Citrus Growers Forum

Sven_limoen · Posted: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 11:25 am

Something popped in my head a couple of days ago when I was thinking how to get a higher pot temperature in wintertimes.
I remembered that, when I was little and often helpen at a local farm, the ground around the endive (I can't find any other translation for this vegy, picture: http://bit.ly/naLoNi ) was surrounded with about 30cm 'walls' filled with loose styrofoam bullets as insulation.

Do you guys think that would do any good? Besides the styrofoam bullets there are off course some other alternatives like regular rockwool, styrofoam plates,...

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growing (at least trying): C. sinensis, C. latifolia, C. limon, C. mitis

Sven_limoen · Posted: Sun 11 Sep, 2011 7:11 pm

I'm really a master when it comes to asking unanswerable questions Very Happy

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growing (at least trying): C. sinensis, C. latifolia, C. limon, C. mitis

danero2004 · Posted: Mon 12 Sep, 2011 3:52 am

Sven_limoen wrote:

Something popped in my head a couple of days ago ...

First you should stop that.... Laughing

Next.....as I know styrofoam is indeed a good insulation but it is used to insulate a warm object in order to not let the heat escape that space/object but here were are talking about regular soil so no internal heat is provided.

Yes , like you say , can insulate from the cold air outside the pot but can't heat the pot at all.

Correct me if I'm wrong.
Daniel

Sven_limoen · Posted: Mon 12 Sep, 2011 8:44 am

So it should work basically? Keeping the freezing temperatures out would be a good start I guess. Always beter then nothing.

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growing (at least trying): C. sinensis, C. latifolia, C. limon, C. mitis

danero2004 · Posted: Mon 12 Sep, 2011 3:55 pm

Yes is better than nothing but it isn't a miracle neither.

Slowly , the cold air will lower the soil temp no matter what you have done to them but will cut the too low temp with few degrees

good luck

SeaHorse_Fanatic · Posted: Wed 21 Sep, 2011 6:31 am

My plan is to move my container citrus trees into either an insulated sunroom with a big upright freezer that generates heat (on the outside) or in a portable greenhouse with styrofoam sheets on the floor and a bucket of water with a 50w aquarium heater to provide warm, moist air. I will be using two or three clamp on lamps with 42w Phillips Daylight (6400k) CFL bulbs for light during the winter.