Moving Toms to the tunnel

[redser]

It looks like the weather is to continue the same for another couple of weeks (cold/wet/windy). Despite this I wonder is anybody moving Tomato plants to their tunnels yet? I've been bringing mine on in the blowaway out back with fleece at night (only bringing them in on the rare night) so I reckon they are well hardened off. I know they would need night protection at the plot, but I can't get up there every day to do it. So I was thinking of making a simple fleece tent around them (yoghart pots on bamboo canes with fleece draped over them). And they would stay in that until the weather finally picks up. What do you think? At this stage I'm wondering would they be better off with their roots in the tunnel border than in pots in the slightly draughty blowaway.
Cheers

[Aberdeenplotter]

we had frost yesterday morning. I was able to lift a quarter inch disc of ice off the top of a bucket so that will let you have an idea of how severe that was. Mine will be staying put for a few weeks yet.

[Alison]

Mine haven't been outside at all yet apart from when I took them to the shed to pot on. Normally have started hardening off a bit by now and then leave them in the cold greenhouse until latish May when I feel safe enought to take them up to the plot and plant them out in the tunnel. Was 3 deg up there yesterday lunchtime so not risking that yet.

[redser]

Fair enough, thanks for the replies. It's a space issue at this stage and got a lovely big tunnel just waiting for them. More prayers to the sun god needed methinks.

[taff]

I would if they were mine, mine are in the greenhouse germinating and growing on, so it's the same as a tunnel, except a bit colder.

[redser]

Thanks taff. I have spares and the beds have been flooded and holes prepared. I'll stick one in and see how it goes. It's been cold here but no actual frosts for a while. Cheers

[SarzWix]

My tomato plants have been in my greenhouse permanently for a few weeks now. They're on staging though, with a double layer of fleece under them and a double layer over the top. It might get a bit colder at ground level. Why not build the frame, and put your max/min thermometer on the soil and put the fleece round? It would give you an idea of what the temperature is getting to at that level?

[Vince G]

Mine went into the ground in the tunnel at the weekend. It's never been under 15 degrees in there, even when cloudy. Cucumbers and aubergines are now in residence on the shelving - will put them in in a couple of weeks time I reckon.

[redser]

Thanks again. I really must get a min/max thermometer, had a lidl one but it went walkies. I'm going to try a plant in the soil then build the tent and cover the soil beneath with black plastic to try warm it up a bit.
Cheers