Hardening off

[flowertot]

Hi folks, just wondering if any of you could advise me on the best plan of action as my kitchen is beginning to look like a jungle! I have several toms,cukes, melons etc that will eventually live in my polytunnel/blowaway thing. Can I start hardening them off now or should I wait a bit? And how many days would you recommend I brought them back in at night for? I know they can't go out at night until after the last frost, but if I harden them off first can they go out at night in the blowaway thing? Its my second year of growing and although I was pleased with what I grew last year I think many of the the things I lost were down to being put out in the cold too early/over watering etc.... so trying to get it right this time!

[chris]

I'd start hardening them off now, but keep an eye on the weather - if a frost is due, bring them back inside, into a cool room (so it's not a massive shock going from outside->inside).

At minimum, I'd say a week. You can generally gauge it by looking at the plants, you'll start to see them change in appearance (leaf colour, and even texture - they're not as "soft" once hardened off).

If they're going in a Polytunnel, then it's going to be warm in there during the day anyway - it's the night time temps.

Mine are in a cold GH, at night when the temo drops below 6C, I cover them with fleece. They've been out there a week or so now, previous to that, I had a week of bringing them in at night time, leaving them in the hallway (which, in my house is currently cold due to a faulty letterbox - but that's a whole other story ).

[rustylady]

Yes, put them outside during the day and bring them in at night for about a week.

[Bren In Pots]

I'm doing the in and out twice a day with my toms but soon they'll be ready for repotting so I'll probably plant them in the borders instead.

[flowertot]

Ah thanks for that. I put them outside for a few hours but brought them in again cos its raining cats and dogs here! Don't want to shock them too much!

[Florence Fennel]

My ruthless streak has had to come to bear this year. Most of my tomatoes were becoming too big for the windowsills, so they've been in the stayput (a lean to cold greenhouse thingy) with the door firmly closed since last weekend. They appear to be ok so far, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If you've the space I'd carry on hardening off as you are doing and as advised by the others.

[Kaiya]

My ruthless streak has had to come to bear this year. Most of my tomatoes were becoming too big for the windowsills, so they've been in the stayput (a lean to cold greenhouse thingy) with the door firmly closed since last weekend. They appear to be ok so far, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If you've the space I'd carry on hardening off as you are doing and as advised by the others.

This is encouraging as I don't have the ability to do the hokey-kokey (in out in out) when hardening off either, as I'm not where my plants are during the week - they go out into the hasn't-blownaway-yet, with the door shut, then moved to the hasn't-blownaway-yet that has a slightly broken door, then eventually the door will be opened one day and left open from then on. So far this is working for less tender veg, aliums and brassicas.