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PureHarvest · July 5, 2017

No difference. In fact, it feels a pinch less intense inside, perhaps because the plastic has UV inhibiting properties.
We are really getting lucky with most days under 90 so far this year. Had a few low 90's last week, and started to see some splitting on some varieties. Picking earlier, but they even start on some green ones just starting to blush.
I'm really thinking now that the grow bag system is only meant for controlled environments (or northern areas) where heat can be kept down below the upper 80's at all times. I guess you could counter this with varieties that don't have this problem, but I still think it would happen if we hit heat indexes over 100 for 3 days or more in a row like we did last July and then again in August. Hasn't happened yet, but typically does here. I'm not sure shade cloth would solve the problem either when it's 98 with 75% humidity. It's sort of like why the deep south can't grow summer tomatoes. Only difference is that we don't get it all summer long. It comes and goes, but when it does it hits your marketable yield.
My original plan, and leaning heavy towards it again, was to heat the house early spring. Transplant into bags March 1st and start harvesting mid-May. Then find out how long they go till the heat comes on. Have a second set of seedlings ready to install in late July maybe? Harvest them from late September to Thanksgiving. Added together, they would be the same yield as a season long crop, but more work because of the in and out of the old and new plants. But doable.
I'd be curious to see how plants would do in this same style (single stem in a tunnel on drip feed), but in the ground where the roots can be kept cooler. I use white grow bags, so I don't know how much cooler I can make the roots. Maybe bury the bags in the ground? Ugh, thats a lot of holes to dig or auger.

July 5, 2017	#18
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	No difference. In fact, it feels a pinch less intense inside, perhaps because the plastic has UV inhibiting properties. We are really getting lucky with most days under 90 so far this year. Had a few low 90's last week, and started to see some splitting on some varieties. Picking earlier, but they even start on some green ones just starting to blush. I'm really thinking now that the grow bag system is only meant for controlled environments (or northern areas) where heat can be kept down below the upper 80's at all times. I guess you could counter this with varieties that don't have this problem, but I still think it would happen if we hit heat indexes over 100 for 3 days or more in a row like we did last July and then again in August. Hasn't happened yet, but typically does here. I'm not sure shade cloth would solve the problem either when it's 98 with 75% humidity. It's sort of like why the deep south can't grow summer tomatoes. Only difference is that we don't get it all summer long. It comes and goes, but when it does it hits your marketable yield. My original plan, and leaning heavy towards it again, was to heat the house early spring. Transplant into bags March 1st and start harvesting mid-May. Then find out how long they go till the heat comes on. Have a second set of seedlings ready to install in late July maybe? Harvest them from late September to Thanksgiving. Added together, they would be the same yield as a season long crop, but more work because of the in and out of the old and new plants. But doable. I'd be curious to see how plants would do in this same style (single stem in a tunnel on drip feed), but in the ground where the roots can be kept cooler. I use white grow bags, so I don't know how much cooler I can make the roots. Maybe bury the bags in the ground? Ugh, thats a lot of holes to dig or auger. Last edited by PureHarvest; July 5, 2017 at 11:54 AM.