Jan 1, 2018 temperatures

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WayneByerly
Posts: 1240
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 10:35 pm
Location: In the north end of the Sequachee Valley, 65 miles north of Chattanooga Tennessee USA. Zone 7a

Jan 1, 2018 temperatures

Post by WayneByerly »

Happy new year!!!

It's 2220hrs, on the first day of January of 2018, and somewhere in the close vicinity to 10 degrees F (-12C) here in Pikeville TN, almost 36 degrees north latitude, about 60 miles (96km) north of Chattanooga TN. And I simply felt compelled to write and extend my most profound thanks to all them members of this forum who have assisted me and put up with my questions over the last few years. I think your willingness to provide your time and your knowledge to others in need of help is indicitive of the general nature of your charcter. I think your parents, one and all, have a very great justification for being very proud of you all. Thank you ... every one of you ... I hope that all of this "training" will help me to serve others in the future as yours has served me in the past.

And I am SO glad to have a thermostatically controlled heater in my greenhouse. Otherwise, I'd be carting around 40 containers (some of which weigh around 30lbs (almost 14kg)), bringing them inside to keep them from the extreme temperatures and THEN carting them back outside when things warmed back up. My thermostat turns the heater on at 40F (about 4C) and then back off at 45F (about 7C) ... so the cacti/succulents get a cool/dry "winter" but do not suffer from extreme low temperatures. I have put this number of cacti/succulents in the greenhouse for a couple of reasons:
  • 1) I had a few plants that, despite all my additional lighting, were suffering from a little bit of etiolation. And a couple from a lot of etiolation. So I figured that most everything would benefit from being outside in the much brighter sun, and yet protected from the non-desert-like-rains that we get here in Tennessee. (and most everything did benefit ... except for the Haworthias, that got a good bit of sunburn and most of them almost died. Fortunately, for me, they are hardy succulents, and recovered nicely with time.)

    2) It was my understanding that some cacti would not flower if they did not experience a winter "rest period".

    3) I was just plain running out of room. I still have another 40 or so containers here in the "inside" window sills, and I just don't see how I was able to keep those additional 40 containers inside also. I mean, I remember constantly having to move things around so I could do meaningless tasks (like cook and eat), but it was sort of "doable".
So that's it for the holiday wishes, the weather update, my thanks to forum members and a word about my cheap/primitive/effective greenhouse. I wish you all to benefit in your efforts at growing the things you love in the upcoming year.
Make the moral choice & always do what's right. Be a good example. Be part of the solution & make a contribution to society, or be part of the problem & end your life with nothing but regrets. Live a life you can be proud of! Zone 7a
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ElieEstephane
Posts: 2909
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:10 am
Location: Lebanon (zone 11a)

Re: Jan 1, 2018 temperatures

Post by ElieEstephane »

Happy growing un 2018 wayne!
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
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