They are going in!

[pigletwillie]

Well, they are around 10-12 inches high now and just starting to form the first truss, so the bulk of my tomato plants will be planted out into the tunnels this Easter weekend.

They have been hardened off over the last week and are ready to be put out into the big wide world. I generally keep one door of each tunnel open unless the night temp is likely to drop below 4-5 degrees when I close them, but open them up again in the morning. This saves baking the plants on a sunny day as would happen with closed doors.

As a bonus, the space freed up in the home greenhouse makes for lots of squash, courgette, pumpkin, sweetcorn and maincrop climbing french bean sowing, along with a raft of flowers.

[Alison]

When did you sow these ones Piglet?

[Creemteez]

Look South-West out of your window. See a green glow of envy in the sky? That'll be me!

[Duronal]

are you planning to keep them heated pw? I'm tempted to do the same down here but my last lot got savaged by a heavy frost, I was gutted but it would appear that -2 with fleece protection just didn't cut it.

What are you're plans for the frosts to come?

[zazen999]

Gosh...mine went into cold frames at the weekend...and the kitchen windowsill beans are staying outside for tonight.

I'm only worrying now if there is a frost forecast. Then all hell breaks out. But, next week [8 sleeps to go] I'll have a greenhouse to put them all into.

[danmon_81]

Mine are on the window ledge...about 5" high....lots of truss leaves....i have an outdoor plastic house....the 5 foot ones.....so is it ok to harden them off and get them outdoors now?????

cheers

Dan

[RobintheBobin]

My babies spend night time on the utility room window ledge and daytime in the greenhouse with the vent and door open...I'm slightly nervous about leaving them over night in there as we are having some cold snaps still.

One day I must let them go but not just yet...

[bramble]

My tomato plants are in my unheated greenhouse for the last 3 weeks or so and are doing fine.
Covered them with fleece and polystyrene when the temp was low and they're all doing great.

[Alison]

Mine are going to be cossetted inside for a fair while yet but suppose it depends on where you live and how early you planted. Whatever you do though, don't shock them by moving directly from the warm to the cold.

[danmon_81]

right decision made 4 days off over the next week or so....im harding them off and there going out!!

p.s. im over dublin end of this month on my stag do Bramble!!! :-)

[lynda66]

mine have been out for about 3 weeks cos it's been lovely ... watch the mad panic if frost is forecast lol

[lyndap]

Just put mine out into my plastic minigreenhouse today.They are growing in polostyrene cups and I usually have them in there before now but was behind with sowing this year.My 5year old grandsons pestering to start sweetcorn,cucs(which weve not grown before),pumpkin(also not grown before!)+other things hes spotted so need space indoors.Think I've persuaded him to wait another week before we have a seed sowing session!!!

[Demeter]

I've been hardening off my two larger toms (about 6" or so high with lots of leaves) for the last few days - on the patio in the daytime, on the windowsill at night. I will stick them in the plastic mini-GH overnight soon, as long as frosts don't threaten.

My other toms are still babies!

[zazen999]

I'd do it the other way round!!! I'm hardening off my babies and keeping the top two indoors until May, then will harden off over a week and plant straight out.

the babies will soon kick into action once the weather warms up...but I want a couple ready to drop flowers and set fruit as soon as possible.

[Demeter]

I'd do it the other way round!!! I'm hardening off my babies and keeping the top two indoors until May, then will harden off over a week and plant straight out.

the babies will soon kick into action once the weather warms up...but I want a couple ready to drop flowers and set fruit as soon as possible.

Mm - food for thought.
I wanted to move them out to give me some space indoors but I might have to have a rethink when you put it like that!