Re: raised beds
I am using the C7 type of Christmas lights to provide warmth to a row of Pitayas. The string of lights is about 1 foot off the ground and 1 foot away from the plants. I found that if a light bulb is closer than 8 inches to the plant then damage to the plant occurs. The string of lights is connected to an outdoor thermostat which switches on when the temperature drops below 45 (F). This only occurs at night for a few months in sunny Sandy Eggo. The "string" of lights is composed of two strings, each rated 25 watts, for a total of 50 feet.
As for heating cables in a raised bed, my thought was to embed them in the walls of the planter which would be constructed with some insulating material. The 1800 watt cables bencelest spoke of sound like those used for floor heating in homes when a builder in Southern CA thought electricity would be cheap forever (1960's). I have found heating cables designed for greenhouses that are rated from 100 to 300 watts, depending on length and design. I could afford to run five 100-watt cables for 10 hours per day for 3 months. Has anyone tried this?
__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com
|