Not sure when it's time to plant? This Clever Tool Takes the Guesswork Out of Spring Planting
A simple soil thermometer can help you plan the perfect garden. Planting too early or late can lead to disaster, but this tool helps you pick the optimal time.
Spring is the season for getting all your planting in order. It takes some serious effort to plan out which seeds to start indoors vs. outdoors. Figure out which seeds need to be stratified and what temperature it needs to be before transplanting delicate seedlings. It’s a lot. Luckily, there is one simple measurement you can take that will help you know when to begin planting outdoors.
Determining soil temperature is critical to the success of your transplanted seedlings and seeds sown outdoors. If seeds are sown too early, the ground will be too cold for them to germinate and they can begin to rot with spring rainfall. Even seedlings you diligently started indoors can be ruined by planting too early or too late.
A soil thermometer is an inexpensive, crucial tool that tells you exactly when the ground is ready, guaranteeing a higher success rate for your spring garden. Read on to learn more about how a soil thermometer can up your gardening game.
Article continues belowAir Temperature vs. Soil Temperature
Day-time air temperature can be deceiving when determining when to plant seeds and when to transplant seedlings in the garden. A warm and sunny spring day makes you think it is time to get planting, but air temperature is only half of the story.
Soil holds on to cool temperatures longer and needs many days of warm weather to be suitable for some seeds to germinate. Soil temperature is important to the success of seed germination and to the health of newly transplanted seedlings. The perfect temperature for planting varies depending upon the variety of vegetable or fruit. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peas need soil temperatures of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 C) and others like okra prefer up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C)! A simple soil thermometer can help you make the most of your gardening experience.
This simple stainless steel soil thermometer from Urban Worm has a large, easy-to-read dial for accurate soil temp readings.
It may sound odd, but a digital candy thermometer makes a great soil thermometer! It will give you accurate, easy-to-read temperature readings.
A 4-in-1 soil meter can tell you soil temperature in addition to moisture content, pH levels, and light intensity.
How to Use It Correctly
Now that you have your soil thermometer, what do you do with it? The best way to determine soil temperature is by taking readings in the early morning. This is when the ground will be at its coolest and will let you know if it is safe for your seedlings or will allow your seeds to germinate.
Insert your thermometer probe 2 to 3 inches (5-7.6 cm) into the soil for taking a reading for seeds. And sample at least 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) deep for transplants. Hold the probe in the soil for one minute and note the temperature. Take soil temp readings three consecutive days to get an average reading. This will be more accurate than just a single reading one day.
Shop Spring Planting Essentials
These gorgeous gloves are sturdy workhorses. From a woman-owned brand, they will keep your hands and arms protected while looking great.
Easily plot out your vegetable or flower gardens with this clever planting guide. Sow your seeds perfectly every time.
This hand dibber will make it quick and easy to plant seeds in any soil. It even works to make larger holes for transplants or bulbs.
