Soil Temperature.

[boarderbloke]

Would be interested in others understanding of soil temperature is?
Often the chem reps or chem retails hand out soil thermometers, i will ask what soil temperature means, and i get different answers.
To me, it means the soil temp, at 2 inches deep, on an avg. elevation/slope, with avg. trash cover.
But what i don't know is when people talk about planting when the soil temp is 6`C, do they mean the highest reading of the day is 6`C or the lowest reading of the day is 6`C or the avg. temp(per hour) during daylight hours is 6`C?
Any help or ideas here would be nice.

[mustardman]

I believe the idea is take a reading about 10 am and another at around 3 or 4 pm and average.
Our agronomist at the local Coop always posts her readings on a sign board at the end of main. She does heavy land and light land readings

[bluefargo]

Just to add to Mustardman; Yes you have to average. I have found soil temperature to be very variable over the day even at 2-4 inches. A little sun raises the temperature a lot.
Probably a good idea to be consistant in the times you check the temp.

[bluefargo]

Just to add to Mustardman; Yes you have to average. I have found soil temperature to be very variable over the day even at 2-4 inches. A little sun raises the temperature a lot.
Probably a good idea to be consistant in the times you check the temp.

[railway]

Don't get too technical guys,
My grampa had his own test for soil temp,

He said if you could pull your pants down and sit bare-assed in the field for over thirty seconds, it was warm enough to seed.

That being said, we are starting today, (and yes my cheeks are damn cold)

[Hopperbin]

My father says when the leaves start to pop on the poplar trees are a good indication of to start planting.