Soil temperature

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  • Soil temperature
    Soil temperature
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CIBOLA COUNTY - Air temperature and frost dates are important in planting, but soil temperature is especially important if you are doing any winter growing or early planting.

Soil temperature affects the germination of the seeds and the health of the plants. If the temperature is too cool for instance, the seeds will take longer to sprout or may not come up at all. If the soil is too cool and too wet the seeds may even rot. Plants that take too long to come up and grow may be more stressed. This can result in unhealthy plants and more pest problems. A soil temperature that is too high can have the same effect on the sprouting of seeds and the growth of the plant. There are some things that can be done to raise or lower the soil temperature to a more ideal condition.

There are several methods you can use to affect soil temperature. One of the most common ways of raising soil temperature is using raised beds. Mulching can be used to lower soil temperatures. Covering soil with plastic can raise the soil temperature even to the point of killing weeds and harmful insects. The color of the plastic also affects the soil temperature. Some other methods that are used to affect soil temperature are cold frames and hoop houses. One thing to remember is that watering affects the soil temperature also. You can combine any of these methods to control the soil temperature.

This year I will be using raised beds in my outdoor gardens again. The tomato garden is located on the south side of the house where it gets plenty of sun. The house wall also keeps the air temperature a few de grees warmer. I use my hoop house to garden in the winter and then in the spring and fall for cool weather crops. In the summer it is planted with heat loving plants. Using these methods to affect soil temperature works well for me.

Take advantage of these methods to increase production from your garden and to have a longer growing season.

Mr. Archibald is a Sandoval County Master Gardener who lives and works in Cibola County. As a Master Gardener he assists the Cibola County Cooperative Extension Service in providing accurate, research-based gardening information to county residents. If you have any gardening questions, please call the Cibola County Cooperative Extension at 505-287-9266. Mr. Archibald can also be contacted on the Cibola County Community Gardeners’ Facebook page.