Forum experts,
My DH and I are growing in bales for the first time this year. We have been watering 15 bales for a week and will begin fertilizing tomorrow. Do you use a regular thermometer to take the temperature of the bales or something more specialized? We don't want to plant too soon and burn up our plants.
Lily
Taking temperature of bales
Lilygardner have planted anything in your bales yet? Give us an update how things are going.
Chris
I use a regular kitchen or oven thermometer. Obviously the longer the better for getting down inside. I have had the experience of burning up tomato plants. The inside had reached good temps but then the next few hot days caused the bales to heat up too much again. Now I wait until they have gone back down for several days in my area.
I have several garden/soil/compost thermometers. I know I got one mail order, but I am pretty sure I picked up one at the hardware store.
The thermometer you get with a turkey cooker works great.