Hardening off Tomatoes

[thecarnage]

Hi,

I'm new in the Forum so apologies if I'm not supposed to start a thread straight away (?).

I've just moved into a house with a garden so I'm very new to gardening.

I have grown a number of tomatoes and they are about 3 feet high now and some have little flowers or buds starting to grow. They live in 5" pots on the window sill.

I've invested in a greenhouse and put it against a south facing wall in the garden.

How do I harden them off? I've read many methods but what is the best way? If they are going into the greenhouse do I need to harden them off?

Any help or guideance will be really appreciated.

[SarzWix]

Hi

I've moved your thread out of Growing Techniques into an appropriate board.

Many Thanks

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...here_4846.html

[Creemteez]

hi Thecarnage (interesting name!), and welcome. Post away, sweetie, we don't mind.
As to your tomatoes, if you are going to keep them in your greenhouse, then there should be no problem in putting them straight in there - no hardening off required.
You don't say where you live or whether your green house is heated or not, but as it's on a south facing wall, they should be fine.
One thing I would suggest is that you pot them on into larger pots as Tommies are very greedy, thirsty plants and will need more room for their roots.
You could put them into grow bags. Try doing a search on Growing Tomatoes - they'll be loads of threds on the subject.
Oh, and if your greenhouse is on a south facing wall it will get VERY hot in there during the summer, so keep it ventilated and watch our that your plants don't actually scorch! Good luck!

[thecarnage]

hi Thecarnage (interesting name!), and welcome. Post away, sweetie, we don't mind.
As to your tomatoes, if you are going to keep them in your greenhouse, then there should be no problem in putting them straight in there - no hardening off required.
You don't say where you live or whether your green house is heated or not, but as it's on a south facing wall, they should be fine.
One thing I would suggest is that you pot them on into larger pots as Tommies are very greedy, thirsty plants and will need more room for their roots.
You could put them into grow bags. Try doing a search on Growing Tomatoes - they'll be loads of threds on the subject.
Oh, and if your greenhouse is on a south facing wall it will get VERY hot in there during the summer, so keep it ventilated and watch our that your plants don't actually scorch! Good luck!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I live in York, North Yorkshire so it's a little chilly at night! I'd like to wait until mid-may but they are really high now and I'm running out of room!

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine TheCarnage.
If you go into personal profile your location in York will show in your posts.
Your tomatoes are looking good.
I would leave them where they are for a few more days and see if that forces them into flower buds. Have a good look and see if you can see any - they look ready
Then put them into 12" pots, grow bags (I don't like them) or greenhouse floor - whatever suits you - in the greenhouse.
They should be fine. If a very cold night is forecast drape some fleece over them.
Tomatoes are quite hardy but won't stand frost. Anything abobe 5 degrees in the greehouse they should be fine.
A south facing wall can be very hot. Ideally tomatoes want 18 - 25 degrees. South facing can be much hotter than that so take care to open windows and doors. If things get too extreme soak the floor to increase the humidity - hot and damp is less damaging than hot and dry, and it will knock the temperatere down.
Ideally put a max - min thermometer in there so that you can see what is going on.
Lastly - enjoy your tomatoes.
I just grow mine outside in pots against a south facing wall. Works for me.