Forum home› Tools and techniques
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

SOIL THERMOMETER RECOMMENDATION PLEASE ...

Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
in Tools and techniques
Hello,

Just discovered some vine weevil grubs in some pots of sempervivums in the greenhouse twisted

So, I'll get some nematodes in early spring to use on all the pots that are over-wintering in there. I've read that they work best when the soil temperature is 12C ... so will need to buy a soil thermometer to check this.

Does anyone have any recommendations  .... some of the cheap ones look a bit flimsy.

Many thanks,
 Bee x
 image

Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime

Posts

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    I really don't see the point of them. If the ambient temperature is at least 15C you'll be good to go. Surely the soil of pots pretty much equals the ambient temperature of the garden if they're not in the sun.

    In a greenhouse just get an electronic thermometre with a detachable sensor and then you will have a reading from a distance if you want. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    amancalledgeorge said:
    I really don't see the point of them. If the ambient temperature is at least 15C you'll be good to go. Surely the soil of pots pretty much equals the ambient temperature of the garden if they're not in the sun.


    Ditto
    Devon.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    edited January 2020
    amancalledgeorge said:
    I really don't see the point of them.
    If you stab them into the soil enough you might hit a vine weevil. :)

    Edit to say I bought some thermometers from Brannan recently and they were decent quality https://www.brannan.co.uk/soil-thermometers

    For sempervivums though it can be easier and cheaper to just remove them bare-root and repot into fresh gritty soil or just pot up a batch of pups and bin the rest.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi folks .... thanks for your thoughts.

    I ordered one from the Brannan site (thanks @wild edges) .... only a fiver so worth a go.
    I have binned the sempervivums  ...they were in gritty compost so spotting all the weevils would have been a challenge  ... I've got plenty of others so it's no big deal .... but I don't fancy having to tip out and search all the other pots in the greenhouse ... so will go with the nematodes in the Spring.

    Bee x



    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Sign In or Register to comment.