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Re: Stan's hot tomato

OK.  So here's the new plan.  
     I cut the bottoms off of 6 two liter pop bottles, about one inch
from the bottom "seam".  You'll know what that is when you look at a 2
liter bottle.  I then arranged them in a circle with a 7th bottle in the
center just for spacings purposes.  I then stapled the cut bottoms
together using one staple, from a normal desk stapler, to attach each
bottom to its touching neighbor.  I then removed the center bottle.
     Next, I cut a square piece from a scrape piece of  aluminum coated
styrofoam half inch insulation board about 14 inches square.  Yeah, I
know, I should have made it round to look nicer but I was in a hurry.   I
next turned the six connected bottoms upside down and placed them on the
aluminum side of the insulation board.  I then outlined the outside and
inside of the bottoms onto the insulation board with a felt tip marker. 
I then could see approximately where the center of each "Bottom" would be
and cut a small hole in each place just large enough to push one light
bulb through.
(I think you can see where I'm going now).  I then put the 6 upside down
bottoms back on top of the insulation board and taped them there with
clear packaging tape.  I then took the contraption to the garden a pushed
6 of the bulbs that still work through each of the 6 holes.  Each bulb
now resides in its own little bubble.  I placed this whole thing on the
ground and put 6 of the water filled 2 liter bottles on top of the 6
bottoms.  They make an excellent fit.  I then put a 7th filled bottle in
the center.  I then taped them all together with several wraps of the
clear packaging tape.  
     Next I took a length of Kraft backed 3.5 inch fiberglass house
insulation.  This is the insulation that is normally used in 2X4 house
walls.  I wrapped it around about 2/3 of the bottles, leaving the
Southern exposure without insulation. This is so I won't have to do
anything when the sun comes up to shine on the tomato plant.
     The filled water bottles were still about 1/3rd frozen when I put
this whole thing together about 5pm tonight (Saturday).  It is expected
to go down to about 18 degrees F. tonight.  
     Wish me luck.  I will keep you informed.  Remember, all suggestions
are appreciated.

     Stan.      The cheap and lazy gardener.
    

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