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Re: Stan's hot tomato

It is Tuesday morning.
     I made the changes to the pyramid yesterday.  I used the Saran Wrap
again because it would not touch the existing Saran Wrap because of the
new 1inch layer of styrofoam.  
     When I went out to retrieve the pyramid at noon time yesterday to
make the new changes, I found the temperature inside to be 90 degrees F. 
The outside temperature was 37 degrees F.   The sun was helping solar
heat the pyramid a lot.
     I think that 90 degrees F. is a good thing for the future plants, as
long as I keep them watered enough.  I will have to monitor the daytime
highs once I get the plants in the ground and perhaps put a timer on the
electrical line to turn off the lights during the day, maybe in April.   
     I'm starting to rethink the timing of putting the seeds in the
ground.  Maybe 8 weeks before the average last frost is too soon.  I only
want to take the pyramids off one time and stack them and store them
without having to worry about a possible frost.
The last ave frost is May 6 around here.  Perhaps May 15 would be a
better day to put away the pyramids.  Then backtracking 8 weeks from
there.  What does anyone think. 
     I went out this morning to check on the temperature inside the
pyramid.  The low last night only got down to about 23 degrees F.  The
temperature inside the thicker pyramid was 60 degrees F.!   
     Originally, I only wanted a way to plant my tomato seeds directly
into the ground 8 weeks early so I wouldn't have to plant them indoors,
then harden them off, then transplant them outside.  I just wanted
something to keep the frost from killing them.  Lately, I seem to be
getting carried away with maximizing heat.  
     Tonight I will use the same pyramid but use only one bulb inside for
heat.  I think these are 7.5 watts each.  I have got to keep in mind that
I only care about keeping them alive, not giving them the perfect
environment to thrive at this time.
     I think that I am getting close to the point where I can go to the
home center and finalize the exact materials to use, based on cost.
     BTW, the local newspaper says that the "normal high temperature" for
today is 51 degrees F. and the "normal low temperature" is 26 degrees F.
and the record low for this date is -1 degree F.
     
     Stan.    The cheap and lazy gardener.

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