I think I just boiled all my plants! HEEELPP!!!

[jules07]

I started some seeds off inside by the window but for the past week or so I've been putting them out in a little plastic greenhouse during the daythen bringing them in in the evening . This has worked fine for while it's been overcast but we had our first properly sunny day today nd when I went to check on them at lunch time they'd all wilted anf the leaves had shrivelled. I've poured bucketloads of water on them and put them in the shade now, will they make it? They were only out there for four hours. The beans are the worst, the leaves have shrivelled and the stems have bent right over. Most of the tomatos and peppers have collapsed. The courgettes are a bit droopy but don't look so bad in comparison. Weirdly the sweetcorn and okra seem to have been completely unaffected.

If they do die, is it too late now to sow beans and tomatoes? I'm just trying to remind myself I started this year thinking that as long as I didn't kill absolutely everything I'd have succeeded...

[Alice]

Oh Jules, what a shame.Tomatoes and peppers have good powers of recovery so if they're not fried - just wilted - they will probably be OK. You've plenty of time to sow new beans if you have to - and courgettes. They'll just be along a little later. I do hope your plants recover.
I wouldn't put them in the plastic greenhouse during the day anymore. Mine are living outside.

[rustylady]

Don't despair, you can still sow new seeds although the crops will be later. What size pots are your plants in? If they are in very small ones they dry out a lot quicker. Small greenhouses heat up a lot quicker than large ones and if they're in direct sunlight they can get very hot. Is yours the sort where you can roll up the front section for ventilation? If so I would leave it open at this time of the year during the day and only close it at night.

[dan1979]

Some of my stuff died today.

They were in a mini-greenhouse at the top, the cover was open as always during the day but today was hotter than usual,I'm guessing a lack of airflow combined with the heat killed them.

I'm going to use all the shelves and keep the pots on the outside edges from now on.

[Earthbabe]

I had this problem back in April. I went to work at 6 am, it was a hot day, hubby went to work at about 8am via school with Miss EB. Put rabbit out, didn't think about plants. The following morning when I opened the growhouse (having got in at 9.30 the night before) most of my toms and peppers were beyond resuscitation and I had to start again.

Very upset, cross with OH. Vowed to try and change my working pattern so that this doesn't happen next year.

[Alice]

What a shame Dan. We're well through May now so maybe you should just leave your greenhouse open if you are using it for your resowings. Good luck.

[dan1979]

Fortunately the stuff that died weren't one offs so I can be philosophical and put it down as a learning experience - still quite annoying though!

I somehow killed all my rocket as well, I've just got one seedling left - not sure why they all died

[jules07]

Thanks very much everyone - about half of them seem to have recovered!

[Earthbabe]

That's good news jules07. I hope you can make up for the losses.

[Stacey]

I just about boiled my toms too but ( forgot to water them for a while ooops) but they have come back beautifully,its amazing really what they can put up with.