When do you transfer tender stuff to your unheated greenhouse.

[TrysHard]

I understand that it is too early at the moment – but I am wondering when people move chillies, peppers, aubergines, toms etc. from the safety of indoors out into an unheated greenhouse. Folks around here (Kent) say about 3-4 weeks before last frost date as the day time warmth keeps the greenhouse frost free.

I know it is a balance between indoors going leggy on the window sill and stunting growth or worst due to a cold snap out in the greenhouse.

Any tips or advice based on experience.

[skeggijon]

Personally, I wouldn't transfer tender seedlings into my unheated greenhouse until the danger of hard frost had past, though some people may have a riskier strategy

[Thelma Sanders]

All through April I'm doing the greenhouse to house trip every evening with the pots, if the forecast is for lower than about 7C and then reverse in the morning.
Last week of April I'll plant them out and rely on fleece or laying poly sheeting around them, if a late frost is forecast

[Kristen]

If you have the option of carting tender plants into the house, from the greenhouse, each night [i.e. when forecast to be cold] then they will benefit from the better light in greenhouse, rather than windowsill, whenever the temperature is 10C or higher.

Not really going to work if your greenhouse is on an allotment and you get there on a bike!

[Kristen]

P.S. Another option is to have a heater in the greenhouse. If you only use it for cold nights from, say, April 1st onwards, or maybe March too, then the fuel used will be modest. Ideally an electric heater as with an accurate thermostat they only come on for brief periods during March / April. Getting power to a greenhouse, e.g. with a buried armoured cable, tends to be expensive though.

[Scarlet]

If you have the option of carting tender plants into the house!

I do! Twin boys with large large watering trays. One kid carries the front the other in the back. 3 trips and it's done. They don't get their tea cooked if they whinge.

[Bacchus]

I suspect it will be at least May before I move mine out (depends on the forecast) - but I have a polytunnel rather than a greenhouse and am a bit further north than Kent.

[Mikey]

There's no hard and fast deadline, the met offices long range forecast can be helpful. I've had mine outside as early as mid March and not until as late as end of May before now. Mother nature can be a touch cookie to follow. You can try and cheat her but, it only slows down the plants growing if its too early.

[Bren In Pots]

My toms, chilli, courgettes and cucs live in the kitchen overnight then in GH during the day, it works out OK unless I sow them too early then they do get heavy.

[arpoet]

I have a couple of polystyrene boxes about 18 inch square and a foot deep. When i take the tom plants down the greenhouse i stand the pots in these. For the first week or so cover them at night and take the covers off by day. If we get a mild spell i leave them uncovered and only cover when a hard frost is forcast.

[Martin H]

P.S. Another option is to have a heater in the greenhouse. If you only use it for cold nights from, say, April 1st onwards, or maybe March too, then the fuel used will be modest. Ideally an electric heater as with an accurate thermostat they only come on for brief periods during March / April. Getting power to a greenhouse, e.g. with a buried armoured cable, tends to be expensive though.

This is what I plan to do. I have a fan heater with a "frost free" setting and intend to start using that on cold nights from March onwards, once I've got sensitive stuff in there. Until then I'll only have hardy plants that might sulk a bit if the temperature drops to freezing, but won't die.

[Bigmallly]

I'm surprised nobody has suggested a GH in a GH...........a blowaway or coldfame inside a greenhouse insulated with bubblewrap if need be.

[lottie dolly]

that has been said on here before BM,what i do,start them of inside,when pricked out,into the double glazed grow barn,sitting on top of bubble wrap,with a wilko's plastic lid,and on the top of that lot a large cloch thing with vents on,when the plants are to high for the inner lid,just remove but continue with the large cloch,it sits 4 regular seed trays under 1,you can use anything thats warm under the tray,this also keeps the mice out,especially bean seeds,i was lucky enough to be given 6 of them,

[Kristen]

I'm surprised nobody has suggested a GH in a GH...........a blowaway or coldfame inside a greenhouse insulated with bubblewrap if need be.

Good point. I've done that in the past, with a heater inside the GH-in-the-GH. Much smaller volume of air to heat, and because the GH is in a GH that adds some insulation benefit too.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'm surprised nobody has suggested a GH in a GH...........a blowaway or coldfame inside a greenhouse insulated with bubblewrap if need be.

Because they all blew-away in the storm t'other day lol