides with a 6 foot rollup curtain going from the door frames to the brick wall that I drop down at night. 4 18" vents at the 10' peak next to the house, probaly needs 2 more....that I can open and close......Im trying to get a greenhouse fan for next year too.....

Im going to stage 2 on the cloche, since its been so hot 86 outside and 90 for Friday....I need to remove the plastic which was the plan anywise. Ground temp at 3 " was hitting 100. My vents and side openings were working but it makes little since to me to shade what needs to have sunlight. I need to install and test my misting system. I gathered enough info and have my plastic template....should be ready to start a lot ealier next year. I got to get them in the ground as they are on their 2 and 3rd real leaves and I have a pretty good feel for which way theyll go......only maybe. Very excited in getting them going and used to their new home. Reiss is picking it up and the Kline is awesome......Its going to be a shame to put the Lang into the second patch which is way behind in effort but I do have 3 more seeds for next year.....Grow em big

5/18/2006 9:51:34 AM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Beware Da Wiz with our temps the way they have been, and the idiot people watering in their strange and wrong ways, well I have already observed powerdy mildew in many areas of colorado, due to the irregular sprinkler system...It stinks.. we never even get into the powerdy mildew season until at laest late july or august, but this year, I think disease problems are going to be rampant here in colo.Our winter was very cold with records set, but no winter moisture, and none for spring also.....I can see all and every bit of foliage suffering from the severe drought which in my opinion as a colo. native, is the one of the worst situations of drought in the the history of colorado. It is only a matter of time when the front range catches fire, and then there will be no water. The farmers of the north east plains are in a disaster area due to no moisture, and the federal goverment has ordered their wells shut down until further notice, while opening up low interest federal loans. As the cost of fuel is not enough to kill the farmer, well, the gov. has cut the water too. And by the way property tax assessments must also go up too. Although you can not farm the land without a loan....Seems the days of small farm life are diminishing, unless you are a big corporate farm, or associated with some type of goverment entity ...Happy farming

5/19/2006 6:10:00 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

400SF, I'll watch out for the mildew...I went to stage 2 last night pulling down the plastic off the cloche....I improved my inside temps but it still needs some work was 98 inside 85 outside. Todays supposed to hit close to 90.

I feel for the farmers....I believe thats whats missing in todays society....no farm background for the young'uns they really dont understand what it is to work to eat.....and the joys that comes from a feelin of tired and looking back on the accomplishments that only farm life can bring.

Hopefully the fire season will not be, but its not looking good. I worked with the USGS wildfire web folks and still maintain contact.....they are gearing up too....Lets hope this heat wave subsides. I hate going camping without a fire, might as well not even go.

My kins are going in the dirt I hope tonight but I still need to test my watering system and the sprinklers. I hope they will be at the door tonight. Next year I wont have to do so much work .....yea right. Good chattin at ya.....Grow'em Big

5/19/2006 8:58:43 AM