hardening plants off and the weather!

[selfraising]

I really need to harden off my cucumbers, butternut squash and aubergines. They are in an unheated placcie greenhouse at the moment. Because of the heavy rain, I have been reluctant to put them outside. Am I being over-protective, could they go out despite the weather?

[taff]

They're probably ok to have a bit of hardening off, but check for the last frost date in your area before you plant them out completely.
If it's really windy or heavily raining, i wouldn't bother.

[selfraising]

Thanks for the reply taff. Problem is at the moment that we're getting heavy showers, then sunshine, then showers again and I'm back and forth to the greenhouse. Hoped to plant out at the end of May but if I have to keep delaying hardening off, I guess the planting time will also be delayed? Am anxious to free up the gh as I have tomatos to go in there.

[taff]

You could open the greenhouse door fully and the skylight fully, they get a bit of protection from the wind, but get a whiff of cold too.
Or, can you make a makeshift cold frame? Some bricks and glass or something a la Alys on GW last Friday....

[SarzWix]

Just open the greenhouse when the weather is foul, they'll still get a bit of a breeze without being battered by the rain. Butternuts and aubs will sulk madly if they get too chilled/soaked/wind whipped. Either that, or, put them out with a bit of fleece chucked over them.

[Iamhanuman]

i'm worried about my sweetcorn i put out
tall as it was it is being buffetted and broken by any gust that comes along
should i be concerned???

[selfraising]

Hi Sarz, thanks for the reply. That's what I thought and didn't want the cucs to get too wet because of rot. Another daft question, if I open the placcie ghs can I count this in my hardening off time? Thought I would harden off for approx 10 days to 2 weeks before planting.

[selfraising]

i'm worried about my sweetcorn i put out
tall as it was it is being buffetted and broken by any gust that comes along
should i be concerned???

Are yours still hardening off or are they planted? I have planted mine but fotunately they are in between broad beans which seem to be protecting them a bit.

[Flummery]

I put my tray of pots of climbing french beans out this morning - by lunchtime I'd brought the poor little beggars back in - nasty weather. Didn't fancy it myself so I thought the beans wouldn't!

[Bramble_killer]

I've wimped out and put everything back into the greenhouse. It's back to being completely packed

[bustertom]

I'd hang on a bit yet - the forecast is looking better for midweek. I started to harden off and gave up with the strong winds and then all this rain.
Clare

[Iamhanuman]

Are yours still hardening off or are they planted? I have planted mine but fotunately they are in between broad beans which seem to be protecting them a bit.

they are planted
had been hardened off for a bit but i just worry can sweetcorn cope with broken leaves?

[craiglockley]

I tried hardening off my tommies this weekend and they got such a battering they lost a couple of lower stalks.

[zazen999]

they are planted
had been hardened off for a bit but i just worry can sweetcorn cope with broken leaves?

No, they don't like it. I lost mine the same last year and had to resow. Mine won't go out until at least June....they are being hardened off over the next fortnight.

You might be lucky if they were well hardened off though.

[Reks]

Just open the greenhouse when the weather is foul, they'll still get a bit of a breeze without being battered by the rain. Butternuts and aubs will sulk madly if they get too chilled/soaked/wind whipped. Either that, or, put them out with a bit of fleece chucked over them.

Hi,
I have all my plants (toms, beans, sweetcorns, marigold, aster, gazania) in a plastic covered greenhouse. I leave the front flap open from 7a to 8 pm every day and zip it 1/2 way through or less at nights. Do I still need to move all plants outside the greenhouse for hardening before planting? or can I leave the in and leave the flaps open at night and will that harden them off. Never had a green house until this year hence not very clear on hardening off.