I've made a simple change to my containers that has made a
considerable difference on heating and drying of the soil ... I use
WHITE pots instead of the ubiquitous black or dark green. The change in
temperature is quite noticeable, especially in the smaller 4" seed pots
I use.
As I've mentioned before, I over winter most things in sawdust
filled plunge beds, but my ability to build beds outpaces my ability to
plant seeds, so there are always those waiting in the sun for their more
permanent sites (currently there are about 180 ... yikes). Of course,
now, pending cold is more the driving force than bright sun!
Peace and good gardening
Dave Brastow -- Tumwater, Wsshington
zone 7A (dry summers (sometimes), otherwise wet)