Warming the Soil

greenthumbomaha · October 28, 2019

The temps are running 15 to 20 degrees below normal for this time of year and today the high wil be 35, cloudy all day. I am behind in planting the last of the garlic. I have enough leftover seed garlic to experiment with planting in a 4 X 4 raised bed.
We are going to get a very early season snowfall today and Thursday. Temps will return to the 50's this weekend and then plunge again. I am going to try and plant the garlic today or tomorrow.

I would like to plant today. A few options to warm the soil, or at least keep the temps at where they are during this cooldown ahead of the warmer temps to come:

Plant today and cover with poly pannels

Plant today and cover with leaves and poly pannels

Plant today and cover with weed fabric

I have read that covering with leaves may trap the cold air in.
Opinions?

- Lisa

4 inch soil temp dropped 2 degrees overnight to 46 degrees

latest forcast is half an inch of snow starting late today but may not stick since ground temps are warm

October 28, 2019	#1
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Warming the Soil The temps are running 15 to 20 degrees below normal for this time of year and today the high wil be 35, cloudy all day. I am behind in planting the last of the garlic. I have enough leftover seed garlic to experiment with planting in a 4 X 4 raised bed. We are going to get a very early season snowfall today and Thursday. Temps will return to the 50's this weekend and then plunge again. I am going to try and plant the garlic today or tomorrow. I would like to plant today. A few options to warm the soil, or at least keep the temps at where they are during this cooldown ahead of the warmer temps to come: Plant today and cover with poly pannels Plant today and cover with leaves and poly pannels Plant today and cover with weed fabric I have read that covering with leaves may trap the cold air in. Opinions? - Lisa 4 inch soil temp dropped 2 degrees overnight to 46 degrees latest forcast is half an inch of snow starting late today but may not stick since ground temps are warm Last edited by greenthumbomaha; October 28, 2019 at 09:46 AM.