Warning for those with seedlings and young plants in hot weather

[Runtpuppy]

I've been watering my seedlings in egg trays and little pots twice a day. Once in the morning, as soon as I wake up, and then at some point in the afternoon when the sun is blazing through the kitchen window. Both times, the soil is quite dry. Last night, I had to drip a few drops in before I went to bed as well. It was a bit too warm, if you ask me.

[veggiechicken]

Don't let the seedlings sit in the blazing sun through the window or you'll cook them - never mind how much water you give them. Best to move them away from the window when its this hot.

[Runtpuppy]

Don't let the seedlings sit in the blazing sun through the window or you'll cook them - never mind how much water you give them. Best to move them away from the window when its this hot.

Oh oops, okay! Thanks! I'll go move them now...

[veggiechicken]

Just while the sun is directly on them - you can move them back afterwards.

[Runtpuppy]

Just while the sun is directly on them - you can move them back afterwards.

Will do! It's just around now that it's directly on them for a couple of hours. Mornings, not so much. And since it's the first time I'm growing tomatoes from seeds, I am slightly in the 'My preciousssssss' mode. I'd rather be slightly over-protective than kill them.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Can't help on that - I'm more of a "let the plants tell you what's going on " bloke - so I have a look at the leaves and check for any flagging etc.

Also you tend to get to know which things will cope with different conditions, also that large well grown plants are able to ride out extremes which will badly affect seedlings of the same type.

To be honest I'm less concerned with the daytime temperature, more the overnight temperature, just so I can keep an eye on when I can safely leave stuff out there.

[4Shoes]

Just not got your far yet.

Was afternoon before mist lifted here

[4Shoes]

Found today that the garden patch is a dry as a well "very dry thing" . Weather is expected to break on Monday, but for "sandy soil types, might want to keep soil moist and humid whilst it is hot - ish to aid germination.

Know it is a bit of hit and miss here. Last year (be it I was away more and couldn't look after them), not a spring onion or carrot after beds dried out.

[self-contained]

I'm thinking the mass movement of seedlings into the sun room last week was a Bad Idea.

My poor pea-shoots:



Some of my sweetpeas are looking pretty crispy too. One tray of french sorrel is completely done for, but others seem to have fared slightly better as they weren't at the sunniest end of the room.

I've closed the end blinds and half drawn the ceiling shades which should help a lot tomorrow. The pea-shoots are cooling down outside for a bit, but I'll probably bring them into the house when it gets dark or they will be slugged to death in no time. Not sure they are salvageable, but I'll give them a go!

[nickdub]

To be honest I'm less concerned with the daytime temperature, more the overnight temperature, just so I can keep an eye on when I can safely leave stuff out there.

Unless you are envisaging an alarm system coupled with a midnight rescue mission, you're best bet for that is to rely on the BBC weather forecast for your area. Though a bit of extra insulation when things look dicey over night never goes amiss.

[nickdub]

I reckon your pea-shoots will probably revive - I'd stand the whole lot in a tray of water for an hour if they were mine, maybe that's what the black tray is for, not sure from the photo.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Unless you are envisaging an alarm system coupled with a midnight rescue mission, you're best bet for that is to rely on the BBC weather forecast for your area. Though a bit of extra insulation when things look dicey over night never goes amiss.

I do actually have a live feed of the local temperature from a nearby weather station on WeatherUnderground which feeds into my home automation system, so I can use it to get an idea of the relative difference inside and out.

I’m not sure how much I trust the BBC weather forecast anymore, the Met office seems to be more reliable.

[nickdub]

Interesting, and OK as far as it goes but the difficulty as I see it is that frosty nights this time of year often follow on from quite warm days - so as I mentioned in my other email, unless you fancy a moonlight rescue mission, by the time you get your real-time info it may be too late.

I find the 24 hour forecasts to be reasonably reliable, but as always they are just that - forecasts - so they can be and are wrong occasionally.

[veggiechicken]

I use Metcheck forecasts, a L1dl thermometer, gut instinct and laziness factors in decision making!

[Paulie]

Well it's scorchio here in Stoke too, but you won't find me complaining. But it is a bit like we've bypassed spring and shot straight from winter to summer! Less than three weeks ago - Easter Monday - my wife and I went on a trip to see the lambs frolicking in the Derbyshire countryside, only to find them dithering in the snow!