Heat Tape and CPs'

[tennesseejed]

Has anyone ever experimented with the use of heat tape with cold tolerant CPs'. I live in zone 5b where it is not unusual for temps to be consistent teens and dip sub zero in winter. I would like to try this with a few "sacrificial" Venus Fly traps. Please don't trash me about the "sacrificial" statement. For those unfamiliar with heat tape, some of us in the northern climes have to wrap our pipes with it so they don't freeze in winter.

[Aidan]

I think we need a better idea of how you are considering using the tape.

Specific soil-warming cables are available and I guess you are thinking along similar lines.

[tennesseejed]

Yes, exactly. I have several sections of heat tape from a north woods retreat (Near da UP of Michigan). I heat the cabin year round and now have these as leftovers. I was just curious if I could line a wine barrel with them and be able to sustain an outdoor plot of VFT. In theory, they should warm the soil enough to prevent the corms from freezing. Thoughts? I am a bit of a packrat and would feel guilty getting rid of the tape. Thanks

[Clint]

Well, I see two problems. What may happen is, if you like the inside of the barrels, that the media in that immediate area will be warmed but the "core" will still be frozen. Also, if you like the inside, the heat will be lost because just on the other side of the barrel there's no insulation. Would would be better is if you put the tape all throughout the media.

There's no reason you can't use them, I just don't think it will work that fantastically. Pipes are inside, and very small.... Heating cables are used for aquariums all the time under the media. Some people heat terrariums with them, too. I don't know just hot heat tape gets, but you may need to add a thermostat.

It would be much easier for you to put them in a garage, or basement, or fridge for the winter.

[pinglover]

Don't know that an above ground wine barrel could withstand our weather. Have you considered recessing the whole wine barrel into the ground and heavily mulching your VFTs with a nice thick layer of white pine needles and oak leaves? I might be more inclined to be concerned with the rapid freeze/thaw cycling that occurs in our region as opposed to the corms freezing.

Can't answer your question about the heat tape because I haven't used it but I am probably not more than 30 miles away from you and I've had success with a heavy layer of mulch as well as specialized insulating row cover fabric.

Another trick is to move whole pots (or wine barrels) of VFTs into an unheated attached garage. Temps in our garage are such that it doesn't ever dip below freezing due to radiant heat. I have success keeping them damp not moist over the course of the winter until spring comes when I can move them back outside.

If you go the route of the heat tape, I'd love to know how you fair on an above ground wine barrel.