Is it still too early?

[Dorothy rouse]

Can I plant my tomatoes out in their bags yet, or is it still too early. Some are also going in flower buckets. Am going to growing them on top balcony, which is sheltered on 3,sides.

[roitelet]

I would err on the side of caution and not plant outside until after the 15th of May at the earliest. We have yet to go through the St Glacé when there are three days of possible cold weather and maybe frost.

[Thelma Sanders]

There's a cold snap forecast for next weekend, so I'd wait till after that if you can.

I can't - I'm going on holiday *mutter mutter*

Still they've got 2 choices - fingers crossed they'll be ok in the greenhouse

[andy_j]

To be safe, i would say another month. I haven't even sown stuff like my runner beans which will go out end of may

[Dorothy rouse]

Ok, I'll be patient then, they are getting quite large and taking up fair amount of space in plastic thingy house, I've just squashed them all up a bit to make room for other stuff.

I suppose the same for chillis?

I haven't sown my runners either Andy, sowed some Dwarf beans the other week, about half germinated, so just moved them to 3 inch pots, another tray nothing as yet, very strange.

[Scarlet]

Same for chillies Dorothy, I won't put my chillies in the GH overnight until beginning of June. Or double figures at least. Out in the day and in the house at night.

[george356]

Hmm............. I am in County Durham and I already have 3 tomato plants planted in a growbag through Growrings (Moneymaker - raised from seed sown in my greenhouse in mid February). My greenhouse is kept above freezing on a night by a thermostatic propane greenhouse heater, but the lowest minimum temperature I have recorded in there so far has been 43F. I have also got chillies which are just past the seed leaves in there, but my courgettes, cucumbers and a couple of melons have yet to germinate. To cover my bets I will sow more seeds of everything in the first week of May, just in case.

[Dorothy rouse]

Oh dear, my chillies are snuggled up with the toms, in the plastic house outside, they look ok, and it is sheltered, against a house wall.

[Bill HH]

Its hard to know what to do Dorothy, you are not alone. I am by the sea which gives me a couple of degrees advantage but you cant rely on it. I think caution is always the best policy with British weather, that is if you can. Sometime space determines things for you.

[Scarlet]

The tomatoes are obviously giving your chillies some protection but chillies need a bit of warmth to grow well. Minimum of 12 at night to ensure the plant puts on some growth and give some fruit at the end of the season.

[eospete]

If your plants are looking happy, I'd leave them to snuggle up a little longer and they will thank you for it later on. My moneymaker, tumbling tom, sun gold and gardeners delight are all above a foot tall and flowering now. Earliest I've known it. I did have to take a risk planting my lettuce out to make room for the stars increasing size. Quicker to replace frost damaged lettuce than toms and chillis.
P