Advice on Tomatoes

[flowertot]

Ok so wondering what you all would think best. I hardened off my tomatoes and they are now outside in my 3m x 2m tunnel/blowaway thing. They've been outside nearly a week and although I wouldn't say they are florishing in this weather they aren't exactly sulking either - holding their own I would say. However I gather we are expecting a cold snap over the weekend. I've covered them in an extra layer off fleece this evening to help keep them warm but I did wonder if I'd be better bringing them back in the house till this cold spell passes? Would that be too much like molly coddling? Or would it just shock them even more? Any thoughts would be welcome.

[Matt94]

well im in the same location as you - and my toms are also in the greenhouse, but im just gonna leave them in there (i may throw some fleece over them) - although others will probabily advise to bring them indoors, i think this may shock them.

[flowertot]

Think I will do the same - I have got a back up supply of younger seedlings on my kitchen window sill - mainly because I cant walk past a garden centre and once I'm in there, I always end up picking something up. Indulged in a couple of black russian Tomato plants just the other day inspite of the fact my tom plant count is now well into the twenties....

[redser]

It looks like the really low temps are only for a night or two. Why not just take them in and play it safe?

[Creemteez]

Depends on how much of a faff it'll be to bring them in. If they have been hardened off as you say, and you have plenty of fleece, I would show them some tough love and just fleece them well. Don't think the cold snap is supposed to last that long (Says she as the New Ice Age makes it's entrance!).
You pays your money, to makes your choice!......

[donnakebab]

I don't think the frost is going to be too hard. I got home from work last might and saw the weather forecast, dashed up to lottie and covered my strawberries with fleece (they have lots of flowers on them). But this morning no frost. Still going to leave it on though until the danger of frost is over.

If I was you I would leave them where they are with fleece.

[Two_Sheds]

Bringing them indoors overnight isn't going to shock them in any way ~ whereas leaving them outside in a frost almost certainly will

[donnakebab]

Isn't there an easy way to bring a bit of heat into the greenhouse? I don't have one so I don't know.

[flowertot]

Ah decided to leave them out in the end, well covered with fleece and I managed to scrounge a bit of bubble wrap too - didn't see much evidence of frost this morning tho! Once I hardened them off I nabbed their space in the kitchen for my 15 pepper plants which I was potting into morrisons buckets. Dont think I've room for 30 Morrisons buckets in the kitchen......well not with the chillis courgettes aubergines runner beans french beans back up toms....lol think I need a bigger house!

[Chef_uk]

Bringing mine in tonight. Fell to 1.1c in the greenhouse last night and that was 4c warmer than what they think tonight will be here. Also reluctantly earthed up my newly emerging spuds. After tomorrow though the night time temps steadily climb in to double figures.

[Allotment26]

Also reluctantly earthed up my newly emerging spuds.

Hi Chef, just curious, why "reluctantly"?

[Chef_uk]

I planted them too deep to begin with and that was 6 weeks ago. Finally got a handful to emerge this week and I'm now covering them up before they had chance to soak much light in. Just a bit worried that's all.

[BarleySugar]

I find any bits of potato peel accidently making its way into the compost bin seems to be able to grow it's way up from the bottom to the top with no light at all, so I should think they will make it OK. When I was emptying the compost bins earlier in the year, I found a couple of 'new' potatoes near the bottom that had obviously grown in situ. I would never have thrown away any that good