wall o'water

[gan heather]

Today while reading through a tomato growing book, I came across the technique of making a "wall o'water." Tender plants that are planted out a bit early are surrounded by plastic bottles filled with water. The bottles are supposed to heat up during the day and release the heat at night. Has anyone tried this before?

[Nicos]

Sounds interesting!

Are you supposed to remove the bottles during the day so they don't reduce the air temperature inside the ring?

[jayjay giant]

Sounds like a good idea and would be great at upping the temperature in the greenhouse by a couple of degrees overnight ! A good way to water your plants with the water at correct temperature too.
I often leave a couple of full watering cans in the greenhouse to warm up.

[Two_Sheds]

Bob Flowerdew does it in his books

[Snadger]

Similar to ny night storage idea for the greenhouse!

[snuffer]

Not the same thing I know but in the past when we have been threatened by a late frost I have made a wall of fleece around the runner beans and then, at night, put several two litre bottles filled with hot water behind the fleece in with the plants. Worked very well. None of the plants were damaged by the frost even though some of my neighbours did experience some frost damage to their plants.

[gan heather]

I might just have to give it a try with one or two tomato plants (when the time comes!) and see how they compare with the rest in a polytunnel.

[Two_Sheds]

I have ... put several two litre bottles filled with hot water behind the fleece in with the plants.

One year when I was camping I filled my water bottles up with hot water & put them inside my sleeping bag with me, cos it was so flipping cold