I water when either the plant starts to wilt or the container feels light. Dry soil is noticeably lighter in weight.

Regarding air movement, plants don't sweat so it does not cool them, but it does help in other ways. It exchanges the air around the leaves letting them get fresh carbon dioxide. It also makes them have a strong stem and prevents leggy plants.

As for what plants like in regard to temperature, it depend on the plant. Cole crops and lettuce hate heat, tomatoes require at least day time sun and warmth but some varieties will tolerate cold nights. I have found peppers to be the least tolerant of cold nights; they don't grow well for me until the nighttime lows warm up into the 50s and 60s.

Hello
I would hang plastic about two feet wide or so around a table or shelf with holes in it and put the heater/cables under that...test abit an you will be able to hold the temp better then. Get a min-max thermometer or three. Cheaper ones will do instead of the pro. You could also put plastic covers over the seed/propagation table or shelf, remember to vent.

I used to do this with many tables set that way in the greenhouse complex where I worked as the R&D guy / Head Grower. Always have fans running or the heat will stratify and that means levels of heat, so where your seedlings are could be a very bad spot. Best is to mix the air. Yes don't blow it right on the plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: baggz/likes

This post was edited by baggz on Fri, Apr 12, 13 at 4:54

Dear ruswithscissors...

You are well on the road to self-discovery by realizing you are not a plant :-) Your post sounds like fodder for a stand up comic. If the gh door isn't sealing, figure out why and then make a trip to the hardware store (if necessary).

A good place to start understanding plant needs is a good seed catalog, and then let the plant teach you what it needs. Don't argue with it. Mr. Google can also teach you a lot too. Use his search engine for such things as "growing peppers under lights; over-watering / under-watering plants etc." You can do the same with the search engine on this site.

Finally, do not run with scissors... LOL

Your post made me laugh and that's a plus. Plants do not go Brrr. Some plants even like it cooler.

Repeat after me a babied plant does not do as well as a plant that has to face some adversity. A babied plant does not know how to cope with the elements when planted outside. Wind makes a plant's stem stronger. Rain comes and then may not come for a while. The plants roots go deeper in search of water. If it is constantly wet besides risking damp off, the roots stay close to the surface and the plant withers in dry weather. My plants only get water when the soil is very dry. Either I stick my finger in the soil or go by the weight of the container.

I have a greenhouse--not as fancy as your but it suffices. It gets supplemental heat at night but I have the thermostat set every night so the temperature never goes above 8C--46F and my plants grow very well. A slight chill doesn't hurt them at all

Relax and ignore your plants a bit. They'll thank you for it

Have been so busy preparing for spring that I've neglected the computer for awhile. Thanks for all your support.

One of my biggest problems, I've found out was my potting soil. Stayed soggy in the bottom, but dried out too fast at the top. Plus I was waaaayyyy over-adjusting my water's PH. Now I don't do that. Also, it finally sunk in that everybody needs a little air once in awhile.

I started keeping a log/calender of overnight lows - greenhouse low, and the setting I used on the heater. Guess what? I was really over-doing it! (smile) So, now I'm happy as long as the greenhouse stays above 40*F at night. Every night now I check the weather channel, set the heater accordingly, and wouldn't you know! my plants are doing better! (Even my peppers are taking the cooler temps like champs.)

Anyway, thanks again for driving home that plant skin doesn't feel cold like ours does.

To satisfy my neurotic NEED to always see moist soil...I got one of those pump misters. When I walk by, I go "missst, missst" with the little sprayer, the plants go "oh, okay, thanks, I guess" but they don't croak. I'm on the road to recovery.

To satisfy my neurotic NEED to always see moist soil...I got one of those pump misters.

I've been through the same thing. I have killed enough plants doing it, though, that I have broken myself from top-misting anything other than germinating seeds. Bottom watering is the way to go. Drop the container in water; you're done when the root ball no longer floats. The bubbles you see are from water touching parts of the root ball that it likely never would if you top-watered and especially top-misted. I find that bottom watering also lasts twice as long. I have read that top-watering encourages damping-off, which is my biggest killer of seedlings and young plants in cold wet weather.