Interesting experiment, Drhort. I don't know if it's too big a risk to leave the polytunnel closed or not. I do know that it gets well over a hundred in the shade down here on a regular basis & the okra loves it. Even without mulch, when the soil temp at 1" is likely as high as you're seeing. As temps get hotter, I'd imagine you'll need to vent it atleast during the hottest part of the day, but I really don't know for sure. Let us know what happens, would you?

i'd add to this list: cherry tomatoes (never too late, if you can find plants or get them started indoors), okra (mmmmmmm... okra.... spiny AND mucilaginous, as manature pointed out to me recently), yardlong beans, and sweet potatoes. check out southern exposure for all these, except sweet potatoes, which you can start from store-bought ones (just google: "starting sweet potato slips"). i have yardlong beans in my yard (just one plant right now) -- it's a beautiful plant, with great flowers and it sneers at heat and humidity. you can eat it young as a green bean, or let it go and harvest the peas (beans) to eat fresh. they are really tasty either way (but i am a bean lover).

Nanny you might want to look into the pants that are made of wind resistant fabric as they are very light. Also the wool and silk underwear at Sierra is weightless and very warm. You wouldn't need jeans as they aren't warm anyway since they are cotton. I found that the convertible pants are essentially wind resistant fabric and therefore are very warm while taking up no room and drying in minutes. When it got really cold I put on a pair of tights under them and they were exceptionally comfortable..and I am a person that is ALWAYS cold. Heavy tops take up a lot of room and instead if you layer several light tops you get way more warmth and less weight plus more options. Just a thought to help you with your plans. Good Luck and have a wonderful time ! c

Jinx, you really do own two cats that aren't yours? In your pictures I always see two together whether inside or out. None of my cats sleep together, maybe because we didn't get them as siblings. Raven is the one who jumped off the UPS truck on Valentines Day one year. I want Zephyr! What a handsome cat. When Raven cools off outside she lays on the shaded part of the porch with fresh water nearby. Sometimes I'll find her in my Clematis jungle where it's moist but that's usually because she's waiting for a Lizard. Age has a lot to do with it I think. She's around 8 and never did this before, and I remember all of our elderly cats in the past and currently one who is 12 likes to lay on top of the dryer when it's running. Jinx, you really do own two cats that aren't yours? In your pictures I always see two together whether inside or out. None of my cats sleep together, maybe because we didn't get them as siblings. Raven is the one who jumped off the UPS truck on Valentines Day one year. Best delivery ever, the craziest cat ever, and the most loving cat ever.