When can I plant?

[WiZeR]

I'm getting itchy feet.

I was wondering when I could start planting out my Tomato plants in the polytunnel. If it is still a bit early could I maybe use a cloche over them?

Your thoughts welcomed.

[Protea]

I would hold back on planting your toms out just yet - we've still had snow in April before! Toms don't need plating out until the first flowers are seen.

However - there is more hardy veg you can plant out now - what about some broad beans or early carrots (under fleece/cloche), or an early salad sowing (under protection or transplanted out into your tunnel), early peas, early cauliflower? There's quite a bit you can do now - just don't rush the tender plants! You have a polytunnel so you've quite a choice for early crops.

[Wendy]

yeah im trying to hold back on the tomatoes too - so tempting though, but i have broad beans, carrots, peas, brocolli, cauli, cabbage, rocket, spinach and lettuce in my polytunnel and all are doing very well at the moment!

[WiZeR]

thanks. I am devoting the WHOLE tunnel to toms with a few aubs, chillis and cucs

[Protea]

thanks. I am devoting the WHOLE tunnel to toms with a few aubs, chillis and cucs

Blimey! i guess you like tomatoes

Even if you don't want to take up tunnel space, most of the other crops i mentioned can be sown outdoors - not in the tunnel, so you can scratch your itch if you need to get sometihng in the ground!

[WiZeR]

What about now? Anyone risking it yet? I think I am going to take the plunge this week. My conservatory is being taken over by tomato plants!!

[Nicos]

Not yet- but we are further North.
The guy on the next plot has put his into his greenhouse, but I think he'll need a heater on standby!

[WiZeR]

hmm I might put in a few now and a few next week and so on.

[Alison]

I've got some in pots out there since yesterday but they'll be back in if this predicted frost occurs later this week!

[Norm]

My toms are already in, but the greenhouse is heated - so is the polytunnel for that matter.

[pigletwillie]

Blimey, my tomatoes have been hardened off for the last two weeks and 52 plants have now been planted in the first tunnel and the second tunnel has 22 plants in plus 60 odd pepper and chillie plants with space for the aubergines as they are a bit softer.

It will take a very hard frost to knock the temp down inside my tunnel to anything that would do any damage. You live 100 miles south of me so shouldnt have a problem. My outside toms will go out mid May albeit wearing fleece tents that roll down if required.

[bramble]

My toms and peppers have been in the unheated greenhouse for the past two weeks. Some of the toms and peppers already have buds on them, so no ill effects there.

[Nicos]

It would be interesting to know what people's minimum temperatures are in their greenhouses/polytunnels.
The larger ones must stay warmer than the smaller ones and that must make a difference to the plants.
My toms are in a little plastic lean-to kite ( sorry-that should be greenhouse ) wrapped in sacking overnight tonight.
Looks like the heavy frosts predicted will not happen for us, so I'll chance leaving them there.
It's a bit of a worry isn't it ?....maternal instincts again eh?????

[pigletwillie]

And mine Bramble, in fact all of the tomatoes have fruit forming.

[WiZeR]

aaaaaaaagggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh Right that's it, tonight all of this:



and this



and this:



AND THIS: