Temps 'round here today

[Edna]

I took my trusty temp gun outside this afternoon because I was planning to give a couple of torts a soak and wanted to check water temps. Our ambient temp was mid 80s. This is what I found:

Front walk, south exposure 120 degrees.
Dry soil, south exposure 112 degrees.
Shaded dry soil, south exposure 105 degrees.
Shaded plants in tortoise enclosure, south exposure 75 degrees.
Shaded dry soil in tortoise enclosure, south exposure 82 degrees.

My tortoise enclosures are on the south side of my house, but they are shaded by large old lilac bushes. The plants in the enclosures get watered deeply every other day. I was really surprised at the difference between that sheltered space and the walk/flower beds just a few feet away.

 

[Moozillion]

Interesting, indeed! What part of the country do you live in?

 

[SWDK]

That is quite the variance Edna.

 

[Edna]

Seems impossible to me. Now I know why some of my front plantings have such a hard time. My enclosures are right up against the house and mostly shaded by the lilacs. Without those, the enclosures would be far too hot for tort comfort.

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Interesting, indeed! What part of the country do you live in?

Silly Moo! My location shows just under my name! I'm in Rawlins, WY.

 

[Moozillion]

I mostly use my iPhone or iPad for surfing the Forum, and people's locations don't show up there. ...but I AM silly, regardless!!!

 

[Edna]

Ah! That 'splains it! I love your avatar, by the way. We don't see a lot of human faces around here.

 

[Moozillion]

Thanks, Edna!

 

[Tom]

Haha. I love my temp gun too... So much can be learned with it...

 

[Jacqui]

I was thinking the other day, I should take the temp gun out and see what the water sitting out in the full sun had for a temp. I know just by hand feel it was hot hot hot.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I showed my mother my temp gun, and she had a hay day with it. Who knew the temperature of the back of one's hand could be so different than the front? Or that one's eyeball is hotter than the skin around it... oh, mothers.

 

[Jacqui]

I showed my mother my temp gun, and she had a hay day with it. Who knew the temperature of the back of one's hand could be so different than the front? Or that one's eyeball is hotter than the skin around it... oh, mothers.

It's fascinating the things you learn with those darn things. They really would make great stocking stuffers at Christmas.

 

[RonHays]

Where can I get a cheap temp gun? Walmart? Home depot? I'm wanting one myself.

 

[Edna]

Mine is a remnant of my bf's former job. It's a Raytek Raynger ST. I would do a Google search and see which stores pop up.
I used my temp gun information to my advantage today. I don't take any organic material to the landfill. Because of my parkway project, I have a big bunch of roots and such that I want to compost. I turned my pile yesterday and found that everything is sprouting I moved the whole bunch of it onto the 120 degree front walk and am hoping for a quick kill