The indoor/outdoor shuffle - planning for next year already

[redser]

Hi,
I've been growing toms, peppers, chillis and other stuff under lights since early February and it's getting to stage now where it's a right pain in the you know what. Space has run out so every morning before work I shift the toms out to my old cut down blowaway and then in the evening they come inside the house. So they are not under the lights anymore. It's working fine but it's a nightmare job. I have to set my alarm to 5.30 and boil a kettle to heat the blow away for a while before the toms can go out It's rediculous. So thinking ahead I want a small 2nd hand greenhouse or maybe a 6 x 8 diy tunnel in the back garden. And then set up a decent sized propagator with a heated cable with a mini-tunnel over it, inside the tunnel/greenhouse if you know what I mean.
So that's all clear in my head but my question is can I raise tender stuff from seed in a setup like that from say mid February right through to planting out time (May)? I wonder would the soil warming cable in a propagator be enough to protect tender plants in subzero temperatures now and again? Has anyone got a setup like that and care to share how it works out for them?
Thanks a lot

[redser]

Just wanted to add, my house has a rubbish orientation so window sills just don't work for me, hence I've been using fl. shop lights.

[SarzWix]

Might work out cheaper in terms of energy costs, and simpler in terms of operation, to invest in a gas heater for the proposed greenhouse? They have a thermostat, so just run on a pilot light most of the time. Mine cost just over £100, and runs from March to May on a single cylinder refill costing less than £20.

It's one of these: Greenhouse Heater - Towler & Staines Ltd

Edited to add: You can find the same heater on ebay for less than £80.

[Bigmallly]

I have a small 4 shelf blowaway inside the greenhouse so I can gradually harden them off from blowaway to greenhouse. The outside stuff will then go into coldframes before finally outside. Spoiling them, I know, but I am there mother after all.......

[zazen999]

Mine get hardened off at about 1-2 inches tall, and go straight outside into the greenhouse - no heater. I keep a small selection for early toms but that's it. The chillis get cracked open in a little heated prop and then turfed out to the kitchen then out to the greenhouse. I do have 3 large trays in here at the moment as I ran out of space in the greenhouse and when I did a course last week, I provided tom seedlings that the delegates pricked out and potted on, and some of those that came home with me needed some 'indoor time' before going out - but half are now out there and seemingly loving it.

[Two_Sheds]

You don't have to start tomatoes in Feb. You can start them in March when the days are longer, lighter and warmer

Chillies might still benefit from an early start though, they aren't as fast growing as toms

[Sanjo]

If you have electricity to the area, which I assume you have since you mention electric cables/propagators, then a small electric thermostatic greenhouse heater might work for you. I have had mine for about 15 years and it looks a right sight but does the job. I only have it on frost setting (unless I hear the forecast and it is going to be really bad. I use my electric propagator in the greenhouse and once the seeds are up and big enough they get pricked out and positioned as close to the heater as I can get them. Sometimes that means moving other trays further away, but if they have already been out for a while I feel they can take it.

[redser]

Thanks very much for all the answers and suggestions. So it would seem I am under-estimating toms/peppers? I thought under 10 degrees C or so would be bad for them so I would have to give them more heat at night if they were out in a tunnel or greenhouse. For example it's forecast very cold this week. I saw a youtube clip where they had a mini-tunnel within a tunnel and used tealights inside the mini-tunnel. Maybe that could work.

I have a small 4 shelf blowaway inside the greenhouse so I can gradually harden them off from blowaway to greenhouse. The outside stuff will then go into coldframes before finally outside. Spoiling them, I know, but I am there mother after all.......

Thanks. So when do you sow them and at what stage do you move them out of the house or do you sow them in the blowaway?

Mine get hardened off at about 1-2 inches tall, and go straight outside into the greenhouse - no heater. I keep a small selection for early toms but that's it. The chillis get cracked open in a little heated prop and then turfed out to the kitchen then out to the greenhouse. I do have 3 large trays in here at the moment as I ran out of space in the greenhouse and when I did a course last week, I provided tom seedlings that the delegates pricked out and potted on, and some of those that came home with me needed some 'indoor time' before going out - but half are now out there and seemingly loving it.

Thanks. And roughly what date would you sow your toms zazen? Would you just fleece them or something on a cold night?

You don't have to start tomatoes in Feb. You can start them in March when the days are longer, lighter and warmer

Chillies might still benefit from an early start though, they aren't as fast growing as toms

Yeah, I guess I was over-eager after waiting so long to get growing for the plot (I only got it last summer and missed sowing/growing as it needed so much work over the autumn and winter). Some of the plants I have already have flower buds. Hopefully I'll get a nice early crop. But it's hard work.

Will do that for peppers and chillis, don't take up much space.

If you have electricity to the area, which I assume you have since you mention electric cables/propagators, then a small electric thermostatic greenhouse heater might work for you. I have had mine for about 15 years and it looks a right sight but does the job. I only have it on frost setting (unless I hear the forecast and it is going to be really bad. I use my electric propagator in the greenhouse and once the seeds are up and big enough they get pricked out and positioned as close to the heater as I can get them. Sometimes that means moving other trays further away, but if they have already been out for a while I feel they can take it.

Thanks. I don't have electricity outside but could run it out easily enough. I mean 'the brother' could Again, what time are you sowing at? So what would you regard as 'really' bad in terms of temperature? I keep reading about keeping the tempderature at 10 degrees or more for toms.

I'm probably obseessing about the temps and making toomuch work for myself. Should probably just chuck a couple out and see what happens

[Bigmallly]

I sow mine feb/march on heated prop. Once germinated, they go into the blowaway till they are ready to be transplanted into modules then into greenhouse.